Mary Kay

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

4yo/  DOB 11.20.20

16 Pounds

Spayed /Microchipped 

UTD on vaccinations 

Heartworm / Flea Preventative

Adoption Donation: $525.00 (tax deductible)

INSTRUCTIONS for ADOPTION:

• Please read the bio in its ENTIRETY. 
• If you feel your family is a perfect match, please send a completed application to gateway4paws@gmail.com. 
• Applications & FAQ regarding adoption can be found here on our website. 
• Only completed applications that meet requirements will be reviewed. 
• Since we are 100% foster-based rescue, only approved applications will be contacted. 
• We do not allow shipping & do not transport. You must live within 350 miles from Maryville, IL.  You must be able to drive to her foster home for a meet & greet. 

This little Cavalier has been through the ringer in her short life.  She was released to rescue from a breeder because her knees got so bad she wasn't able to properly move around. Imagine that, at 4 years old. 

Overall, Mary was pretty healthy when our volunteer picked her up. She had the typical conditions we see, gunky eyes, infected ears, parasites. So, we addressed all those issues straight away, got her spayed, and scheduled her with an orthopedic specialist. Mary was diagnosed with luxating patella in both knees. Except, at her young age, she had it so bad, and for so long, while carrying the extra weight of multiple pregnancies, her knees were "frozen". The doctor couldn't even manipulate the kneecap back into place.  Luxating patella is a common condition that Cavalier owners face. Often you can manage the issue with diet & exercise, if it is a lower grade. But for Mary this was definitely not an option. 

In the Spring, Mary had her first luxating patella knee surgery. This was on the knee that was worst. She did very well through surgery, an 8 weeklong rehabilitation, & settling back into a normal routine.  This summer we were able to complete her second knee surgery, and again she came through with flying colors. Here she is, fully recovered with her new $7,000 knees! She will always be a little bow-legged, but she will be pain free, and that is a total win. She can run, jump, & fly like the wind now that she has new knees. 

Mary is what we would describe as a typical Cavalier. She is hand shy; it takes her a bit to warm up to you & get to know you. She is not clingy, but she does like to be in her foster mom & dad's presence. She loves to just lounge around, that is really her preference. The only time she gets vocal is when you are preparing her dinner, she looooooves to eat! She has 2 designated mealtimes per day. You can't free feed her, because she would not regulate her calorie intake properly. It is very important for her, as a Cavalier, and for her knees, to remain at an ideal weight of about 16 pounds. Her foster mom keeps a good supply of low calorie treats on hand because Mary Kay also likes to be rewarded. 

Mary does great with house breaking once you have a routine in place. She is praise & treat motivated, so that is helpful with positive reinforcement.  Remember, in a new home, a new environment means that new habits will have to be established. Please be prepared to set her up for success by getting a schedule in place. Always praise her when she meets your expectations. 

During her rehabilitation, we tried very hard, with many methods, to leash train Mary Kay. She absolutely wouldn't have anything to do with it. We even had different volunteers try to work their magic with her. She will wear a harness, and you can hold the leash attached. But she is absolutely not going to take more than 2 steps. Max. She will lay down & turn into a solid 1000-pound concrete type lump that refuses to budge an inch. No way. Sooooo, she needs a fence. A physically secure fence. She won't even really play out in the yard in the fence, but you have to have it if you want her to potty train outside. 

Mary is fantastic with other dogs of similar size. Again, she is not going to be a snuggly playful dog. She won't "play" with kids. She wants to sit near you, be your BFF, & be judgy. Like a Cavalier. She absolutely loves car rides & will ride perfectly & safely in a designated car seat.  If you have another Cavalier, or similar personality type dog in the home, Mary would like that. If you don't, and it is just you & her against the world, she will like that, too. 

We can't wait to meet Mary's new family. Please remember, the decision won't be ours to make. It will be up to Mary. She will be reviewing applications until she finds the perfect family!