Meiko has dropped a little weight and his fur is getting softer. When he gets excited he shakes his head and his foster mom thought maybe he had something wrong with his ears, but she didn’t see anything. It just seems he likes to make himself dizzy.

Meiko still has a very strong personality, he can be dominant, pushy, demanding, and vocal. Molly is working with him and has made some progress with his training. He’s been rough at times to work with and a few times nipped or shown aggression. Sometimes Meiko may try and attack for no reason. He also shows aggression and possession over toys, anything of worth, and will show aggression when being crated. Meiko needs a strong pack leader who will “own” and work with him on a regular basis. Molly is very persistent and slowly she’s making progress but Meiko seems to be a stubborn boy.

Because Meiko has a tough personality he will need a special home with no small children and someone who is dog-experienced. Keep checking back to see how Meiko is progressing.

Posted on November 18th, 2008 by kathy
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Meiko has been slowly coming around and as his foster mom, Molly, reports:

Meiko has had a few breakthroughs these last few weeks. I can now pick him up under careful circumstances. He is now safely excepting petting from strangers without trying to snap. He will now play with me on a regular basis and trust is forming. This past week we were finally successful is trading for a high value object without an aggressive response.

He’s also lost some weight and is becoming healthier. Molly told us his fur is becoming shinier and overall he just looks better. He’s still very weary with people and sometimes growls and shows warning signs but she’s definitely working with him to understand that not all people are scary. Each day he’s becoming more playful, getting along with her dogs better and better, and is learning to let his guard down.

Meiko still guards his treats and high-worth items and he also tries to steal food off the table. He still aloof and sometimes ignores commands but slowly but surely, Meiko is relaxing.

Keep checking back to learn more about Meiko!

Posted on October 14th, 2008 by kathy
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Although Meiko’s original posting states he is 25 lbs., I believe that was slightly incorrect because he is actually 35 lbs. and a little fat, but he is slowly losing weight. He has stiff back legs and his vet records indicate he has had patella issues. This may have hindered his exercising and may be why he is a little over weight. We are going to have the vet take a look at this.

Meiko tends to be a bit aggressive with toys, food and in general. Even though he is aggressive, he is also friendly and affectionate. We are working on his aggression issues and have faith that he can become less aggressive. We haven’t tested him with children yet because of this. He is learning his commands and is almost good at sit and stay and almost walking good on a loose leash.

Meiko is crate trained and doesn’t have a problem being crated. This is where he naps and sleeps at night. Because Meiko has a medium to high energy level he likes to go on long walks 2 to 3 times a day and/or play in the yard. He prefers his plush toys over others.

Meiko is still in the evaluation process, but has great potential to become a wonderful member of his new forever home. Stay tuned for more on Meiko.

Posted on September 13th, 2008 by michele m
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Meiko is a 3 yr old neutered male who is up to date with vaccines. He is not housebroken and is learning how to go outside at his new foster home. He came to us because his owners could no longer keep him. He lost his dad a few months ago. Meiko has been surrounded by other dogs and has been having a good time in his new foster home.

It seems Meiko may have been raised more as a cat, than a dog; he was trained to use a litter box. This is a fairly common practice with small dogs and city dogs. Meiko is a little too big for a litter box though, he’s about 25 lbs. and hanging out with his foster siblings has taught him that he should go outside like them.

He warms up faster to women than men. It may be due to the depth of voice or body language differences. He sometimes shudders and cowers if you sternly say his name or give him a very assertive “NO.” Meiko may be a submissive dog who easily is startled by a stern voice or deep voice.

Meiko has lived with other dogs but we’re not sure how much he interacted with them. In his foster home, he has a few foster siblings to play with. We will report more on how Meiko is doing, keep checking back!

Posted on August 30th, 2008 by kathy
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