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BUSTER  1/5/06
Boxer Mix

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Pertinent Information - Adopted 2/18/06

Post Adoption Pictures


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Age & Sex: 1 yr old male
UTD: Yes
Weight:  58 lbs.
Other Dogs: Promising
Color:  White
Cats: Unknown
Ears: Natural
Children under 5: Yes
Tail: Natural
Children over 5: Yes
Neutered: Yes
Microchipped: No
Owner Surrender
Location:  Bushkill, PA

Adoption Donation $300

 

6/4/06 - Buster has been with use for several months now and unfortunately we are unable to keep him.  He is an absolutely wonderful boy and our family is incredibly sad to see him go.  He has done very well with his training.  He knows most commands and listens quite well.  He is wonderful with kids of all ages and is very very affectionate towards them.  We’ve been using Ceasar Milan’s approach to training.  Buster has responded very well. 

 He is an active dog.  He is great on a lead and LOVES his walks.  He also LOVES his free play.  Chasing a ball around the yard and such.  He LOVES Frisbees and is very willing to show off how high he can jump to catch one. 

 The reason we are unable to keep buster is because he has quite high level of separation anxiety.  He does not do well even when someone leaves the room.  He has fantastic days when it is just he and myself here hanging out.  But the minute the children get home and scurry about running in ever different direction he gets very worked up.  I am in the process of opening up a home daycare and I am afraid he just will not do well in this environment.  He also does not enjoy his crate.  We’ve gotten to a point where he will go in (reluctantly) for short periods of time.  But the way he gets worked up I wouldn't ever want to leave him in there for long periods of time. 

 I really hope that Buster will find a good home.  I am very sad that we won’t be able to keep him.  I think Buster would do best in a home where he is not left alone for long periods of time.  Although he does fantastic with children I think the home he goes to should be one with a low activity level.  I have four children and the chaos that four children bring is just too much for this boy.  Perhaps one child would be best.  He also LOVES other dogs.  He has been introduced to a yellow lab and they run and play for hours and he is incredibly happy doing so.  He also has made friends with a tiny mini pincher.. so I think he’d do great with a pal of any size to play with.

3/21/06 - Buster is doing wonderful. We really can't imagine life before him.  Since his arrival I have given birth to a gorgeous baby girl, Ella.

 Buster is very interested in Ella.  He comes over.  Sits in front of her.  Then lies down and looks at me.  This is his cue that he'd like to say hello.  I've made it so that I won't allow him near her unless he is lying down and he has caught on to this rather quickly.  Once he is lying down, I'll bring Ella over and he sniffs her head.. usually licks her belly.  Then he's done.  If he is in another room, and she starts to whimper, he comes running and immediately lies down next to her.  He wants to make sure she is OK. 
 Buster is doing really well with the other children in the house.  And now that I'm back on my feet Buster and I have been working harder at our training.   He seems to ONLY be having a difficult time when I have to run out to run an errand, and also when people leave the house.  He gets very upset no matter who it is that is leaving.  Even when someone stays behind with him.  I am sure this is part of his separation anxiety and we are slowly working on this and I suspect we'll be in great shape in no time.  He's a fast learner.  Buster is also a little confused by our swing set and my son's ride on motorcycle.  We've been working him with it though and he has gone from barking mad when someone is on the swing.. to a minor whimper.  This is huge progress.  I think the more we work the better we'll get.
 I just wanted to update everyone and tell everyone how happy I've been with the entire process.  Buster seems very happy here and my family is in heaven and feels complete.
 I've attached 3 pictures. The first is Buster looking for permission to say hello to Ella.  And the 2nd is Buster and my 4 year old, Jaxon, watching cartoons and the third shows Buster's hard life.

2/19/06 - Buster is adjusting nicely to his new home.   I just wanted to share a picture of my son hard at work with buster...  I think he's gotten that confidence up and Buster seems to really be taking to him.   Thanks again for everything!

2/18/06 - Our dear boy Buster left with his new family this morning. Buster's stay has been a journey of learning and growth, he and I have trained together every day and played every day, laid on our backs in the snow soaking up the winter sunshine and just being dog and human together.

Our quiet house won't remain that way for long, this weekend we will welcome two more foster kids into the pack and hopefully help two more on their way to new lives and new adventures.
Such is the life of foster homes, we get to love, heal, nurture and lead the dogs in our care and each one enriches my life and leaves me a little more fulfilled............... Kim

2/17/06 - Buster is pending adoption

1/31/06 - Buster's former owner sent a thank you note to BAR for taking such good care of Buster and gave us some further information on him at the same time:  "I am the previous owner of Buster and check your web site every other day to track his progress. He looks so happy, it gives me peace of mind. I knew that Buster had such great potential, he just needed a chance. It hurt me to let him go but I see that he is just doing beautifully.  He has that mischievous little glint in his eye again.   He was very well behaved with my 2 year old grandson.  He would get so excited when my little grandson walked in the door. He would run and get all his toys.  I can't thank you enough for taking such good care of my little boy."

1/30/06 - Here's a note from the Buster boy himself.
   Hi everyone, my life has certainly changed in the past few weeks, in fact I didn't realize there was so much to life, so many things to see in the great big world outside, so many games to play and friends to make.
   Every day my foster Mom makes me do my school work before I can play, I walk to heel on the lead , sit and down  when told and give up all my toys without question. I can even walk calmly when the other dogs are running around me with their balls, it's hard at times but I can do it and then I get to run off the lead and play chase the ball and just run for the love of running with my buddies. Foster mom took me for a walk in our busy town last week, it was noisy, lots of people cars and trucks, at first I was a bit thrown by all of this but I soon got the hang of city life and with confidence from Mom I was soon strutting Like John Travolta, in fact I heard many people stop and look at me and say "wow look at that cooool dog" I'm not kidding you, they really did, ask Mom!
   At home I love to carry teddies around and sleep with them too, but I never chew them, Just play gently, my rough play is for my big Kong toy, I just love to eat the peanut butter and cookies from the inside ,though it does take a bit of work and lots of concentration, I can never quite get that last bit at the end. I have learnt to wait when a door is opened and not rush in or out. I have met some children now and I greeted them in a polite way. I will soon be allowed to play with them too.  Foster Mom says that I am one of the best dogs she has worked with, I am a strong personality and need good direction, just like a human kid but I do my homework and learn fast, she said that I am a dog to be proud of!  I would like a home where people love the same stuff as me, playing in the yard, lots of walking, running with the wind in your face, coming home to snooze by the fire ( I can do the cuddle thing too!) oh and yes the school work , I need to keep that up too!
  Oh and I am super fast at going out to pee and poop, I get it over with just like that and have never had an accident in my foster home, well why would I, I'm a grown up boy with good manners.
  I love my life here but if you're out there thinking that you'd like to meet me and maybe offer me a home of my own, then  please send me an e mail. There's a lot of fun waiting out there.......... let's get to it!

1/15/06 - Buster has spent just over a week with us in the snowy Pocono mountains and boy does he love the snow! We were out late Saturday night playing in the yard in the middle of the snowstorm, the wind was howling, the trees were blowing and Buster with some of the other dogs were having the best time, eating snowflakes and chasing balls. After a week of lots of training and hard work a boy needs some fun too!
 Buster has been learning to live as a pack member with 2 humans and four dogs after being an only dog, he's had to learn that old lady Boxers do not flirt or play foolishly with young boys and that if you push anyone too far, then neither do they, all in all he is fitting in well.
 Buster is a good looking, proud walking, eye catching young dog and has a personality to match. He needs plenty of exercise and an active, outdoor loving family, committed to continuing his obedience training and offering him good leadership, in order to help him mature into a loveable, well mannered adult.  If  sharing life with this boy interests you, then please watch this space for more Buster news and photos coming soon!

1/8/06 - Buster arrived on Thursday evening after a very sad goodbye from his original family. It was obvious that this was a much loved little guy but circumstances simply made it impossible for them to keep him. He was visibly upset and unsettled for his first 48 hours with us, but after spending some quality time over the weekend getting much love and needed direction he is settling in wonderfully now.

Since Buster is such an adolescent in need of training we decided to take him to puppy  school in the Poconos to visit our resident BAR dog trainer. After just a few hours of working with him our little dog whisperer (tee hee hee) had Buster taking commands like a real pro…..you could see the tension and nervousness melting away from his demeanor as he became calmer and calmer – a testament to the benefits of taking a newly acquired dog to obedience training! After such success and marked change in just a few hours of training we decided to leave Buster there for the next week for more one on one sessions and exposure to other dogs – we will bring him back to Garrison next Saturday and continue his training here. This way when he meets my gang, Mac, Nigel and Penny he won’t be the high strung nervous baby dog that he was the first day that we had him here with us. With this kind of training and attention, when our little Buster boy finally goes home to his forever family he will be a real pleasure for them to show off and have in the home.

I just hung up the phone with the gang in the Pocono’s and Buster’s training today continued to go very well. At this moment he is sound asleep by the fire with his head on a pillow…..such a rough life! 
 Buster has behaved well so far with the dogs he's met , though does not appear to be used to cats. We do not know if this boy is used to children yet so he will be introduced to some as a part of his training.  I’ll update everyone on his “social skills” over the next couple of weeks. He is so sweet and wants to do well – I’m sure that he will continue to impress us all as he settles in and gets comfortable.