Steve

STEVE, SUPER STEVE, STEVIE Age: ~11 months old Weight: 40 lbs. (gaining muscle each day) Gender: Male Spay/Neuter: Unaltered- to be scheduled after he completes PT Dog's location: Sparks, MD through Adopt a Homeless Animal Rescue Contact: [email protected] or 410-205-9340 Dog, cat and people friendly (still a puppy so supervise the young kids since puppy play can be mouthy) Active, loves hiking and walks Lives for car rides Loves to cuddle when he's tired Crate and potty trained Hey there! I'm Steve, a little dynamo and heartthrob, and I'm looking for my forever home. A little origin story for you. I lived the street life for an undetermined amount of time as a pup and found my way to BARCS. That place was getting pretty crowded, so the awesome people at AHHA Rescue thought I deserved a chance and got me out of the shelter and into a foster home. I really love being in a home and being part of a family. I've truly never met a stranger and I'm pretty sure everyone is my best friend. I love people, dogs, cats and have even met some chickens and horses. I am gentle and curious and not the least bit malicious. I'm seriously outgoing and not at all reactive. You might call me a social butterfly except I don't know if the size of my head would allow me to take flight. Now that I have your interest, let me tell you a bit more about who I am. I am a meatball (read: staffy/terrier mix) under a year old and the brightest light in any space I waltz into. I'm pretty tiny at around 40 lbs., but I think my head accounts for 2/3 of that! Not to toot my own horn, but I am really smart and my brain needs space! I can solve puzzle games to discover food and I learn words attached to expectations quickly. I spin in circles and talk excitedly when my food is being made because I REALLY LOVE FOOD. I also love tough chew toys which keep me occupied. I do tend to dismember the stuffed variety, oops! Peanut butter will win your way to my heart. I'm accustomed to a crate (it's my bedroom!) and take naps during the day and sleep straight through the night. I love snuggling in blankets and cuddling up with people. I run, frolic, and snort in my sleep and have been told it's pretty darn cute. I guess this is where I tell you about my extra special qualities. I have a presumed congenital spinal condition where there is an accumulation of spinal fluid within the cord itself (I was not hit by a car). This translates to my hind end being a bit wobbly. Think tipsy toddler at times. I had a full neurological workup and MRI, and the rescue can share all that boring info with you. Essentially it is what it is, I am unaware anything is different about me, and I am really able-bodied. I am in PT currently at Hunt Valley Animal hospital. Not to brag, but I'm kind of crushing it and blowing everyone's minds. They have me doing all sorts of exercises and therapy, including underwater treadmill. I have always been really strong in my front end, but my back end has gained a lot of muscle and I'm able to do things I couldn't originally do. My back end is a bit wobbly at times, more so when I am tired. I like to say I have a swagger and the moves like Mick Jagger. At the end of the day, I do whatever I want and am not limited by this condition. I am not in any pain either. I can walk, run and get myself up on my own. I prefer areas with good traction and really rock around outdoors. Yoga mats are really awesome indoors. I really need a home without many stairs that I have to use on my own. I have a Help 'Em Up Harness that can be used to assist me up tons of stairs or whatever. The vet also recommended that I take joint supplements to support all my activity. I'm currently on Myos muscle and joint powder. In case you are wondering, I can pee on my own and I know I'm supposed to do it outside. The vet originally thought I couldn't feel my back legs or control my bladder, but I totally can and I do. I will go to the door to let you know I need to do my business. I know I get a treat for doing it outside, so I will be looking at you the whole time to be sure you know I deserve to be rewarded. I can hold my bladder all night while I sleep for 9-10 hours. When I am excited and meet new people I do tend to pee a bit, so I do all my new meetings outdoors. I've got a few really cute belly band diapers which I'm fine wearing if needed. I know I'm supposed to have bowel movements outside and I do. At first I needed help supporting my thighs so I could hover my butt. But since being in PT, I can poop on my own, I just kind of squat and keep walking as I leave my deposit. Sorry for the details, but I'm sure you're wondering. I am an active dude and love the outdoors. I take multiple hour walks/hikes where I bounce over obstacles, power up hills, and generally love exploring new sights and smells. I am obsessed with car rides and am a fantastic co-pilot. Staying active is really good for keeping my hind end strong. I kind of blow everyone away with everything I can do. I love walking with my foster sister pup who is showing me all the cool spots around town. We play tug-o-war sometimes and explore together. I will chase sticks into the water in the local reservoir and go into the water up to my chest, but I'm not a huge fan of swimming yet. Some days my hind end is a bit more tired, and thus I am more wobbly but I'm always up for a romp. In my foster home I live with a 12 year old foster dog sister and 5 cats. I also go to a farm to visit 2 horses every day. I'm very interested in meeting everyone, but I'm not prey-driven. I have not met any young human children, but have never met a person I did not like. I do play rough like a puppy and came mistake body parts for toys, so dog-savvy older children would be better suited for me at this time. I am not food aggressive and do not resource guard. I would love to have a playful dog sibling(s) to play with in my forever home. I would love to find my forever family.