"Wow! Amazing! Fantastic! Adorable! Sweet! I can't believe it!"
These are the words we kept hearing ourselves saying over and over when we met Jesse. This is truly one amazing guy! The first thing we couldn't help but notice is how absolutely adorable he is. He has a nice rounded head with soft sweet eyes - not to mention those irresistible, expressive eyebrows. His coat is very thick and luxurious and he has a fluffy chest and "pantaloons," just like you would picture a dog in a story book to look like.
Cuteness aside, he has a very easy going and sweet demeanor. (See how many times I've used the word "sweet" already - I can't help it because that is what he is!) He loves attention and massages and will lean into you to show you his appreciation. He doesn't demand to be pet, but seems to be truly grateful for it. Most of the time he is pretty mellow and can be found relaxing on his bed, but he is very playful as well. As soon as he met the resident dog, he did his best play bow and wanted to romp.
He is 4 years old and medium/large in stature, but he weighs in at a very portly 93 pounds. Although his chubby tubby is rather endearing, we have him on a better diet than the Ol Roy that he was previously eating. Despite his less-than-athletic physique, he loves to go for walks and to run.
Here are some other of Jesse's virtues:
* He walks very well on a Gentle Leader. He seemed to "get it" almost instantaneously. Although he's a little shy about putting it on at first, he can't wait to get out for his daily one mile walk.
* You would think that given his wide size that he would be completely food-oriented, but that is not the case. He definitely likes his treats, but does not get nosey at dinner time and leaves the other animals' bowls alone after he has finished his own meal.
* When he first came to us, he didn't seem to know what a toy was or to have any interest in balls. He now has a favorite toy which he plays with very nicely. He is starting to make progress in the game of fetch. Instead of running after the ball and lying down in the snow once he has it, he is beginning to understand the commands "bring" and "drop it."
* He knows basic commands such as "sit," and "down," and can shake hands (it's almost like a "high-five" - so cute!). We are working on "stay."
* Jesse does not seem to want to run away, and we were told that he would be left loose outside for hours at a time and that he would never leave. He seems to really want to be with people.
* When we verbally correct his behavior, he responds almost immediately - he is quite attentive and wants to please you.
* He sleeps quietly through the night and does not wake us - even on his first night! (Although I've found myself giggling listening to him snore.)
* He gets along great with our resident male German Shepherd and cat. Although there are no children in our home, we've been told that he was around children in the past.
* He loved getting his bath and had no qualms about getting blown dry. He also really seems to enjoy being brushed and combed (except for some areas on his back end).
* Jesse has free roam of the house and can go a very long time without having to go outside.
We were told that Jesse was hit by a bus a couple of years ago and that he may have some tenderness in his hips, but we have yet to see any evidence of that. We can pet, rub, and massage his hind quarters and he does not seem to have any discomfort. He has no trouble going up or down stairs. However, he is not particularly fond of having his back end combed and makes it hard for me to access that area because he will sit or lie down when I try to comb that area.
He has an ear infection, but we are clearing that up as we speak with a little Animax. As a result of the ointment, the fur around his ears is a little greasy right now, but that should go away along with the infection. I also noticed an area on his foot where he was licking - there is a raw spot about the size of a pea. He has some gauze and vet wrap over it so he can't lick at it. (Although sometimes I see him licking the bandage and when I tell him to stop, he stops immediately.) Other than those minor things, the vet gave Jesse a clean bill of health.
We were told that he is fearful of thunderstorms, fireworks, vacuum cleaners and brooms. In our observation he doesn't seem to have any major reservations about the vacuum and even stood next to me while I used the stick-vac. However, we suspect that he may indeed be afraid of storms because he will back up if he hears a sudden loud noise and does not like the flash of a camera (he apparently associates the flash with lightening the way our first dog did.)
Jesse needs a family that will be committed to making sure he gets to a healthy weight. It could be so tempting to let him keep that adorable soft squishy belly, but in order for him to live a long healthy life, it is critical that he drops at least 15 pounds. Jesse's family will love his silky soft, thick coat, but they will also have to be very committed to keeping it that way with consistent grooming.
We believe that Jesse is one of those special "once in a lifetime" dogs. We will definitely be very sad to see him go, but knowing that he will be in a Forever Home that will shower him with the love he deserves is definitely a consolation.
