Age: 9 years Gender: Male Color: Liver/White Weight: 50 lbs. Variety: Bench/Show-bred Baxter is a true success story for ESRA. When you meet Baxter now, you can't imagine what he's been through. His relaxed, happy attitude shows how strong and resilient these dogs are. His shelter behavior assessment showed that he was friendly, calm, mellow, and loved everyone, and that is certainly true. Baxter is looking for a home where he can be the only dog and can get lots of attention from his humans. Baxter's best friend is his tennis ball, so the humans need to appreciate his ball and help him always have one around. He loves his tennis ball and can't get enough of it! In fact, it's literally the only toy he'll play with. He is quite a sweet-natured dog, and very low maintenance/low key most of the time. He does want to play with his ball often, and shows a lot of energy going after it, even when we just roll it across the floor. When he wants to play, he'll bring the ball and drop it next to you, then stare at it and/or nudge it until you do something. If too much time passes and you don't take action, he'll start to bark until you do! When he's not playing with his tennis ball, he frequently carries it around with him wherever he goes. He even sleeps with his ball. The tennis ball may have been his only friend. It's clear that before rescue, Baxter didn't have much of a life. He is now accustomed to being your total indoor companion, and he is housetrained and knows how to veg out on the carpet. When he is not playing, he is very relaxed and well behaved as long as his people are around. At first he had a hard time being left alone. He learned to stay in an exercise pen and not to cry or bark when they left. He's come a long way with his anxiety because he was boarded for 10 days while the foster parents were on vacation, and had no problems. Baxter is doing great in foster care now, but he may have an adjustment period in a new home. In fact, if he could go to work with someone, he would just snooze under the desk or hang out near you happily. He's a great snoozer, not much of a morning person, and would love to sleep in with you. Baxter came from the Tacoma Humane Society in July, where he had been dropped off and abandoned. The shelter could tell he was a super sweet guy but he had some health issues that needed attention. We took him in, trimmed up his coat, and took him to the vet. We found that Baxter had kennel cough, ear, eye, and skin infections and tapeworms. No problem, we're used to that. We treated those and gave him our preventative care such as dewormer, heartworm test, and tick & flea treatment. But then Baxter got pneumonia, and it was a struggle for his survival. He was trying to fight the pneumonia when he was already battling multiple infections, had been exposed to germs at the shelter, and just didn't have the strength that a well-cared for dog would have. He got fluids, antibiotics, and breathing treatments, and the little trouper made it. He's been healthy for 2 months before we put him on the website. He eats well, plays well, and has had no problems. See what a little love and basic c Baxter's had fantastic, thorough vet care to make him the healthy dog he is today. He's had bloodwork and some little growths removed. His skin and coat are great, the infections are cleared up, he's at a healthy weight, and he's had a great bill of health. The crime is that his previous health challenges were from neglect. Even when the dog has had a rough life, he can get cleaned up, healthy, and have terrific manners. He wants a forever home where he is the only dog and gets all of the attention. He was not interested in being around cats or other dogs at the shelter. We are committed to finding Baxter a terrific home where the remainder of his life is all happy, where every day includes a gentle pat and a throw of the ball. He will live indoors, clean and comfortable, where he can be the loyal companion he yearns to be.