About Maybelle

PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS: Since Maybelle is still a puppy, key requirements for her adoptive family will be an ABUNDANCE of patience and time to provide her with all the EXERCISE and obedience/behavioral training she will need to keep her engaged and out of trouble. Good with other dogs but should NOT be placed in a home with cats. Recommend children 12+ because Maybelle will occasionally 'puppy nip'. MAYBELLE'S STORY: Maybelle is about 10 months old and weighs approx. 45 pounds. She's had a bit of a rough start but that hasn't spoiled her sweet, loving, 'happy-go-lucky' personality. Maybelle, also affectionately known as Bella, came to our rescue as a stray with a compact injury to the head of her femur (hip) and has had surgery to repair this injury. The Vet is extremely pleased with the results and said she has had one of the best outcomes he has ever seen! She still isn't at full recovery, but you'd never know it to watch her play! The injury has never impeded her play activity (except after surgery) and she is always 'on the ready' for a good romp with her doggy playmates. Watch the short video to see how well she is doing after surgery! Maybelle is prey-driven, so is not recommended to be placed in a home with cats. She chases squirrels and chipmunks but is easily redirected if needed. She loves everybody and every animal she meets! Her foster mom says, 'No person or dog is a stranger to her; she loves them all.' Maybelle has been working hard on learning basic commands and has come very far in this training. She responds to her name and knows what 'watch me' means. Because she was on activity restriction for 6 weeks after surgery, she's just now learning the 'sit' and 'leave it' commands. Maybelle is familiar with a leash. As far as play and her energy level, she LOVES playing with each of the 3 dogs in her foster home. When one dog gets tired of her, she simply moves on to another one. If she's not playing, she wanders through the house looking for something to run around the house with. Her new home will need some puppy proofing to prevent her from getting into things she shouldn't. For instance, she found the toilet paper roll and had a devil of a good time running through the house streaming toilet paper everywhere! She's also been known to peek into the shower when someone is in there and she loves her bath times. There have been times when she grabbed laundry from the basket and runs away. Because Maybelle still puppy nips, especially when she's being let out of her crate, it's smart to make sure you have one of her favorite toys on hand for her to grab ASAP as she exits. If not, her excitement may get you a puppy nip - nothing aggressive - simply out of sheer joy to see you! She'll grab her toy and 'zoomie' through the house. It's typical behavior of a happy dog and a way for Maybelle to release pent up energy. Since puppy nips still happen occasionally, we think it's advisable for her to be with children 12+ who will understand this and will be able to avoid it and calmly correct the behavior. The nipping has greatly improved since adding Nylabones and other long lasting chewies to her playtime. Some of her favorite toys are tennis balls, rope toys, INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH squeak toys for as long as they last and frozen Kongs. Maybelle has an endearing personality which is best described by her foster mom: 'Maybelle is an explorer, a go-getter and fearless. She is the life of the party and will make the rounds when in a group whether it's with people or other dogs!' She truly loves attention and is a super good snuggler. If Maybelle goes to a home with another dog, it would be ideal if her new dog sibling has an energy level close to Maybelle's and would like to play with her. Since Maybelle is a bit of a rough-neck when playing, it's not advisable for her to be homed with a senior dog who may get hurt with her energetic play. If your other dog isn't as high energy as Maybelle, the pairing may still work if Maybelle receives enough exercise, playtime, and attention in order to quiet her before she becomes too rough with another dog. Maybelle's foster mom recommends her new family have the time and patience to be willing to work with her obedience training as well as giving her enough walking exercise to help strengthen and build up her left hip muscles. While she has full use of her left leg and can run, jump, romp and sit on it, exercise will play a big part in her total recovery and continued happiness. A big accomplishment since her surgery is that she can finally scratch herself with her left leg, which she wasn't able to do prior to her surgery. As you can see she's still very much a puppy: playful, energetic, happy, a tad stubborn, sometimes a bit nippy and into everything, carefree and full of new discoveries and experiences. If interested, please complete our online application at www.ilshorthairrescue.com

Lake County
Gurnee, Illinois 60031