Age & Sex: Approx. 8 yr. old	UTD: Yes
Weight:  46 lbs.	Other Dogs: Yes
Color:  Flashy Fawn	Cats: Yes
Ears: Badly Cropped	Children: Under 5: Yes   Over 5: Yes
Tail: Docked	Professional Training Required: No
Spayed:	Microchipped: Yes
Shelter Surrender	Location: Rochester, NY
Adoption Donation $150

1/15/12 - Tessa continues to be a great house guest. She is excellent with everyone that comes into our home. Tessa does bark when someone comes to the door ( even us ) until she sees who it is and knows that everything is good. Just a protective thing. Then she will snuggle with you on the couch which is her favorite thing to do. Tessa occasionally plays with toys but it's not a daily thing for her. We love having Tessa here with us she is definitely the easiest foster we've ever had mostly because her energy level is low and she's just content to be wherever you are, only needs to go out a few times a day, and excellent with everyone that comes to our house.

12/10/11 - Sorry for the delay in an update. We took Tessa in while she had a lump removed in our area (Which was benign) and well she never left us. We fell in love with Tessa immediately she is just the sweetest boxer girl we've ever had. It was never our intention to keep her or take over her care because she already had a fabulous foster family but she just fit into our family perfect. Our boy ,was recovering from some health problems and Tessa was a great companion for him with the right energy level that wouldn't overwhelm him while he rested up. I really can't believe no one has been interested in this amazing girl. We have a two and a half year old and Tessa is so good with her.  Our daughter reads her books, lays on her, bounces all around her and Tessa stays her calm self.  Tessa loves her people and seems to be happiest when she's laying next to you. Tessa has to be the easiest foster we've ever had she is so calm, sweet, and content to just be where you are.

11/14/11 - Tessa now has a new foster home - so this will be my last update on her. About 6 weeks ago, I discovered a large mass on Tessa stomach that hadn't been there before. BAR decided that Tessa needed to go to Rochester to have this removed ASAP. So at the end of October, Tessa made the long trip to a temporary foster home in Rochester. Her surgery went well and good news - the mass was benign. However while Tessa was there, her temporary foster family fell in love with her and decided they wanted to continue fostering her. I am sad that I didn't get to say my goodbyes to Tessa, but I'm happy that she has a wonderful new foster home. It has even been reported that Tessa gets to be on the bed every night and help her foster mom read a bedtime story to Tessa's foster sister. She wasn't allowed on the bed here so I'm sure Tessa is loving this!!! I miss Tessa - she was such a sweetheart.

8/25/11 - Tessa is still a wonderful guest. She has gone to our cottage with us several times this summer and has been on boat rides and to the beach. She really likes to try and catch the waves at the beach. We have also discovered she can swim - if she has to. She has fallen off the dock a couple times and she has had to swim until my husband could fish her out of the water. , The infection in her ears has cleared up so now the only itchy things are her feet. Her feet really aren't a big problem and we are treating them with antihistamines. Other than that we wait until the grass gets covered over with snow. , Tessa loves to chase balls and she has started to play tug with a toy and my girl Star. Tessa is not a high energy girl - she is very content to just nap on the couch for the afternoon. However she also likes to go outside and hunt small critters - frogs, bees, chipmunks, dragon flies, mice. Most of the time she stays around off leash and will come when called - unless she is focused on some little critter. Then she doesn't always hear me. However, we love her - even with her "selective" hearing loss., I have enjoyed fostering Tessa - she is such a wonderful, easy girl to care for. I think I have delayed updating her page so she could stay with me longer - I wish all my fosters were like Tessa. But it's time she found a forever home. She may be older and her ears are not perfect - very cute - just not perfect. However she is one of the sweetest boxer girls you could find. Please make Tessa part of you family.

5/12/11 - Tessa is doing well. Hopefully this update will find its way since her last update got lost somewhere in never never land. She is sweet, gentle and very cute.  I call her my little German Countess with her braids/ears on the top of her head- and she has really cute freckles on her muzzle!   She is wonderful with kids, cats and other dogs.  However she prefers dogs who are calm and balanced.  Tessa had a tendency to be the "enforcer" when her foster siblings, DJ and Tulip were out of control.  She just HAD to tell them to calm down so she needed a gentle reminder that I was in charge.  Tessa is house-trained and has not had any accidents since she was treated for an urinary tract infection.  She sleeps in the bedroom with us on a dog pillow on the floor.  The first week that she was allowed in the bedroom, she and I had nightly discussions about her NOT sleeping on the bed but now she doesn't even try to get on the bed.  I'm sure though, if her forever family allows it, she would be very happy join them on the bed.   Tessa is very good in the crate but does not need to be crated when left alone in the house.  She is not destructive, however she will counter-surf if the opportunity is there.  She also likes the "Kitty Crunchies".  I have to make sure I keep food out of reach and the cat litter boxes gated off. Tessa seems to be allergic to spring.  Once the snow was gone from the yard and she was able to be outside more,  she has had itchy feet and ears.  Right now she is getting medications and wearing an e-collar. I am trying to get her comfortable again.  Tessa is pretty close to the perfect boxer - loving, gentle, friendly, playful, cuddly, calm, wiggly - a rare gem.  She is looking for her forever home.  Get your application in for this wonderful, special girl.

4/2/11 - Tessa is such a sweet, happy dog.   Her butt and nubby are wiggling constantly.  She loves her treats and learns very quickly.   She will sit and stay while waiting for her supper and before going outside.  She has learned my hand signals for go, come, sit and stay.  She willingly goes into her crate for a treat and will quietly sleep in it until she is released.  She is still sleeping in her crate at night because she is still having a few bathroom accidents in the house unless she is taken out about every 2 hours.  However she has kept her crate dry for over 8 hours.  Hopefully, as we learn her bathroom schedule the accidents will stop.  This week I am hoping to allow her to sleep on a dog pillow in the bedroom.,  Tessa is not destructive but she can be a counter surfer if the opportunity is there.  She corrects easily so we are working at that.   She has started to play with some of the dog toys - balls and marrow bones are her favorites.   Unfortunately Star will only let Tessa play a little while before Star takes the toy away.  Tessa stay around well when off leash.  She loves to be with her people so she never wanders very far.  I'm hoping that continues as the weather gets nicer and there is no snow on the ground.,  Tessa is almost ready for a forever home.  She just needs a well-pet visit to the vet.  Possibly next week she can see the vet - if she is over her cold.  Get your applications in for sweet Tessa.  She is such a gentle lady.  You could not ask for a better boxer.

3/27/11 - Introducing my new foster girl - TESSA.  The shelter had named her Celia - a pretty name - but try saying "come Celia" 3 times really fast.  I decided to call her Tessa because she is a very regal, elegant, gentle girl - a Countess.  She is flashy fawn with cropped ears.  Unfortunately her ears were not cared for properly after being cropped so now they fold over on the top of her head.  This just gives her a lot more character and charm.  Tessa and my boxer Star are getting along really well and Tessa does not bother my cats.  She is curious about them but does not chase them.  She was also very good with my 4 year old granddaughter - so she should be good with children of any age.  Tessa listens well, knows the basic commands, and walks nicely on a leash.  She has a couple minor medical issues that need to get cleared up and she will be ready for her forever home.  Get your applications in for this gentle boxer girl.