Horton

Just to get it out of the way; no, we didn't name Horton. That said, I'm not 100% certain just exactly what he is. He's got a lot of Husky and German Shepherd bouncing around in there, and probably something Australian. Whatever is in him, every bit of it is young, enthusiastic, affectionate and energetic.

Horton is about 5 months old or so (like our dog, he's just lost his "puppy teeth"), and the best way I can describe his personality would be with the phrase, "latchkey puppy." He's eager to please, and wants to be someone's number one pal - it's just that no one has taught him what to do yet, so his social skills are still on a young puppy level. After a brief bit of discussion, he is finally learning to sit down when he's told to, and that it's a far superior way of getting affection than jumping up. Likewise, Horton is working on calming down and focusing his attention more (one of the many benefits of good exercise). Much as with Engel, life is exciting and fun; it's just that someone threw away the instruction manual.

Horton isn't the dog for anyone interested in a full-time couch potato. He's got the combined energy and cleverness of three breeds of working dog rolled into one, and he's not afraid to use them. He's not really ideal for someone who takes themselves far too seriously, either; he's a bit of a clown, and not in the least ashamed of it. For the right owner, however, he could be a playful, uncannily smart, devoted and fun-loving companion who is well-worth the effort to bring "up to speed" on being a dog.

NOTE: I probably have made Horton sound like some kind of Marley and Me nightmare-dog; trust me, he isn't at all. But he does have some "making up for lost time" to do in the social arena, specifically in the categories of jumping, nipping, and not focusing. The sooner he can knock out those "puppy vices," the happier he'll be (not to mention being more relaxed and confident). After that, I'm pretty sure he's got what it takes to be the star pupil in whatever he tries his paw at.

NOTE #2: I took Horton out with Sam today for a little while, and was quite impressed with how hard the little guy was trying to be good. He paid a lot more attention to me, and even sat down quicker than Sam a couple of times when I told them to do so (which may have just been lucky timing, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt). Apparently, he didn't want to look like too much of an idiot while standing next to the brainy, go-getter dog. Of course, when we all went out later in the afternoon, both Sam and Horton had worked up a first-class case of the ol' kennel stir-crazies and all bets were off. Regardless, a fun time was had by all.

UPDATE: Horton was rescued on June 29th and we hope to hear he's found a forever home soon. He's an awesome dog!