The New Kids

Someone was watching over me on the day that Angela took Lucy to the vet for to be euthanized so that my mind would not linger on the sorrowful event (although it still did and does) but it has been interrupted by these two little creatures.

Meet Tink, Tinker, or official name: Tinkerbell, age 3 1/2

She is so damn cute and her innocence is so apparent. She's a petite girl weighing maybe 14 pounds. She's happy and easy and a bit shy -- when someone comes into the house, she barks and runs and hides and barks while hiding in her crate.

She's so friggin' cute I could eat her up. She acclimated quickly and has made herself at home. She isn't showing any effects of the change in her life which is good in that a rehoming transition will work easily for her.

Then we have Frank, same day, different family. Age 7.

Frank also barks when meeting someone new that comes in, or someone he's met a few times, and he runs, but not too far because he's too curious, very cautious, but curious. Treats help, but he doesn't trust.

Unfortunately Frank is suffering from the change of life for him. You can see it in his eyes and in his actions. Trauma. There's a few dogs I've had this experience with and once you've gone through it with one, you quickly recognize it in another. You can see that he's not sure of why he is here. He NEEDS (he thinks) to be first for attention. He was the last one paid attention to apparently in his family of humans and 3 big dogs and one small dog. He's just dying to be loved, his eyes say it all. They are somewhat blank, hoping, wanting something. He's accepted me as his alpha human pretty quickly once he found that I'm the one that pets him, let's him out and gives him treats and food regularly. Once he gets used to someone new he is their best friend. Strong men with work boots for some dogs will throw them over the edge and Frank is no different. I am working on desensitizing him to this but he needs socialization and desensitization work to be carried on when he's adopted. Now, it's finding someone that understands this and carries through.

I have found that a lot of people don't want to work with a new dog, they just want it to plop into the family and have it be all peaches and cream. With some dogs, this is how it is. With most, especially rescue dogs that have feelings of abandonment, trauma of change, uncertainty of where it really belongs, there needs to be some work, consistency, obedience training, daily walks. All of this is helpful in bonding and creating a relationship where they understand that the humans are alpha. Problem is, many people don't want to be alpha, don't want to crate, don't want set limitations, don't want to ignore a dog that would have better behavior if often ignored. Many people adopt dogs for their own insecurities, or need for love. This messes a dog up. They don't understand. They need hierarchy and boundaries and rules.

When I tell people they need to ignore their dog, not pet it when it's asking for the attention, etc., they look at me like I'm crazy or they 'yes' me while in their heads they are saying "I can't do that" and then they have a dog that has separation anxiety, that's needy, that misbehaves. I always love it when someone says "oh, when I leave they poop on the rug because they're mad at me" No, the reality is that when you leave, the animal feels anxious and sometimes this results in peeing or pooping. Sometimes it results in chewing on the furniture, ripping apart a rug, tearing apart a shoe. It's anxiety, it's the dog not knowing it's place, it's a dog that needs some help in understanding because unlike us, they don't rationalize. They just ARE what they are feeling.

Wow. I don't know where all that came out of. The frustration, I guess, of people wanting a good animal but not willing to teach it how to be a good animal. The frustration of accepting some things about a dog's personality or quirkiness and not trying to change that aspect of it but to learn how to work with it. The frustration of knowing that Lucy needed understanding, diligent eye care, to be left alone because that is how she was comfortable and to not be forced to be a different dog than she was. An instance of me being "yessed" when inside they were saying, "um, that's a bit unrealistic" and look where it got her.

Yeah, I'm still not over it. It will take awhile because the whole thing was tragic and wrong and a waste. I'm very angry with it.

Then I get this boy, Frank, and see that he didn't get what he needed. That there was too much going on in that household for it to be noticed that he needed something different. Or, maybe people just don't notice, don't pay attention, want animals because they want to love them and be loved and it's just a 'thing' that can be tossed when it's no longer needed. When his owner drove away, there wasn't any sign of sadness or remorse, she actually joked about him needing a hair makeover. It was just one more thing to take care of doing. When two others were brought in together (each of these families are experiencing divorce) the woman that dropped them off was bawling her eyes out. Totally heartbroken that she could not keep her dogs due to her circumstances. I guess really it just goes to show how we are all different. I try not to judge, but like I said, this Lucy thing has me spinning.

so I should shut up now.

but here, you can enjoy a little play time because Tink and Frank became fast friends. Actually, it might be more that he likes the young girls! LOL

**ahhh, crap, the video disappeared.