Good Boy

There isn't a photo for this post - the best, most recent photo we took of Radar is still on Ben's cell phone - but this week's Petfinder stats for Illinois Birddog Rescue inspired me to write anyway.

Petfinder provides weekly stats for the number of visits to each dog's Petfinder page, and Radar has consistently been in the bottom quarter of IBR dogs for visits. There could be a variety of reasons for his low numbers; his lead photo on Petfinder is a little dark and doesn't show him well, he's a two year-old male rather than a cute puppy, and honestly, his name doesn't suit him well. He's more of a Hudson or Quinn or Finley or something - a classic, dignified name rather than the next name on the alphabetical list of names at the shelter, which is how Radar came about.

But we're a society that tends to judge everyone and everything on looks - including dogs. I'll admit to having a tinge of doubt when I first saw Radar; my knee-jerk reaction to his deep chest and wide head was to wonder if he were actually a purebred Pointer or if he perhaps had some Pit Bull or something in him. And I wonder if readers of this blog or surfers of the IBR site aren't doing the same.

But I now know Radar is a purebred Pointer of the Elhew-type and is likely very well bred. The Elhews are known for their outstanding qualities in the field as well as their sweetness, mildness, and trainability. Those adjectives describe Radar perfectly.

Radar's photographs and even his name can't begin to reveal what an outstanding dog he is. He is a dear in the house - quiet, respectful, eager to please, affectionate, trainable, and docile. He runs into his crate and sits down the moment he senses it's crate time. He respects the fence outside and plays gently with the other dogs. He rarely barks and took to housetraining quickly. He walks well on a leash and rides perfectly in the car.

We're keeping our fingers crossed that the two wonderful homes that may have come about for Penny and Wilbur, our other two foster Pointers, come to fruition. It would be an ideal outcome for two great dogs.

But if Radar's perfect adoptive home - the one that sees and loves him for his outstanding qualities - takes longer to find, that's okay with us. He will be welcome in our household for as long as that takes, and he's a joy to us every day he's here.