About Casper

PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS: Casper is looking for a quieter, more relaxed family. A fully FENCED yard is required for safe containment and exercise. Best with older children who know how to interact with pets; not advisable to be with elderly people because of his tendency to bolt when frightened. Great with other dogs AND cats. CASPER'S STORY: Casper is a male GSP with beautiful markings, adorable floppy ears, a long tail and soulful eyes. He weighs about 55 pounds and is approximately 3-4 years old. Before being rescued by ISR, Casper lived in a very sad hoarding situation. Now Casper has a foster family to show him what it's like to experience unconditional love, adequate food and water, clean living conditions and the freedom to roam and explore the areas where he lives - inside and outside. Casper lives with a cat and has managed to stay clear of her; when she hisses at him, he looks at her and walks away. Casper also LOVES living with his two furry foster brothers. His prey-drive is dependent on what the other dogs are doing. If they chase a squirrel, Casper's ready, willing and able to join in on the fun, but has yet to initiate the chase himself. He loves playing in the backyard with his fur brothers. He doesn't chase balls or toys, but he shows an interest in them when his brothers play with them. He's also shown an interest in stuffed plush toys and loves to chew on bones/antlers and Kongs. Casper is extremely wary and cautious of new noises, quick movements and 'out of the ordinary' situations; he tends to bolt when these happen. He has been around older children, a 12-year-old boy who is good with dogs, however Casper didn't engage with the boy. Casper chose to stay away from him and 'play it safe'. He's improving each day with these behaviors as he gains more confidence with the help of his foster family. Also, we recommend Casper not be homed with an elderly person who may have balance issues. Casper isn't cautious about where he runs when he becomes scared and may accidentally injure an elderly person if he runs into them. Casper isn't a high energy dog, but he isn't low energy either. He can run around all day playing with his fur brothers but is happy to settle in and rest alongside his people and fur brothers on the couch. Like most GSPs, he loves people and often chooses to stay by them when he's not playing. He's crate-trained and sometimes it was a problem to get him out of his 'safe place', but he's better now and will usually come out when asked. Even though Casper loves being outside and exploring the backyard, getting him to relax on leash walks is taking some time. Casper is very skittish and wary of noises, quick movements and just about anything he sees when he's outside of the yard; a firm grip on the leash is necessary when walking with him. Casper is also skittish when entering building doorways or car doors. We think he just hasn't had the freedom to experience the world and learn it isn't as scary as he thinks it is. Casper's vet is trying a round of anti-anxiety medication to determine if it will help Casper short term while he adjusts to living in a new environment. Casper hasn't exhibited any signs of food or toy aggression with either his fur brothers or his foster family. When it's chow time, he gets that typical GSP excitement and his eyes light up! Casper is very gentle when accepting treats. He's learning the 'sit' and 'come here' commands, but because he's not treat-motivated it's been harder to have understand what's wanted. His foster stated: 'He loves his meals and treats but doesn't seem to understand he gets a treat if he does what is expected of him when given a command. While he loves getting treats, he's not food motivated to learn new things'. As with most of our rescues, we strongly encourage his new family attend professional dog training classes with him. These classes offer an abundance of advantages to a family adopting a rescue dog, especially one like Casper. Training classes may not be advisable immediately, but perhaps after Casper has had time to adjust and TRUST his new family members. We think Casper will bring many 'treasures' to his new family; unconditional love, loyalty, companionship and happiness just to name a few. Here are some words from Casper's foster mom. 'Casper has very soulful eyes that he uses to stare at me. Casper is a pretty chill and easy-going guy. When he is on the leash he stays just to the side and behind me. He has never shown a tooth or growled at me. Casper is a very sweet and skittish young dog. He has amazing potential. Some days he wakes up with a wagging tail and is eager to go outside to play with his foster brother, Zak, an ISR Alum. Other mornings he has to be gently coerced outside with a leash and the promise of treats'. Lastly, 'Casper requires a very steady, patient, soft, and kind hand to guide him.' If this describes you and your family, please complete our application at www.ilshorthairrescue.com.

Wayne County
Dearborn, Michigan