Rascal English Setter Fincastle, VA

Age: 3.5 years
Color: Bi-Color
Weight: 42 lbs.
Neutered: Yes
Microchipped: Yes
Good with cats: No
Good with Dogs: Yes
Good with Children: No
House Trained: No, needs work
Obedience Training: No
Crate Trained: No, still working on it
Leash Trained: Yes
Fence Requirements: Requires physical fence or ok for no fencing, playing in dogs parks and daily walks and other outdoor activities
Hunting Requirements: NOT a hunter, can not be a hunting companion
Energy level: Laid Back
Known Abuse in the past: No
Resource guarding: No
Aggression issues:
Prior to diagnosis and daily meds for hypothyroidism, there were incidents involving growling and lunging at my teenage son when he moved quickly or surprised Rascal. Since beginning meds, he will give a grumble when he is uncomfortable or unsure. He has not bitten or shown teeth when he grumbles.
Anxiety (Separation, nervous energy): Yes

Description:
Rascal is a low, energy guy who bonds to one person in the household. When that person is not around, he will settle for the next best option and will reward that person with lots of snuggles. Rascal gets along well with other dogs and would do best with another low energy dog to play with. He would also be just fine as an only dog. He is a velcro dog and really needs to be close. He gets anxious and will pace and pant when he is by himself, so he could benefit from having someone who works from home and he wouldn't be alone for long periods of time.

Rascal can get overwhelmed by new people and noises in the house, so a quiet home would be most desirable for him. Introductions to new people or new situations will require patience and the understanding that he needs to set the pace. There are no cats in the foster home, so he has not been cat tested, but he does not have a high prey drive. The gut feeling of the foster is that he would be ok with cats. Rascal walks well on a leash, with very little pulling unless he is anxious to get back inside. If he does not want to walk, he will put on the breaks and refuse to walk. He may need a little gentle coaxing and some promises of a chin scratch to get him moving again.

After living the first 3 years of his life outside, he embraces the inside living and is most content when he is safely inside, lounging on the couch. Rascal MUST stay on daily thyroid medication for the rest of his life. It is important to follow your vet's guidance for routine bloodwork to check his thyroid function. Failure to comply with his medication routine will cause negative behavior changes, and prevent him from feeling his best.

Rascal likes to stand on his back legs and gives the best hugs. If you leave the room for 5 minutes, he acts like he hasn't seen you for a very long time and will be thrilled to reward you with a hug. He is still learning how to play with toys, so he tends to poke them with his nose until he decides if they are worth further exploration. He is absolutely the best couch snuggler and bed sleeper around.

If you are interested in adopting this OESR dog, you must complete the application process at www.oesr.org. We will not be able to answer your questions about this dog until he/she has been assessed at which time the information will be available here or on our website.

Volunteer transport can be arranged in the Continental US within a 1,000 mile distance between adopters & foster home.

Adoption Fees:
Puppy under 1 year: Setter: $430.00 Mixed: $375.00
Dog ages 1 – 7 years: $350.00
Dog ages 8 – 10 years: $250.00
Senior 10 and over: $200.00
Special Needs dog: sliding scale to be decided.