Update 4 March 2017

Max continutes to be a delightful dog, eager to meet new friends, human and furry (rabbits and squirrels - watch out!).  He is such a good boy inside and outside the home.  All he wants to do is to be as close to you as possible and sneak in as many cuddles and scratches as possible.  He LOVES his ball (outside) and his squeaky plush toys (inside) and he carries them around constantly.  His digestive issues have not resolved yet.  He lost the weight he had gained.  We saw a specialist and may have to undergo an endoscopy for further evaluation if he does not improve.  Please consider sponsoring Max.  It's easy to do and he is such a deserving boy.  

Update 12/30/2016

Good news:  Max’s eyesight is almost completely restored, and he continues to take his daily eye drops like a pro (as long as there is a head scratch afterwards!). After several tests it turns out that the EPI diagnosis reported to his previous owners was incorrect.  Instead the vet suspects that Max has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We are currently trying to find the right food for him to manage his condition.  He has gained several pounds already, and we hope that he is on his way to reach his proper weight of 90–95 pounds.  Max has integrated exceptionally well into our “pack”.  He is a very active 6-year old who needs mental and physical exercise daily to keep him from becoming bored.  He is a cuddle bunny who will try to curl up in your lap to be as close to you as possible.  He loves to play with our dogs and gets bossed around by our neighbor’s Yorkshire terrier, LOL!  He has attended several adoption events and is quite vocal in his desire to meet everybody!   

10/19/2016

Meet Max, an absolute sweetheart of a dog. Max is a happy-go-lucky,  friendly dog who likes every human and dog he meets, small or big. Beware of anything that you have lying around at the height of his tail, he will knock it off with his constant wagging! We have not tested him with cats yet; but he is quite interested in squirrels, rabbits and our parrots. Because of his size, caution should be exercised with babies/very young children. Max attended his first adoption event last weekend and did great, greeting everybody that came to the booth and walking around with the volunteers. He definitely likes to hang out with "the guys"! He is very tall and strong, but knows all the basic commands and is eager to please. He is house-broken and crate-trained (you will need a Great Dane crate as he does not fit in anything smaller!), but prefers to be with his humans if at all possible. He is safe to leave out in the house, no chewing or tearing up things. He currently lives with 2 male and 1 female GSDs and gets along with all of them. He loves, loves, loves car rides and playing with a ball or toy. Max has exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), which is the inability to break down and digest food properly. But there is a simple remedy, his food just needs to be mixed with an enzyme powder and "incubated" for a bit before he eats. Max also has pannus (chronic keratitis of the eyes) which is being treated with daily eye drops. Both the enzyme powder and eye drops will have to be given for the rest of his life, but it does not slow him down one bit! Max will be attending adoption events in the Tidewater area. Approved adopters can contact his foster parents at steven-uli@cox.net .