Fitz

UPDATE 1-18-24: Fitz's bloodwork looks great! He's a healthy senior boy! Also, it might be worth mentioning that Fitz is a vegetarian! (Hence: "special needs!") He has been on a special diet for several years for possible gall bladder issues; a low-fat, lean high-protein diet was recommended for the management of gallbladder issues, so his previous owner opted for an approved vegetarian diet by Natural Balance. Fitz loves it and is doing very well on it, so we are keeping his diet the same and our vet approves too. His veggie diet extends to "human" foods too, as Fitz loves carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, Beets, and few more! Fitz is a charming, senior male, Standard American Eskimo Dog. He is approx. 30-32 lbs., and over 12 years old, we are not sure of his exact age. Please note that Fitz has started to show slight signs of dementia, hearing and sight loss....some of this are "selective hearing," and he likes to do things his way! LOL! He is a very sweet boy and still has lots of energy for an older boy! He loves to take walks and his absolute favorite of all favorites is meal time! Fitz loves to eat, loves his food, and of course, loves a treat here and there too! Fitz will sit on command, but beyond that he is limited with commands.....for example, the command "down," he knows it, but to lay down simply to humor his people is a lot of work to get down to the floor and back up again, so this may depend on having a treat and the "value" of the treat being offered! He will however go to his bed and lay down if asked to, as long as all his needs have been taken care of! Having said that, if it is dinnertime and you are cooking, all bets are off! Supervising dinner prep is much more important than laying in his favorite doggie bed! LOL! Fitz loves a comfy doggie bed, loves his naps, and is adorable while he taps and scratches at the bed before laying down ~ to make sure all is just right! He prefers a nice doggie bed over napping on the floor. A bed without deep sides or has low sides works well for him so he isn't trying to negotiate getting in and out of it. He also enjoys having a soft toy, plush animal buddy in his bed; he will play a little bit and then use it as a pillow. Fitz is crate trained at night, and a big, roomy playpen or baby gates to keep Fitz in a smaller area when not being supervised is ideal. He is not much of a toy guy beyond having one or two plush toys to lay on, but he enjoys a "treat" toy/ball/bone to keep himself busy, for example the original KONG. Fitz is on a special low fat diet, which is mentioned above and it will be discussed in detail for anyone seriously interested in giving Fitz a furever home. He LOVES his food, is a good eater, and this food can also be used in his Kong toy, on a "lick mat" or stuffed into a hollow white femur (shin) bone! He loves, loves, loves his bone! As with most older dogs, they can have a tough time getting comfortable at times. Many will occasionally pace back and forth or "bed hop," napping in multiple places or doggie beds! Dogs in general can be boisterous while waiting for their breakfast or dinner to be served and Fitz joins right in with the best of the impatient pups! After all, when a boy is hungry, he needs his dinner! LOL! Fitz also has an attraction to paper products, particularly paper towels, Kleenex, and toilet paper, so no paper products should be left within his reach! Waste baskets should be out of reach too! (Simply close the powder room door!) He can still get up on his back legs to scan the counter tops, anything at the edge of the counter or on a lower table is game-on! He is a character! Grocery shopping, coming home and temporarily placing bags on the floor ....means Fitz will investigate! His favorite find might be a loaf of bread or bag of dinner rolls, so protect the bread products at all times! Plus, don't leave the fridge or freezer door open for an extended amount of time, he may just help himself! LOL! Potty habits and being housebroken....this is a tough one to answer. Somedays are good days, no accidents. Sometimes he has a bad day or two and seems to have the need to "go" pee more often. This is a sign of aging kidneys. Note: we will be getting more bloodwork to look at his kidney and liver functions over the coming week. (Bloodwork has been done and all looks great!) Accidents, this is why there are belly bands! A belly band is basically a male doggie diaper, but much more sophisticated than simply a dog diaper, we call them ~ a cummerbund with a purpose! It is a relatively wide layered piece of fabric that Velcros together covering around the "necessary area" to keep any accidents under wraps! These are a much needed accessory for an older dog! They can be purchased at most pet supply stores, as well as online at a number of shopping favorites. Also, your dog's "cummerbund" can be matched to his most dashing bandana or collar bow-tie for extra dapperness! (Pictures will be added soon!) These bands are easy to use, washable, dryer safe, and keep your floors free from occasional wetness! If you are interested in adopting Fitz, note: we do offer a lower senior for a senior adoption fee. Fitz will come with some of his "special" food to get started. He will also have a collar and leash.....with coordinating "cummerbund!" Of course, he will take his favorite white bone with him, as well as his little plush hedgehog and Lamb Chop, we simply could not leave those behind! It will take a few days to a few weeks to get Fitz acclimated to his new home, but what you will get in return is a friendly boy and such a character to keep you company....plus, he'll keep you on your toes now and again too! Please note: we cannot introduce our dogs without an approved application on file! This is dictated by our insurance company! Fitz needs people who are home most of the time, a small fenced yard/area or multiple walks each day. He is not a constant barker, but when he wants something, he will bark, and he can be loud and persistent! As soon as his needs are met, the barking stops! Fitz does fine with other dogs, but he is not one that appreciates another dog bugging him to play, to move, etc. In other words, he can coexist without issues with the right dog/s. We've had no problems with his foster siblings! We do not recommend human babies or toddlers, simply because of Fitz's love of food; he will help himself to snacks within his reach and he may grab the yummy goodie with a little too much force! If interested, please complete our adoption application found on our website: www.chicagolandeskierescue.com Thank you!