Random Thoughts - January 19, 2008

Today I had to transport another rescue dog who was going from Illinois to the Pennsylvania area. Met up with a girl in Bradley Illinois and drove the dog to its second leg of the trip. I was gone from 9am until 3:30 and was worried Sarah might go to the bathroom but she didn't. That is the longest, except overnight, that I had left her without taking her out. I was afraid she may go to the bathroom in the house while I was gone. I was happy to see that she did not. She has had no accidents in a couple of days now and I am thrilled. She is still timid about things. Now when you get up she runs to the kitchen jumps on her bed but turns around and comes right back. She wags her tail all the time and does not keep it tucked under like she did previously. She will also go in and out with me in the fenced yard with no leash. I had to keep her on a leash before to get her to come back in the house; or else chase her around the yard to get her to come in. Once was enough with that lol. Another small step, but that is the way it goes. Sometimes you take small steps then have a step back and start again. Eventually, you will get where you are going; although the journey may take a little while longer than you had planned. She does have her little quirks even with coming in the house. You have to go in the door first, move away from the door, and then she comes in when you call. If you are standing next to the door she will not go past you. I think it is still a trust issue. Yesterday she cracked me up. She was in the yard with Bama and she started doing that Bully run where they tuck their butt up under themselves and run with all their might. She would chase Bama and then he would turn and chase her. You could tell she was just having a blast. I think she would do well in a home with someone with a small playful dog. She really seems to love playing with mine. I am wondering if I should start taking her places. I hate to do it too quick, but also think she needs to see some things. I don't know if she has seen anything. I thought maybe taking her to the little park by my house. No one will be there in the freezing cold but she can get out and about in a different area. I also considered taking her to Petsmart but thought that might be too overwhelming right now.
I sometimes sit petting her and wonder if she ever had a good life. Did someone have these puppies and sit up with them all night, loving them, and caring for them? Did someone buy her and give her love when she was younger then just get tired of her and leave her locked in a crate? Has she ever known, before this, what it was like to be a dog and play and be loved? Sarah just sits there unquestioning, living in the moment of a head rub enjoying the present. Maybe we should learn from her. Enjoy what you have, don't dwell on the past and things you can not change.

I am adding a small video of Bama and Sara playing in the yard.

Starting to Play - January 18, 2008

Today began like all the other days. I woke up, immediately took Sarah outside to potty and then after much praise and a few biscuits we headed back in to start the coffee. When the coffee finished I sat in my chair and Sarah got into what is now her other safe spot, the blanket next to the chair. Bama, as is his morning routine, had to bring me a toy to throw for him. I sat there throwing toys while trying to drink my coffee and watch the morning news. Suddenly, Sarah got up off her blanket and picked up one of the toys that were lying in the floor. She proceeded to bring it back to her blanket and, much to my delight, started to play with it. I was thrilled to see this bit of dog fun come out in her. Remember, I told you she did not know how to even play with toys when she first arrived. She would watch the other dogs play but did not show any interest in the toys I tried to get her to play with. Another small step in her progression, but each step is like climbing the mountain, soon we will get to the top. I am posting some photos of her playing with some toys.

By George, I Think She Got It - Jan. 17, 2008

It seems fitting to use the phrase from My Fair Lady. Just like Eliza Doolittle transformed day by day into a lady, Sarah is transformed each day a little at a time. I have had tremendous success with her housebreaking so far. She still has not gone in the house and now goes whenever she is let out. I know that it is still a work in progress though. We are starting anew just like with a puppy. At first they go outside because you know the schedule of when they need to go. When they wake up, after eating, before bed, no feeding after a certain time, take their water away at night, etc. This is the phase Sarah is in right now. She is having no accidents due to diligence but, just like with a puppy, diligence pays off and becomes habit. I am just thrilled to say "By George, I Think She Got It!
Just like me and Professor Higgins, you too can help with a transformation. Patience, love, trust and more patience is all it takes. It is really like raising a puppy. You just start afresh and teach them with kindness what is expected. Build trust and show them the world is not all bad.

Another day of Discovery Januay 16, 2008

Today is another day of discovery for Sarah. She has lots of new toys and things to familiarize herself with. She sniffs her toys but does not play with any of them. She is very interested in watching Penny and Bama play with them though. She gets up to check on them but does not join in when they invite her to play. She comes back over to the chair and just lays down. She has taken to coming out of the kitchen and laying on the pad next to my chair. It is a good thing to see that she is wanting to join in with us now instead of just laying on the toddler bed in the kitchen. Shows wonderful progress in her trust issues. She has discovered that she really enjoys the head rubs she gets while we are watching television. She still does not like quick movement and will still get up and go to the safety of her bed when I get up from the chair. The difference being that she now turns around and comes straight back though.
Today is the birthday of 2 of my own bullmastiffs. Star and Carmel both turned 7 years old today. We are making dog treats for all the dogs to celebrate. Sarah is really interested in the smells coming from the kitchen and has taken to following me each time I get up to check on things. She discovered that she gets to sample the recipe each time. I think she might like my cooking......boy, she has been neglected if she thinks my cooking is good ;)
Sarah is still making quick progress in her housebreaking and has not had a single accident in the house today.

Sarah as of January 15, 2008

My girl Sarah is doing wonderfully for the short time she has been here. She is still very unsure of everything, but she is venturing out and about in the house and showing a general interest in things. Today she actually ran around the yard and played with my bichon mix Bama. She even walked upright around the house and yard. Before today she always did that cowering type of walk where she was not standing up straight but kind of like a whipped dog. I think the other dogs have helped her to come around quickly. She seems to really love them. She takes her cues from them and when they come up to get petted and loved on she comes with them. She now seems to trust us also, and does not run in terror whenever we move. She still high tails it if you move too quickly but if you move slowly she will stay and she even comes to me when I call her. I have not crated Sarah to help in her housebreaking at all. She is in the kitchen with her toddler bed and there is a dog gate so she can not leave the kitchen at night when we go to bed. I made the decision not to crate her right now until she gets the hang of housebreaking. I know in most cases crating helps in housebreaking, but I figured with her it may not help. She has been raised to go to the bathroom in a crate so I figured crating may add to her confusion because that is where she thinks she should go to the bathroom. I also thought it would be easier to clean the tile in the kitchen than to clean crate and give her a bath every day should she not be able to hold it. She did not pee in the house at all last night, but she did poop. Not bad, we will take things day by day. Any progress is like a great step. It thrills me to watch her blossom. She deserves her chance in life to run and play and be loved.

Sarah meets the family - January 14, 2008

Sarah's housebreaking has hit a standstill. After hours and hours of walking outside on the leash Sarah still will not potty outside. I believe this is due to the fact that she was forced to go in her crate and not allowed out. Sarah does not have an understanding yet of the fact that she is to go outside. After our long walks Sarah comes inside and goes to the bathroom on the floor. Thankfully my kitchen and family room is tiled and so there is no problem with cleanup. I am at a loss for getting her to go outside. I know that she will just have to make that first time outside and then things will progress. Perhaps if she goes out with the other dogs. I do not know how she will react to them though, so I am leary of letting her interact yet. Oh well, we have to do this sometime so why not now. A big part of rescue is evaluating the dog with people, and other animals so that you know where they can be placed.

So..........Today Sarah got a chance to meet some of the members of the household. Not knowing much about her temperament yet, it was decided that she should first meet them behind a ex-pen kennel. This would give them a chance to sniff each other and get to know each other in safety just in case. Sarah seemed thrilled to meet the new dogs. She met both Bama, my Bichon mix and Penny, my Rat Terrier rescue. After a while of greeting each other behind the kennel barrier it was decided to let them have a face to face meeting. Sarah was a perfect lady and was very gentle with the smaller dogs. Tonight Sarah will go outside with the other dogs in the hope of her following their lead and using the "bathroom" outside.

HOOOORAAAAAY Sara pottied outside tonight. Good Girl Sarah!!!!!!!

Sarah January 13, 2008

Well, now that Sarah has told you a lot about the little we know of her life. I am going to try to fill you in on Sarah's recovery and how the rescue dog blossoms day by day. Progress is sometimes measured in small doses with a rescue, but each new experience, taste of love, is a joy. Seeing the progress daily is an amazing thing. When Sarah came to me, cowering with each movement, I thought it would take a long time to see any progress with her. This has not been the case. She is a very smart girl and unbelievable in her ability to adapt and to trust. One of the first things I did was to sew a new coat for Sarah. Her lack of hair in the cold Indiana winters made this a necessity. Here is a photo of Sarah modeling her new coat.

Donna

A Little Story About My Life (What I Know of It)

January 13, 2008

My name is Sarah, I am told that I am somewhere around 1 to 1-1/2 years of age and I weigh approximately 60#. I am told that I should weigh about 100 to 110 pounds. Right now I am missing most of the hair on my back and on my sides. I have also been told that this is due to the neglect that I suffered under the hands of a very bad person who owned me before. Before I came to my Foster family I lived my life in a crate. I had to sleep, eat and go to the bathroom in my crate. I had poop caked on me so badly that I had sores and this is why I do not have hair but it is starting to grow in. Right now I am very timid and even the smallest things frighten me. I was not given the opportunity as a young dog to see the world and so I am just now discovering it. I will take a little while to learn all that I need to about the world. Right now, even walking in the woods and having a squirrel running through the trees makes me drop to the ground and cower. I also run and cower to the floor when my Foster mom walks up to me. You see, I am quite unsure of what awaits me, as I have not been shown kindness before and I am expecting people to be mean to me. Even after all this neglect and hurt, I do still want to be loved by someone, so when my Foster mom comes over and rubs me I trust again and I will give her the sweetest kisses and look at her with my adoring bully eyes.

Well, that is what I think you should know about me and so for the rest of the blog I will let my Foster mom tell you about my progress day by day.

I have posted a photo of me. This is how I came to my foster mom. She will post pictures of me as I progress.

Sara