Foster #4: Buddy

Lauren went to her forever home last Thursday and I picked up Buddy on Monday. Very short vacation for the pack and I, but longer than when we had Maverick (#2) and Lauren (#3) at the same time!

Buddy was loved very much by his family, but they were no longer able to care for him, which is why his coat looks funny in the picture - he was given a "puppy cut" by a groomer in order to get the dead and matted hair out. And, no, it isn't normal to give shelties any sort of hair cut, let alone a puppy cut. Usually, we trim up their ears and feet, but that is about it!

Buddy is always smiling that sheltie smile and his ears are very charming - one tipped and one straight up. He is a 3 year old sable sheltie who has cerebellar hypoplasia, which causes a slight tremor in his head, kind of like a Parkinson's patient. This doesn't affect his temperament or his ability to run and play, though, since he has settled right in! Sometimes, he is a little clumsy, but this doesn't stop him - he just tries again.

He has taken very well to being crated, which is a blessing, since he isn't entirely house trained yet. He eats his meals and spends the day there when I am at work. At night, he sleeps on the bench at the end of my bed, on the foot of the bed or on the floor - depending on where the rest of the group decides to sleep. Of course, he, Robbie and Ella have to have their evening "race around the bedroom," which tires everyone out enough to go to sleep.

He will make a very good sheltie for someone with a quiet household, older children and a fenced in yard. Once he is neutered on Monday and healed from that, he will be able to be adopted. If you are interested in adopting Buddy or any of our other rescue shelties, you can check out our website, which is listed in the links section - Kennebec Valley Shetland Sheepdog Club - and click on "Rescue."