Liam is a 55 lb, happy, teddy bear kind of a field English Setter. He is not pushy for cuddles, quite the opposite, but he is learning to enjoy kisses and cuddles from his foster Mom, something we don’t think he experienced much of before rescue. Living inside is a completely new world to him, he looks all around like a young kid experiencing Disneyland for the first time, in awe and not sure what to think. He decided the kitchen was a scary room because unexpected noises can come from that room, but with treats, he’s gaining more confidence to explore his new inside space. Did I say treats ~ treats are definitely a way to ease this big boy’s fears and introduce new things. He was not a fan of the New Year’s fireworks but settled ok inside. If he hears a loud noise that scares him he will bolt so for that reason, he is not a candidate for a hunting home.

Liam is excellent in his crate and if something scares him he will retreat to his crate so he needs a quiet and predictable home. He is not a candidate for a home with kids because he would tend to retreat and hide. Furniture privileges are a must for Liam. He is still learning house manners and leash supervision is important. If he’s been outside to potty, he will not hike his leg in the house. But if he hasn’t been outside for several hours he is still learning to hold it and he is not a pushy dog so he’s not letting us know that he needs to go outside yet. So supervision, belly bands and regular potty breaks are important. Liam excels at learning the routine of the house quickly and fitting right in with the pack. Like most ES, Liam is not a nuisance barker/talker but he will use his voice when he has something to say. He’ll talk to people walking dogs on his street, to a bird in the tree and to his foster Mom when he is ready to get out of his crate. If you ask him to hush, he will. And most importantly, Liam LOVES toys, both inside and outside, his favorites are durable toys he can chew. 

Liam needs a home with secure 6 foot fencing. I’m not sure if he would actually go over a shorter fence but he does go vertical on fences to get a better look at something and he can look over shorter fences. That coupled with his typical ES prey drive makes me think 6 foot fences are best for his safety and security. A Setter-interesting yard is a must for Liam. He LOVES working the yard, self exercise and running and playing with another dog or toys. He is happy in a stimulating outside environment, and he has a constant Setter smile when he’s outside doing his thing. He is not a candidate for an apartment or a home without a physical fence. Liam is a big and solid boy so he’ll need a person that is steady on their feet and can work on his leash training. 

Liam’s dog social skills are good. He joined a foster home with another foster dog that has poor doggy social skills and triggers to a scuffle very easily. So the two boys only met through a crate or a fence for the first days after Liam arrived and by the time they were introduced outside Liam was very respectful of the other dog’s space. After about a month, the boys are BFFs that run and play together and when the other foster dog triggers into inappropriate behavior, Liam does not react. Another active and playful dog in the home is important for Liam’s happiness and integration into his new home. Liam does not need a home with ES experience, but he does need a home that has experience with bigger dogs.

We don’t know if Liam previously lived with cats, we speculate that he had some experience with cats. He was interested in a waggy tail kind of way. It only took a couple of weeks for the bossy cat in the home to train him in proper cat etiquette, which is leave us alone. We think he will be fine with slow/proper intros to cats in a home where the cats do not run/hide. We do not think he would be safe with outside cats. 

We hope all of this detail about what Liam needs is not off-putting because he is an AMAZING dog and in the right home he will blossom and thrive.

Liam is neutered, microchipped and up to date on vaccinations. He is in a foster home near San Antonio, TX.