This little girl has a big new name to give her a boost towards getting healthy and feeling better.  Athena is only 30 lbs and tested heartworm positive.  She was surrendered to a central Indiana shelter after being confiscated for animal cruelty along with Achilles.  She is good with other dogs and so far has not shown any interest in cats in her temporary foster home.  We are not sure how bonded Athena is with Achilles or if they can be separated...please check back for more information on that as they get settled in Minnesota. 

From their foster mom:

Achilles & Athena, or “A&A”, or “the kids” as we call them, came to us after spending a month with a wonderful temporary foster mom and pack, eating well and learning how to be a Boxer. They looked healthier and little more of their wiggle was showing, but they still had some hurdles to overcome.

We were brand new at this foster thing, recently adopting our first, Darby, after only six weeks. We knew he would make a perfect foster brother to other Boxers in need. As soon as we saw Achilles & Athena we knew we had to help. This was a very special case, one that resembled Darby’s past living situation. But these two were also heartworm positive, which requires a long and difficult treatment. Next thing you know, we have 3 Boxers in the house that all need a lot of medical care, love, and attention.

Achilles & Athena had gained some much needed weight, but we soon realized they still had a case of roundworms. This unaltered dynamic duo then had to withstand Athena going through heat. Next, the vet determined they were healthy enough to be spayed & neutered and things have leveled out a bit. They just completed the second round of heartworm treatment and they have another 30 days of rest.

Recently we started adding water to their food to help them take their time eating. Give them dry kibble and it appears they are frantic to finish. They both are very food motivated and train well especially if treats are given. We’ve been working on the “place” command, in order to work on staying calm outside of the crate. When traveling to and from the vet, they have ridden well in the truck, using tethers or crates as needed.

They both crate up amazingly well. They love getting Kongs filled with food, treats, and peanut butter. They have spent most of their time with us in their crates. (2 week shut-down, deworming, spay/neuter, & 2 rounds of heartworm treatment) Currently, when not crated, they are on slip leads as they are required to remain inactive to prevent complications or death from the HW treatment. So they are great at resting or keeping busy in their crates, going outside to potty, and snuggling on the couch. They each will occasionally bark or whine when the other is taken outside separately.

Athena is the alpha of the two. She tries to lead on the leash, so we’re working on her “following” instead of pulling. She is a bit of a diva and thinks if she barks or whimpers she’ll be fed sooner. We’ve been working on not getting overly excited about food. She also gets pretty excited about the cats. She will bark & walk in circles in the crate because she wants to go see them, but she has not had direct contact. Athena still has some potty training we’re working on. We have plenty of doggie beds to we just alternate & wash as needed. She loves to give kisses and sometimes a little love nibble. Speaking of her nibble, she is quite a chewer! She has chewed pieces off of 3 “indestructible” toys so far. She weighed in at 40 pounds this week and has recently become the best snuggler with a cute Boxer snore.

Achilles is extremely smart and attentive. He is really good at threshold respect. He waits for the leash before exiting the crate, will wait for you to go first if you’re leading. He goes right to his “treat mat” when we come back from outside. He enthusiastically returns to his crate as soon as needed. He will excel with additional obedience training.  He can also sit, shake, sit up, lie down, place, wait, back it up, heel (for a bit), and crate. We are working on “easy” when taking treats. He will take it very quickly and not always really gentle if you are not diligent about how you’re holding the treat. He is gaining muscle and is currently a svelte 51 pounds. He loves to get and give hugs and kisses. In fact he sometime stands up for hugs and can stand really tall and reach countertops! Massages help him relax. His favorite spots are his head & ears. Sometimes when he’s in the crate he will whine if he’s trying to tell you he needs to go out or is thirsty, or he’s not getting enough attention. Sometimes he’s just bored and needs a new toy, other times a blanket over the crate helps him quiet down.

Looking forward to seeing them mature as AABR Boxers. I believe the true Boxers in Achilles & Athena will be able to develop once heartworm treatment is complete. Then they can run as a pack with their foster brother and develop their indoor etiquette. Hopefully they will be attending AABR events this spring. Eventually, they will be healthy enough and ready for their forever family!

Please note...some of their current behaviors or traits may pose a challenge with youngsters or inexperienced handlers – there are no children in their current foster home.

 
3/21:  Athena is all ready to find her furever home!  She loves to run and play with her foster brothers Achilles and Darby.  She came into the rescue with Achilles but we don't feel that they are bonded but Athena would very likely do better in a home with another dog to play with.