ZEUS
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| Zeus has spent his entire life in a dirt backyard with his GSD Mom. He has not been trained or socialized and had not been to a vet before his recent vaccinations earlier this month (Dec); he turned seven years old on December 1st.
He is intact and will be neutered and chipped as soon as we can get him indoors so that he can recover in a warm, safe, and loving indoor environment.
Zeus' current owner bred him and who knows how many others. They had his AKC papered parents and kept Zeus and his brother who was placed about a year ago when his owners split up.
His aging Mom found a new home sometime around Thanksgiving. Now Zeus is all alone in the yard wondering why his life has been turned upside down.
The photos below were sent to us by Zeus' neighbor Nick who sometimes pet sat when his owners traveled and who has taken on the task of trying to ensure his safety and future happiness.
EVALUATION: Given how Zeus was raised, his response to being handled by a stranger in a in a public place was a testament to his sound core temperament. Considering too, that he has not spent much time on a leash being walked, aside from some pulling to get back to Dad, he was better than some trained dogs we've handled. As far as commands go, sit is the extent of his repertoire. He is said to be housebroken but not crate trained.
This is a basically confident dog, no aggression, tolerant and kind. He has done well with infants, toddlers and other kids but he has also not lived in the house with them 24/7.
The owner's home has foreclosed and already gone to auction, so it might be a matter of days before he has to vacate the house. HOME FOR CHRISTMAS is our game plan...just a foster so that we can get him groomed, vetted and neutered and ready for FOREVER. In addition, we would like to do a full blood work-up and worming on this boy. Please click on the angel to be a part of Zeus' team of Angels: 
Many thanks to~~~ PHIL & BECKY GANG We have asked his owner to please bring Zeus inside for whatever time he has before having to vacate his house so that he is closer to being ready for indoor fostering/adoption. Once he gets a taste of being a real family member, we're betting that Zeus will be quite the young puppy....his gratitude will be boundless. We have promised Zeus that in 2012, the second half of his life will be nothing like the first. If you are interested in fostering Zeus, please read about OUR FOSTER PROGRAM and submit a Foster Application (found on the Foster Program page).
UPDATE 1/1: We had Zeus visit us again briefly so that we could introduce him to an unfamiliar dog; he has never had the opportunity to meet a "stranger" having interacted with only his siblings and parents. While a little tentative and uncertain about Wesson's exuberance, he was very passive. Once relaxed, amorous is more accurate; her rear end was of great interest...he's not neutered yet..although he was not overt or pushy.
Bottom line, this mellow and gentle soul has no aggression and just needs exposure to the outside world. He gave his belly to scratch and looked a lot better now that he's indoors more.
UPDATE 1/11: Zeus' owner is going to be leaving his foreclosed home very soon and we must have a foster home for Zeus ASAP UPDATE 2/2: What a sweetheart! Zeus visited our vet today, for a full exam, blood draw, fecal check, chip, etc. For a guy who has only seen the vet once briefly in December for his rabies shot, he withstood the assault with total passivity...he was such a good boy. He weighed in at 85.9LBS in good shape. Aside from a low grade ear infection which need only be treated topically, (his have never been cleaned in seven tears) he appears to be healthy. His fecal was negative for worms and we will have the results of extensive blood panels next week. We're hoping to move him into foster care next week as well, after a good grooming. We will update his status and the results as soon as we know. UPDATE 2/7:
The results of his blood tests: negative for tick & valley fever, thyroid normal, all other values within the normal range. Zeus' globulins were slightly elevated and his platelets only a tad low so we are putting him on a prophylactic course of Doxycyline, treating his ear infection and
he should be ready for his neuter surgery within the next two weeks.
Barring any unforeseen surprises, he will be moved into foster care by this weekend as well. UPDATE 2/11:
UPDATE 2/16: Zeus has been tick dipped and professionally groomed since his caring foster Mom gave him his first good bath & brushing so he really looks like a Teddy Bear now! Here's his initial foster report:
'Had Zeus since Friday and he has been, as you said, "an easy keeper". I crate him at night, although he really does not want to be in there. However, he doesn't make any fuss about it and stays all night without problems. I will start to leave him and crate him during the day today and start with short intervals. He seems to be a totally non destructive dog in the house so he will probably be just fine without the crate and make a wonderful house dog.
As you know, Saturday was "clean up day" and he handled everything more than fine! As I said before, his skin shows his hard life with multiple benign lesions throughout, usually on pressure points.
Yesterday, Sunday, we had a "social" experience and he was just GREAT! He did not want to get in my car at all, however, once I went in and showed him it was OK, he clumsily got in the back seat and was fine. By the end of the day, he was going in and out without hesitation. Zeus will be scheduled for his neuter surgery next week UPDATE 2/20: Zeus and his foster Mom paid us a surprise visit at the PetWalk on Sunday; how amazing to see this backyard boy out in such a strange and chaotic environment and take it all in stride as though he's been out and about his whole life!
Zeus is scheduled to be neutered on Feb 24th and can be shown the following week. UPDATE 2/29: Here's Zeus' foster report received today: Zeus is doing great and is such a marvelously perfect dog! .... He is highly intelligent, kind, totally non aggressive. I have yet to hear even one bark! I have "tested" him with "strangers" and Zeus will just go up to them and smell. Then he looks back at me and I say "It's OK"....he then just walks away. He is crate trained and now I leave the door open and he's allowed to "wander" the house during the day and at night. He does like to spend most of the night in his crate voluntarily. I have just started to leave him to go about in the house while I'm out and have "tested" him while I've been away for about 4 hours. I've come home to NO PROBLEMS and he's been a perfect gentlemen! He is totally house trained and has not done any urine marking or had any house "incidents". He's got a new "spring" to his step and is just an absolute pleasure to have in my home. His neuter surgery is also healing well. This is one GREAT & loving dog who really deserves a wonderful rest of his life..... That's about all for now....we'll keep in touch. Kim
UPDATE 3/7:
Zeus had his sutures removed; he's now neutered, crate. leash and house trained, vaccinated and microchipped. He's been all cleaned up..even his ears were flushed when he had his neuter surgery. Some very lucky someone is out there....
Adoption fee $275.00.
BEFORE CONTACTING US ON THIS DOG. THANK YOU. |
