Pringles

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"In memory of Doris Pipping"

Judith Cummings

December 15, 2011

Meet Pringles!

This doll of a boy is a young'un and I confess, I am in L-O-V-E with him! He is a golden mix and is as cute as can be with his one ear that stands up and the other one that flops over! Here are his stats and what we know about him so far:

• Pringles is estimated to be 8-12 months, so we'll just say he's 10 months old.
• He weighs 47 lbs but could probably stand to gain a couple (wish I had that problem!) and stands 23" at the shoulder, so he's a little smaller than the average golden.
• He was found as a stray and came in with Truman 11-394 (rest in peace sweet boy!) from a shelter in Kansas City, MO.
• Pringles also got pretty sick after he came here, most likely with the same thing that took Truman from us, which was kennel cough (similar to the human chest cold). Pringles was coughing a little too but had more of the flu symptoms like itchy watery eyes, runny nose, fever, and lethargy. The vet put him on some antibiotics and ran a test for canine influenza since he and Truman were hit so hard, but he tested negative, so we assume it was just a really bad strain of kennel cough. Thankfully, he is doing MUCH better now - his fever is gone, his nose is no longer running, he can breathe more easily, and he's wiggling his butt again! His eyes are still a bit red and itchy as you can see in some of the photos, but overall, he is doing great, and we are SO thankful for that after losing poor Truman!
• He is UTD on all his vaccinations but still needs to be neutered.
• Pringles is a playful puppy with a moderate energy level. He loves to play with toys, chew on nylabones, and will do some fetching but is not obsessive about the ball. He loves to go for walks and would probably make an excellent running partner. All young dogs need a good amount of exercise and he is no exception, but he is also happy to lay down and nap for a bit when you aren't in the mood for playing.
• Pringles is a sweet boy that loves to give kisses. His tail never stops wagging (which makes it a blur in most of his pics!) and his butt wiggles a lot! He is a love and will put his head in your lap for you to pet and kiss him. He has soft fluffy gold fur that just makes you want to cuddle him!
• He is somewhat submissive to humans (but not overly so) and gives this cute grin and kisses to show you that he knows you are the leader. He does this primarily when he first meets people and in new situations or when he's more nervous.
• He is good with other dogs as well and seems to read their body language pretty well. He met the neighbor's three collies and approached wagging his tail and standing tall at first as if to say "Hi guys, I'm a big confident boy and I just want to be your friend!" When he met the snarky alpha female though, he quickly lowered his tail, gave her quick kisses, and looked away at just the right time as if he was telling her "Don't worry, I don't want to be the boss, just your friend."
• Pringles does not guard his food or toys from humans at all and will let me take toys from him or put my hands in his food dish without protest. He doesn't guard these items from other dogs really but will warn them if he feels they are getting too close to something he has and considers to be high value (like his food or bones). It is pretty normal dog speak though so as long as the other dogs are respectful and listen, there shouldn't be any problem.
• He walks amazingly well on leash and trots along right next to you. Perfect walking companion - much better than my 11 lb Miniature Pinscher Bella, who pulls a lot or foster sister Basil 11-306 who doesn't pull but zig zags in front of me a lot!
• He appears to be mostly potty trained. He had a couple accidents at first but that's not uncommon for dogs in new homes. Not to mention he was sick.
• Pringles sleeps on the floor at night and either stays in a crate when we're gone or we're slowly allowing him to stay confined to our bedroom and bathroom to see how he does. I think he will be okay being away from his humans for a full work day, as long as he gets plenty of attention when you are home!
• He will pick up things like shoes and other items to chew on (but will drop them and trade when asked to) so he needs to be watched closely to keep him out of trouble, like any young pupper.
• Pringles will need to go to some obedience classes to learn some manners but he seems to be a quick learner and he's already picking up on some things here. He is treat motivated and takes treats pretty nicely (unlike my dog who bites my hand off!) and is eager to please. I can tell that he will respond much better to positive reinforcement than to any scolding - not that any dog really responds well to scolding, but he seems to be a little on the sensitive side!
• Pringles needs some coaxing, and sometimes a boost, to get in the car, but once in, he rides pretty well.

I have not yet determined if Pringles is good with kids or cats and I'm still trying to decide if I think he needs a fenced yard or another dog in his forever home. I hope to test those things out soon though so I'll keep you posted!

Playing hard...
...and resting hard.
Waiting for Santa to come	Stealing Bella's bed!
When is it going to stop raining?!	Aren't I just too cute for words?!