Tango 12-326

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 Merry Christmas from Dustin and Meryl!

Happy New Year, Tango! From Brittany

 

We picked up Tango last week from his previous owners who were moving to San Francisco and can’t have a dog in their apartment. They were sad to leave him and after I met him, I know why. He is a big cuddly teddy bear. He jumped in my car and wanted to snuggle the entire car ride home (which is a little hard to do while driving). He greeted my kids with a sweet, gentle, lick - he didn't jump on anyone. He sniffed around the house and our resident dog, but decided to leave him alone because he's two times the size of Tango (and I think our resident dog is a little jealous of Tango). When it was bedtime, Tango jumped right into bed with one of my kids and snuggled up for the night!

As you can see from the pictures, Tango has a little weight to lose. I took him to the vet this week and she said he should lose about 10 pounds....We're working on that! He is very interested in food and hovers around the kitchen whenever he can. We have to keep any food, garbage, and treats off the floor and high enough that he can't reach them. We are trying to break this habit and only feed him dog food (and a few treats for good behavior).

The other reason we visited the vet is because Tango has a seizure disorder that is treated with daily medication. His previous owner said Tango has a seizure about once a month (average) and the medication he takes makes the seizures less intense and less often. He also said that when Tango has a seizure, he shakes on and off for about an hour, then is tired for a few hours after. His owner didn't believe it affected his personality, he was just as sweet after he had a seizure. I haven't seen him have a seizure, but talked to his previous owner about it for a long time.

Other than Tango's occasional seizures and daily medication, he is a very low maintenance dog. I don't kennel him when I leave for the day and he's fine hanging out with my resident dog. He's happy to greet me at the door when I come home, runs outside for a minute, then comes right back in. He LOVES to play outside and I think he would also LOVE to go to the dog park. He's happy to greet other dogs and I've never heard him growl at another dog (or person for that matter). He would do great with kids, even toddlers and babies. He's so mellow, he should be very good with children. When I give him a treat, he gently "licks" it from my hand.

Thanks for reading Tango's story, he's such a sweet boy and I know he will make a great companion!!!

Chilling out in the leaves on a sunny fall day

At a Glance #12-326

Mixed Breed Born: May 2006
Male 65 lbs

Status: Deceased

Profile

 Merry Christmas from Dustin and Meryl!

Happy New Year, Tango! From Brittany

 

We picked up Tango last week from his previous owners who were moving to San Francisco and can’t have a dog in their apartment. They were sad to leave him and after I met him, I know why. He is a big cuddly teddy bear. He jumped in my car and wanted to snuggle the entire car ride home (which is a little hard to do while driving). He greeted my kids with a sweet, gentle, lick - he didn't jump on anyone. He sniffed around the house and our resident dog, but decided to leave him alone because he's two times the size of Tango (and I think our resident dog is a little jealous of Tango). When it was bedtime, Tango jumped right into bed with one of my kids and snuggled up for the night!

As you can see from the pictures, Tango has a little weight to lose. I took him to the vet this week and she said he should lose about 10 pounds....We're working on that! He is very interested in food and hovers around the kitchen whenever he can. We have to keep any food, garbage, and treats off the floor and high enough that he can't reach them. We are trying to break this habit and only feed him dog food (and a few treats for good behavior).

The other reason we visited the vet is because Tango has a seizure disorder that is treated with daily medication. His previous owner said Tango has a seizure about once a month (average) and the medication he takes makes the seizures less intense and less often. He also said that when Tango has a seizure, he shakes on and off for about an hour, then is tired for a few hours after. His owner didn't believe it affected his personality, he was just as sweet after he had a seizure. I haven't seen him have a seizure, but talked to his previous owner about it for a long time.

Other than Tango's occasional seizures and daily medication, he is a very low maintenance dog. I don't kennel him when I leave for the day and he's fine hanging out with my resident dog. He's happy to greet me at the door when I come home, runs outside for a minute, then comes right back in. He LOVES to play outside and I think he would also LOVE to go to the dog park. He's happy to greet other dogs and I've never heard him growl at another dog (or person for that matter). He would do great with kids, even toddlers and babies. He's so mellow, he should be very good with children. When I give him a treat, he gently "licks" it from my hand.

Thanks for reading Tango's story, he's such a sweet boy and I know he will make a great companion!!!

Chilling out in the leaves on a sunny fall day

Updates

Friday, January 18, 2013

Tango met the most wonderful family and they decided to adopt him! We are so glad to have spent a few months with this sweet boy, but know he is going to be happy in his new home. We're also glad he's close by and already have plans to meet up and see him! I checked in with his new family and Tango they discovered that he LOVES rawhide and his new toys (he couldn't have rawhide or toys at our house because our dog would steal them from Tango and rip them up...and growl at Tango if he wanted them back).

His new family sends us pictures and updates and he looks like a very happy dog!!!!


Tango on a walk with his new family

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Tango's Christmas Gift

Tango spent Christmas with us and loved every minute of it. He sits under the tree, we think he's waiting for his gifts!! Christmas morning he was watching everyone open their presents, very curiously looking at the wrapping paper and the contents of each gift. He was probably hoping someone's gift contained food! He got his own present, a squeaky bone that says, "poop happens" and wouldn't let go of it at first. Then he wanted one of us to throw it for him and would run through the wrapping paper piles to fetch his new toy. We finally had to put it away so we could clean up without dogs chasing toys through wrapping paper and boxes. 

Tango is still very excited to go for walks, even when it feels too cold to go outside (for me anyway). I took him for a 45 minute walk on Christmas eve and he didn't even shiver like my big fluffy resident dog did. I think he may be part sled dog too (in addition to German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and fox  - he is as sly as a fox when it comes to food stealing:). Did I mention Tango has lost 9 pounds since he's lived with us? I think he's about 5 pounds from his "goal weight."

As for his seizures, he's had one in the last month (he had a very small one when we first got him in October and a larger one this month). It was the middle of the night and he started making a lot of noise (like his leg was thumping on the ground). It lasted about an hour, the shaking was off and on for the hour. After he was done, he went back to sleep and was regular ole happy Tango in the morning. I talked to his vet about it and she said she didn't really feel like we should do anything different (change his med), she felt that one seizure in 3 months (she didn't count the minor one) was out of the ordinary for a dog with seizures. She said, "he's doing pretty good with his seizures AND his weight loss." Just in case you want to know what his medicines are, they are Gabapentin (300mg 2X a day) and Phenobarbatol 97.2mgs (1 pill in the morning, 1 1/2 at night). I get his Phenobarbatol at his awesome vet (VCA Animal Hospital in Richfield) and it costs about 50 cents a day. I get his Gabapentin at Prairie Stone Pharmacy (in Lunds/Byerlies) and it costs @ 40 cents a day. Keep in mind, these costs can vary by vet and pharmacy, but just wanted to point out that his meds aren't too expensive and as I've said before, he loves taking them because I put them in a treat! 

Thanks for looking at Tango's bio, he's busy playing with his Christmas toy while I type this, instead of his usual laying with his head on my lap!


Tango under the Christmas tree
Tango's Christmas Present

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Tango is loving life in the snow!! Ever since the white stuff started falling, Tango wants to play outside. My kids said, "he looks like he's never seen snow before!" He buries his nose in it and flips it up into the air, then runs around the yard in circles. He may even loose a couple of more pounds this way! On that note, he's lost 5 pounds since he's lived with us, he's on track towards his goal weight!

He hasn't had any more seizures since the small one he had back in October. He takes the same amount of medicine (2 pills in the morning and 2 1/2 in the afternoon). I know I said this before, but he gets really excited to take his pills because I put them inside of a treat. 

We are still working walking on a leash, he LOVES to go for walks, but also LOVES to pull on the leash. I bought a "gentle leader" like collar and he is much better behaved when we go on walks. Now we are working on waiting until I get the leash actually on him, he's so excited when he sees his leash, he jumps up and down and spins in circles. It's hard to be patient when it's time for a walk in the snow (or a ride in the car)!

He is sitting right next to me as I type this, literally trying to lay on my lap. He's settled for just cuddling up next to me with his head resting on me, trying to get me to stop typing and pet him! He is definitely a sweet doggie!!


Tango in the car - waiting for his ride


Tango in the snow - playing in it and eating it

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Tango has been living with us for about a month now and we've gotten to know more about his sweet personality! He loves to follow us around the house, and LOVES sitting on the couch watching t.v. whenever there is a free space. He wants to be near us at night too, but we want him to stay downstairs. We even latched the gate to the stairs so he couldn't follow us up and he tried to get the gate open (I think I mentioned in his previous update, he's very resourceful)! We compromised and moved his bed to the bottom of the stairs, he's ok with that compromise!

We've also figured out how to work with his trash and counter surfing habit. We've moved all trash bins and food either up high or inside cabinets. Unless someone forgets and leaves a loaf of bread out, Tango doesn't get any extra food (besides dog food). Since his food is a little less these days, he looks like he's close to a healthier weight. I'm guessing he's lost a few pounds since he's lived with us (he was 15 pounds overweight).

We've also gotten a little more information on his seizure disorder. In the month we've had him, he had one seizure that lasted a few minutes. My husband was home when it happened and said he (Tango) kicked his leg for a few minutes, then seemed disoriented for 5-10 minutes afterwards. Later that day, Tango acted like nothing happened and was happy as usual. He still takes his medicine two times a day, with breakfast and dinner. He loves to take it because I put it inside peanut butter.

He has been around lots more kids and even newborn babies. He's very curious and wants to see what they are doing all the time. He even watched intently when I changed one of the baby's diapers!

We've been trying to walk him more and are also working with him to walk nicely on a leash. He's very excited to go outside and for walks and wants to run all over the place when we are walking him. He's getting better each time we go for a walk and I think he will have great "walking etiquette" pretty soon. Overall, he is one of the most lovable and loyal dogs I've ever met!! Please contact your placement advisor if you would like to meet this sweet boy!