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TYSON 6/17/03
#247

Adopted
7/27/03

Pictures

Tyson's Foster Journey

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Pertinent Information
5 years, 5 months 
Fawn Male with Cropped Ears & Docked Tail
 Owner Surrender 
Neutered and UTD
Good with Children and Dogs, Cats are still questionable!
Being Fostered Near Boston, MA
Adoption Donation $ 175

2/1/04 - Tyson is doing well at this six month milestone. He and I have reached the point now, where we have very little problems communicating non-verbally. I know that he needs something if he walks up to me and then sits and patiently waits for me. During this incredible cold streak we've had over the past few weeks, I didn't push the going outside on schedule stuff. (He had to be physically pushed, he's not much of a cold weather dog). Amazingly, this didn't have any repercussions. When he finally did need to go out, he would wake me by sniffing my face. I'd let him out, he'd do what he needed to and then quickly run back in the house (and jump right up on Patrick's bed to stay warm.) Now that the weather is warming up, we're back on our nightly schedule. 
We have solved the problem with his being so happy to see me when I arrive home from work that he pees all over the floor. When he sees me come in the door, we both head directly for the back door and he goes right out and does his business. After this he can jump up and down, run in circles and chase me around the house. Who wouldn't love this type of greeting? 
His ears are still terribly itchy. Some nights, he wakes me up just because of the intense head shaking he's doing to scratch his itch. On these nights, I put in his ear drops. He still doesn't like them, but he puts up very little resistance when he reaches this point. 
He still loves a good ride in the car. Friday, when I picked up the kids from school, my daughter's friend insisted that she sit shotgun. About 30 seconds into the drive, Tyson made his way to the front seat. When the friend started to express her discomfort, Evelyn said "I told you that was Tyson's seat." No apologies, just fact. You know you're part of a family, when everyone in that family allows you an assigned seat.

10/31/03 - Tyson's been with us for three months now, it's hard to remember our family without him.
He's definitely at home here. During the first month he stayed in his own bed all night, every night. Month two, he started to sleep in his pal Patrick's bed. Month three, he makes the rounds. He starts in his own bed but then jumps up and sleeps a few hours in Evelyn's bed, followed by a few hours in Tim's bed and finally settles in for the duration in Pat's bed. Everybody's a winner. (I'm up too early for him, but he does climb up and snuggle with me when I sleep in on Sunday mornings...I do enjoy listening to him snore!)
I whimped out on Halloween and had him stay with Scott, our trainer. I still haven't worked on his barking whenever he hears the doorbell and decided that it would be too torturous for everyone. Plus, he's figured out how to open the screen door...and not everyone thinks he's as sweet looking as I do. So, to prevent any ugly situations I decided he should spend the night at Scott's. He likes Scott very much and jumped right in his truck when he came to pick Tyson up. He's due back any time soon. I have to say, when I got home from work yesterday and he didn't greet me at the door and follow me around the house, I was lonely.
Actually, I don't think I'm in too much of a hurry to work on the doorbell situation. I still think it's funny and laugh when he does it, both at him and at the person on the other side of the door. The expressions are priceless when they see Tyson standing on his two rear legs to get a good look at them. He also barks when he hears the doorbell ring on television. He's a little confused by this, so he just stands in the middle of the living room and barks. I was also able to use the doorbell to my advantage when I couldn't get him out of my car (he does like a car ride) so I had my daughter ring the doorbell (the house is only about a sidewalk's width from the street), he bolted out of the car right into the house, barking like he does. By the time he realized he'd been had, he was locked in the house and we were in the car.
Now that we're trained, our walks are very enjoyable. And I've discovered that there are boxer lovers EVERYWHERE. People that I never would have imagined come up to me and say that they saw me walking the dog and then launch into a quaint story about a boxer in their past. I've had people roll their windows down at crosswalks and yell out what a handsome dog he is, always with big smiles on their faces.

9/30/03 - This month we started our obedience training and what a difference it's made. I think Tyson may have been trained already. He seems to know the "routine". I, on the other hand, was in desperate need for obedience training. In our first session, we learned that Tyson was determining his place in the family and trying to climb the social infra-structure. Once this was brought to our attention we worked on establishing his position in the family as submissive to my husband and me AND to the kids. Next we worked on not confusing Tyson with mixed commands. It all made perfect sense to Tyson I'm sure, but I needed someone to point out to me that I couldn't use the same command to have the dog WAIT for his turn to go outside and WAIT patiently by the door while everyone leaves for the day. Needless to say, he wasn't waiting well in the morning and trying to coax him back into the house while trying to rush everyone to school was very frustrating. Now that I know the difference between WAIT and STAY (I think he knew it all along), mornings have improved. Our walks have improved as well. Knowing the correct way to handle Tyson so that he can interpret my signals, has made our walks more enjoyable. I am no longer led down the street with rigid arm by the Great Pee-ing Tyson. I no longer fear the passing walker/runner/dog-walker. We're both much more calm, I think, simply because we both know who's in charge.
Tyson's also strengthened his bond with our four-year-old. The two of them are very close. Whether Patrick's chasing Tyson around the house or Tyson's chasing Patrick, the're both having fun. The other day, Tyson wasn't in his bed when we woke. A frantic search ensued. We finally found him curled up in Patrick's bed. Both of them asleep, Tyson's head on Patrick's stomach. They both know whose boss in that relationship as well. Patrick has no problems looking Tyson right in the eye and telling him NO or LEAVE IT. Patrick can even lead an unwilling Tyson back into the house (he's learned to push the front screen door open) with some gentle persuasion.
He's still the same lovable Tyson though. People who pull up to the house while he's out are aware that they have to keep all car doors closed. If there's an open door he's in it. I even had to suggest to one friend, that if Tyson jumps in her car, she may have to drive him around the block. He does love a good car ride.

8/27/03 - Tyson's been with us a month now. We couldn't have asked for a better dog! He's a wonderful addition to our family. Our first few days were a little chaotic. Each of the four kids (and some of the neighbor's kids) wanted to ensure that he was happy, well-fed and feeling loved. The poor guy, I think he was exhausted! He handled it like a champ though and seemed to enjoy the attention. We're in a very comfortable routine now. He spends most of his day sleeping and "protecting" the house. Any time you walk by the house he's standing guard in the front window. At first I was guilty that he would be spending his days alone but I think he looks forward to it. He relaxes and is ready when we come home for a walk to the park, a walk around the neighborhood, a ride in the car, some playtime with his dog friends Buster or Junior, or playing tug-of-war; by nine o'clock he's ready for lights out. Of course, at this point he has to wander the kid's rooms looking for his dogbed. There seems to be a never ending battle as to what his sleeping arrangements are. Once again, he handles it like a champ! He didn't even seem to mind it when my nine year old decided that he should be in her room one night, waited until her brothers are asleep, snuck into their room and dragged the bed, dog and all, into her room. 
I'm happy to see the first month behind us. We're over that period where we're all trying to determine what Tyson's trying to communicate to us. We know when he needs to go out, eat, and when his ears itch and he needs his ear drops. We laugh at how we barks at the doorbell whenever he hears it. (It rings a lot, the neighbor's kids think this is funny as well.) I've gotten over my fear that he'll run away. He does escape out the front door now and then, but he only runs as far as the car. If there's a door open he jumps in and waits for a ride. If there's no door open, he just sits beside the car and waits. 
We're starting obedience training next month, which hopefully, will make our walks a little easier. He tends to pull and mark everything. I'll give him some time with this. It is all new to him.

8/3/03 - Tyson has found his forever home. His new owner is very happy with him, as is the rest of the family. He is taking rides everywhere with them, has met the grandparents and the neighbors with that big smile of his we all love staying right on his face. He sat in the back seat on top of the youngest on the trip to the grandparents. He is a bit heavy to be a lap dog for an adult, much less a young one, so now he gets to ride up front where he knows he belongs. He slept in his new bed right away and stayed there all night long. He tried to get them to go to bed early, but he went on his own quietly when he realized they wanted to stay up later. The neighbors also have a boxer and the two of them have had a romping good time in the backyard together. He’s really enjoyed meeting everyone and everything in walks around the neighborhood and at local ballgames. He has a very special vet that owns a boxer herself and she thought he was gorgeous with a great temperament. This boy is so well loved and is eating up all the attention and play time. He carries around the stuffed toys they got for him in his mouth, particularly Piglet from Winnie the Pooh. He is having a blast chasing balls in their big backyard, and is exchanging sniffing pleasantries with the bullmastiff next door. Generally life is pretty good for this family and Tyson, or ‘Ty’ as they like to call him. I miss him here at his foster home, and my dog stopped eating for a day or two after he left, but we know he is in the right home and that makes it all worthwhile.

7/27/03 - What Gary and Nancy said is right, when the right family comes, the dog
knows. Ty walked to the car without a backward glance, put his head down on his young miss' lap and got ready for the short ride to his new home. He was so happy. They were pretty ecstatic to have him too. I am sad to see the sweet boy leave, but seeing them all together was pretty special.  Foster Mom, Amy

7/23/03 - Tyson is pending adoption

7/20/03 - Tyson went to the dog park today and was great with everyone. He played with a Leonberger, a boxer puppy, a pug, and some really energetic collie mix. There were about 20 dogs there in total, with an incredible range in ages and energy levels. He just took it all in stride. He isn’t great yet at responding to “come” but he never wandered off or bothered anyone either. People were really impressed with him and kept commenting on what a gorgeous boy he is. Tyson agrees! We walked on the forest path for a bit and had a couple of cyclists cruise by. Tyson completely ignored them and stayed with us. No chasing for this guy, he has better things to do. He always keeps an eye on my daughter and makes sure she is okay. With all this exercise today, he has completely ignored the cats. They have wandered all over the house in front of him, but he just ignores them and slumbers on. Tyson is looking for his permanent home, a place to call his own. Wouldn’t you like a nice love bug to share your life with?

7/12/03 - There are a few traits that really stand out with Tyson. First, he is very loving and sweet. He hasn’t got a mean bone in his tall, lean body. He was pretty hungry this afternoon after playing all day, and I gave him some nice chicken and rice for dinner. My daughter, ever the helpful child, decided to help by picking up the rice bits he dropped on the floor and putting them back in the bowl. When the bowl started to get empty, I held his bowl for him so he could get the last bits of rice. He seems to take it for granted that we are all there to serve him and give him more food, which is pretty typical for a boxer.
He can do contortionist tricks! I tried to find him in our guest bedroom the other day, and I couldn’t find him anywhere even though I knew he hadn’t left the room. The only place I hadn’t looked was under the bed. With only 8 inches of clearance, I just assumed he wasn’t there. With no other alternatives left, I peeked; and sure enough, I see his flashy white markings in the gloom. I have no idea how he managed to get there, but he did, and managed to get out again on his own. Thank goodness!
He adores walking in the neighborhood. You say the word ‘walk’ and his whole face lights up. He loves meeting everyone when he is out, man, woman, child, creature; it all makes him happy. He seems to prefer a good walk in our company to playing with other dogs. He is very friendly with other dogs, but I think he is more of a people dog than a dog’s dog. He is also a bit of a dandy. He was out playing the other day with the two boxer girls. The two females were covered in dirt by the time they finished playing, but not Tyson - oh no - he comes out as clean as when he started. I swear, he could walk through a mud puddle and come out white.
During our walk in the woods yesterday we met a dog that was a bit overwhelmed by the doggie attention and growled and snapped at us. Tyson just backed off as requested and went somewhere else for a bit. When he approached again, everything was fine. I was really impressed that Tyson didn’t take issue with the snippiness, but he seems to be very well socialized with the other dogs.

7/7/03 - I’m getting to type my own story today, since foster mom is having a holiday nap. I am having a great time here. There is a pretty boxer that I get to share time with, and she takes good care of me. We wait for our bowls to be put down before either of us will eat. I won’t eat until her bowl is ready, and she waits for me too. It’s so nice to be with another dog that has manners. I have fun nipping her heels when we go outside to play. She is teaching me about dashing across the lawn just for the fun of it, and today I got one end of the big stick and we each chewed on the opposite ends. We are very good at making sawdust, says the human. She digs holes in the yard, but that just seems like a lot of work to me. I’d rather go inside and sleep in a proper bed.
Foster mom says I need to work on my playing. I think she means that I use my teeth a little too much. I do listen when she says no, but I am very happy when she can play with me and I forget sometimes. I sat in front of her today and did my special Woo Woo’s to talk with her, and she laughed. I was serenading her, but I liked her laughing so it was okay.
We met another doggy friend yesterday, a big husky male that also likes to play. I had so much fun romping through the woods with them, and I got to go swimming too! Foster mom kept me on the leash for most of it since I wanted to go home with everyone I met. I am just happy to meet everyone, and they smell so interesting! I was going to come back, honest! We passed by a pond and foster mom got a big surprise. I swim well and I enjoy it. Okay, so I also had to show off a bit in front of the new guy.
Foster mom doesn’t put me in a crate when she leaves the house, and I am a much happier guy. She checked everywhere, but I didn’t leave a single ‘present’ for her and didn’t touch any of the baby’s toys or chew on anything. I’m a responsible adult after all. There are advantages to being older and wiser. I lounge on the dog bed and watch the kitties going by while she is gone. I know the cats belong here now – sheesh, I’d never seen one before; I was just curious, honest! I do like to know where they are, but I don’t mind them walking in front of me. If I sit really still sometimes, the little one will rub her whiskers on me. That’s cool! Sometimes the older one gets snippy and bats me just for looking at him, but foster mom tells him to leave me alone when I give her that “help me” look.
I am a happy dog, and I think there is a permanent home out there who would like a happy companion just for them. I know there is someone that wants a handsome boy that would be a friendly companion for walks and sitting down for an evening. I have a lot of love to give and I will do you proud if you decide to open your home and heart to me. I can even serenade you with my woo-woos when life gets too boring.

7/3/03 - I’m getting to type my own story today, since foster mom is having a holiday nap. I have been having a great time here. There is a pretty boxer that I get to share time with, and she takes good care of me. We wait for our bowls to be put down before either of us will eat. I won’t eat until her bowl is ready, and she waits for me too. It’s so nice to be with another dog that has manners. I have fun nipping her heels when we go outside to play. She is teaching me about dashing across the lawn just for the fun of it, and today I got one end of the big stick and we each chewed on the opposite ends. We are very good at making sawdust, says the human. She digs holes in the yard, but that just seems like a lot of work to me. I’d rather go inside and sleep in a proper bed.
Foster mom says I need to work on my playing, that I use my teeth a little too much. I listen when she says no, but I am still not clear how much is play and what isn’t okay. I sat in front of her today and did my special Woo Woo’s to talk with her, and she laughed. It was a good joke I was telling, so I am glad she laughed. I have lots of good jokes to tell.
We met another doggy friend yesterday, a big husky male that also likes to play. I had so much fun romping through the woods with them, and I got to go swimming too! Foster mom kept me on the leash for most of it since I wanted to go home with everyone I met. I am just happy to meet everyone, and they smelled so interesting! I was going to come back, honest! We passed by a pond and I showed her how well I swim and shake water too. She seemed very surprised by how happy I am in the water, but I am a good swimmer. Okay, so I had to show off a bit in front of the new guy.
I finally have been here long enough that foster mom doesn’t put me in a crate when she leaves the house, and I am a much happier guy. She checked everywhere, but I didn’t leave a single ‘present’ for her and didn’t touch any of the baby’s toys or chew on anything. I’m a responsible adult after all. There are advantages to being a little older and wiser. I got to lounge on the dog bed and sleep with my lady friend and watch the kitties going by. I know they belong here now – sheesh, I’d never seen one before; I was just curious, honest! I do like to know where they are, but I don’t mind them walking in front of me. If I sit really still sometimes, the little one will rub her whiskers on me. That’s cool! Sometimes the older one gets snippy and bats me just for looking at him, but foster mom tells him to leave me alone when I give her that “help me” look.
I am enjoying myself here, but I have a sense that there is a permanent home out there, just for me. I know there is someone that wants a handsome boy that would be a friendly companion for walks and sitting down for an evening. I have a lot of love to give and I will do you proud if you decide to open your home and heart to me. Don’t forget, I even tell good jokes!

6/28/03 - Tyson had fun outside today with a bevy of female boxers (even in this heat – he may not be a puppy but he sure has got all the right stuff!) The introductions went very smoothly, which is great since my friend’s boxer is extremely high energy and can be overwhelming at first. Tyson just did all the right doggy things and pretty soon the three of them were dashing from one end of the yard to the other. He really takes life in stride very well, considering how many changes he has had to cope with these past couple of weeks.
Things are improving with the cats. He won’t even stop eating now if one of the cats comes in the room. He continues eating even if they rub themselves on him. I think it helped that he saw me feeding the cats at the table as part of our “pack” (or should I say “pride?” I guess it is all in the perspective) and he saw the cats sleeping with me. His expression was priceless. “You’re going to let those things on your pillow?!!” He does start to go after them sometimes, but now a stern “no” is all that is needed. It also means that he clearly has no food aggression or toy aggression with the cats, dogs or children. Just a mellow boy.
He has learned pretty quickly here what works and what doesn’t. I ask him to sit/stay while my daughter and I go through the door first. The other day I was by myself and just walked through the door. Tyson didn’t follow me and wouldn’t come in when I said come. I had to go through the whole sit/stay routine before he would enter. I guess if I am going to ask him to do something, I had better darn well be consistent!
I finally got to brush him yesterday and take off a sort of downy underfur. Turns out that Tyson is much darker than I previously realized. He is still soft, but now his fur is more silky than downy and the color is a deep burnished copper. His face is full of character. One of his ears flops over and the other one sticks straight up, and the white markings on his nose are very flashy. People on the street really turn around and stare when he walks by. I’ll try to get some more pictures soon with his cleaner coat.
If you are looking for a sweet companion who will adore you and follow you anywhere, this is the guy for you.

6/22/03 - We just came back from a walk with my daughter in the stroller and two dogs. We ran into several neighbors and their children, and Tyson was a doll with everyone. He is so friendly and happy to meet everyone, such a love. Men, women and children all get the same boxer bean wiggle. Children, in true boxer fashion, hold a special allure for him so he was very happy when the young girls came over to give him a hug, which he tried to return with kisses.
There was a squirrel that crossed our path which he clearly wanted to go after, but didn’t. He is a very alert dog, always aware of everything that is going on around him. He doesn’t tend to bark even when another dog is barking, but if he is home and someone stops in front of the house, he will bark. He definitely barks when someone comes to the door. He doesn’t pay any attention to random passers-by, just the people who stop. I actually find this very helpful, since my front door bell doesn’t always work. Once I open the door he is all kisses and hugs.
My daughter is a good tester for dogs, and Tyson has passed with flying colors. She laid on top of him this morning to give him a hug, and he just laid there. He has a slight yeast infection in one ear that requires special drops for a few days. He lets me put the drops in and massage his ear with no trouble. He really is a good boy.
He must be feeling more at home now, because he is becoming more of a love bug. He slowly put his paws on Matt’s lap, then the rest of him except for his hind feet, which he kept on the floor. Then he rested his head on Matt’s shoulder and fell asleep. His eyes were rolled back in his head. I decided to ‘help’ by picking up his feet and putting all of Tyson in Matt’s lap. Turns out that is a lot of boxer in one lap, but he soaked up the attention for as long as he could. Would you like a big boy that thinks he is a small lap dog? Then this is the guy for you!

6/21/03 - We just got back from our evening constitutional, as demanded by Tyson. He is quite firm about these things. He kept licking Matt’s hands and walking to the door. He is very good when we are out on our walks. There is a really barky, unfriendly dog on one corner, and he was interested but never barked back, not even a soft woof. We passed a couple talking in the front yard, and again, wanted to stay and look, but no barking at all. I’ve only ever heard him bark at the mailman, actually. I’m trying to explain to Tyson that the mailman belongs here. There were workmen next door today with chainsaws and large equipment, and Tyson ignored them completely.
I noticed something strange, though. He doesn’t mark anything as we go on our walks. He saves it all up for the special area in our backyard and only pees there, never on a walk. Good Boy!
Tyson is getting comfortable here. The blank look in his eyes is going away and we are seeing a real charmer coming through. He is playing now, romping and boxing around with our dog. He has the energy of a one year old, and an amazing physique. He is a big, powerful boy with a sweet heart. I just can’t get over how gracefully he moves and how muscular he is. Poetry in motion, really.
When Tyson decides I need to go to bed, or he does, he comes over and pushes my hand on top of his head. He will repeat this until I come to my senses and do what he wants. He is very good at communicating.

6/16/03 - Tyson has settled in. He has more energy than a boxer puppy, so don't ever let that white (ish) muzzle fool you! He is in great physical shape, very muscular with no extra padding and covered with the softest fur. He and our dog are getting along reasonably well. He is easy going about being second dog in the house and also has no issues with our one year old daughter. He 
is amazingly gentle taking food from our hands and I can reach 
into his bowl and take food out to hand feed him with no problem 
at all. I would not say that he is great with cats, however. He 
shows no signs of wanting to eat them, he just would dearly love 
to chase them and does almost anything to get them to run. There isn't a mean bone in his body, but I still think he would do better 
in a home without cats. If things change as he settles in, I will let 
you know. He didn't eat last night, but his tummy may have been upset from all that driving. He had a nice dinner tonight, thank 
you previous owners for giving us some of his food! And he slept 
in his crate with his special toys they sent with him. He did very 
well in the crate as long as he knew we were in the room. He keeps 
a good eye on all of us.

6/15/03 - Tyson is here.  He slept the whole way, and has been great with Ella.  He is *very* eager to get at the cats.   He seems to be doing fine so far.  Lots of energy despite the gray muzzle.  Updates to come!

Debbie  H. - I have to share that I am actually looking forward to doing this on Father's Day as I lost my dad to cancer several years ago and he made me the dog lover that I am.  So, for me, this transport is done in memory of my dad, who had the biggest heart for any needy animal, who kept the stray beagles that followed me home, who instilled in me the compassion I have.  Thanks for letting me share this.

Tyson's transport started out very smoothly.  What an angel of a boxer!  He is calm, sweet, listens well, walks nicely on the leash, is playful, but not hyper, etc., etc.!  I wish I knew what the poor guy was thinking, but maybe it's better I don't.  Whoever adopts Tyson will be getting a great dog!

Michele M. - Well my husband Doug joined me on the transport yesterday.  And let me tell you it was GREAT!!! Tyson was such a doll!!  There is just no other way to describe him!!!!  We really enjoyed the time we spent on the transport!!  If you haven't done one yet -- do it!! You'll feel great!  Besides what else would you be doing?   Laundry, housework, yard work, chores????  That'll all still be there waiting for you to get it done eventually.  And you can't beat the great feeling you get knowing you helped a Boxer in need!  And it was great having the opportunity to meet fellow volunteers!  We're looking forward to having the opportunity to help out again!! 

Andy & Susan - This was our first transport and it was so exciting and fun to do!  He was a GREAT dog and he will make someone or some family very happy.   What a LOVE!! I felt so bad because I could see and actually feel his sadness, so halfway to his next drop off I sat in back with him, gave him scratches and love.  He was such a happy boy when we met up with Nancy!  We look forward to doing this as often as we can.  Thank you for the opportunity and the GREAT feeling it gives you!

Nancy L. - Tyson met his new foster family and should be home safely very shortly.  I'm sure Amy will let us know how he is doing, but he was a doll during transport.