Been Found By A Rescue Dog

[ladee]

Happy tears for you and Hank... what a beautiful adventure. And the gentleman who took so much time with him, what a beautiful extension of your beautiful story... so proud of Hank... Getting to go on new adventures, getting to find out all these wonderful activities to do.... and being so brave, but still letting you know what he can't or won't do...just wish you had taken pictures.... maybe next time. thank you for sharing about your and Hanks adventures and hoping you get some of your childhood dreams to come true... lots of hugs for both of you !!

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Thank you so very much for sharing this latest adventure, if only my parents could have been this way with me! I get so much healing from reading your adventures together.

 

[ladee]

Just one of the many things I love about our community.. but a very important one... Hank is healing so many of us... we won't get to see him, won't get to tell him in person, how much he means to us. How proud we are of his progress, how excited we are that his second chance has given him a life he never knew existed. And you @City Slicker, what all you have given of your self to make his life better, and him in turn making yours better. The fact that it even occurred to you to share with us.. that we finally got to see a picture of the brave boy in the water....

This particular thread has so much hope, so much love, tenderness, accomplishment. Such a huge 'positive' all the way around... and I love it that Hank and City Slicker go on my gratitude list every day....

You both remind me that my heart still works for all the good in the world... thank you both from my heart. Give Big Guy hugs for me.... and that I am beyond proud of him !!!

 

[KwanYingirl]

I believe in the power of intention. I have no doubt that Hank has not only brought us joy, but is living now with a person who has unconditional love for him and her community of the forum. He knows he's found heaven on earth. Also, I've always said that if you want to test the temperament and value of a man, put him with a dog. He will reveal his true self.

Annie has become a therapy dog assisting my clients tolerate a painful treatment. My scruffy, tall and sturdy men are her favorite. A dog brings us more than we can ever repay.

Annie has her own life preserver that has a handle on top. She's only ten pounds. I had her in the bow of a canoe and we stopped to chat with a boastful of young adults. You should've seen their faces when I pulled Annie up in the air with her handle. It craved them up and of course they wanted to see her swim. I live on the ocean and she's not a fan of waves. Lakes are ok but she wants me right next to her.

Has Hank been mountain climbing? My daughter lived in Boston and adopted a bull dog/lab mix. He lives so close to a conservation area, that they run her for an hour before work an hour after work and the occasional swim in one of many swim spots.

Thank you @City Slicker for your updates. I love happy endings.

 

[Poofycat]

What a beautiful day you had! Thank you for continuing to share your adventures with Hank. I get so excited when I see a notification that you've added an entry.

That sometimes, sometimes, there is still time to raise your own self the way you would have wanted someone to way back then.

So beautifully put. I think I really needed to hear that today.

 

[City Slicker]

Thank you so much @Poofycat, @KwanYingirl, @ladee, @gizmo, @Ellabella44 for your beautiful words. I appreciate them so much.

@KwanYingirl, Annie sounds wonderful. I am very glad she has you. I can only imagine how sweet she looks swimming. Hank is coming along more now and he has been relaxing around men - I have some very big men I work with and they wear a ton of gear so they look huge. I bring Hank into the back lobby at work when I am stopping in for something and the guys always come over and engage Hank. He's doing so much better.

Hank hasn't been mountain climbing yet but we do hike a bit when the weather is cooler. The hiking has been good for Hank's hips - the vet says his hips have improved a great deal as the vet thought Hank is arthritic in his hips because of how he was forced to sleep to stay warm in the frost. Hank enjoys climbing and this past spring I could see him figuring out how to move his body to accomplish his climbs.

@gizmo - I wish there had been those parents there for you to give you all the things, the love and safety you could ever want. I am so glad reading about Hank can bring some of that to you. I sure feel it when I am able to give it to him the way I would have wanted (although sometimes I think I am a 'helicopter parent' - I hover sometimes over him as he is approaching certain challenges but I am really learning.

@ladee thank you so much for putting Hank and me on your gratitude list. I don't think anyone has done anything like that for me before so I am very honoured. I will give Hank a big hug from you.

Thank you @Ellabella44 - I will give Hank a big hug and a muzzle cuddle for you! Hank did so well with the male dock owner because no man has put his seriously put hands on Hank since he's been with me - some guys at the park will cuddle his chin or pat his head or his side but the boat rental owner actually was able to put his arms around Hank's neck and help him out of the boat while I pushed and Hank didn't even once indicate any discomfort. I think Hank has relaxed enough to know nothing bad has happened so far and he has also gained so much confidence too.

It's interesting when we were in the shelter that very first time I met him and he was scared and withdrawn but he was so wanting to trust and in looking back I have to say I am so glad he didn't give up on me that day.

I was so new and also scared - but I also wanted to believe that love and wanting to do the right thing would make things ok and thankfully in this situation it did. I don't have a lot of experience with these types of huge decisions going well in my life and it's made me a bit shy of taking risks like this.

@Poofycat - I have known this to be true the way I know this now. I had kind of given up on that part of my life - the nurturing, caring, loving for myself stuff thinking I was ok without it. But since Hank I realize how much it is not only good but it's possible. Totally possible to 'grow up' simply by being able to share those part of ourselves we didn't get when we were being raised as children.

I am liking it a lot, learning a lot and feeling a lot of emotion about it. The biggest one is the feeling of gratitude that I didn't miss it.

 

[City Slicker]

Thank you @C j : )
He really is a handsome guy.

 

[ladee]

Yes , you and Hank are always on my Gratitude list. I think about both of you having your past hurts, being brought together by a power knowing what you both needed, and finally, a 'happily ever after ' story... The reality of any relationship taking work, commitment, respect, understanding. And makes my heart so full to know what he is giving you in return... Maybe a few feelings you didn't think you had, but such a loving safe guy for you to be ok with all that is happening to and for you.....
I am so grateful you failed as a foster !!!
Sending gentle hugs to you both... and kiss Mr. Hank on his beautiful head.... thank you for sharing him with us...makes me keep believing in human kindness.

 

[City Slicker]

Glad you are getting things better! :hug:s if you accept

Thank you Saelben. My apologies, I don't know how I missed your hug. But I got it now! And it came at a really good time.
Sending one back to you too if that's ok.

 

[City Slicker]

It's been incredibly hot and humid here so Hank and I have been inside as much as possible.

Hank has continued to learn and to increase his confidence levels way beyond what I could have hoped for. He is tuned in so intensely that I find I am a bit awestruck by his ways. For example, I had to have some plumbing done to my house. Hank seemed fine and to not pay too much attention to the hammering and banging outside. I believe I misinterpreted his apparent relaxed and detached appearance with 'fine'.

One of the workers came to the door and needed something in the basement. As I was letting him in I could see Hank approaching from the side. As the man was coming in the house, he was tentative and in that split second it allowed Hank to get right up close to him. Hank very purposefully moved himself in between the man and me. He stood with his nose very close to the guy's crotch. And he wouldn't move.

I wasn't putting it all together since I was thinking Hank would be the one needing 'protecting' but Hank had other ideas. As the man tried to sidestep around Hank, Hank shifted his body making it very clear that the man was not going to pass and that was that. Then I finally caught on to what was happening. Thank goodness.

I asked the guy if he would go outside and then coming in again. I told him really quickly and briefly that I was working with Hank and he could help. The guy was happy to do it and stepped back outside. I had the guy knock and this time I called Hank to me and then asked Hank to 'sit' beside me. Hank did.

I told Hank 'stay' and he did and I let the guy in the whole time being attentive to Hank and making sure he was still sitting beside me. I let the guy pass by and Hank let the guy pass by without incident. I released Hank once the guy was in the basement and then I shouted to him to let me know when he was coming back up.

After a few minutes, he hollered up 'ok, finished, let me know when I can come back up.' I called Hank over who was perched at the top of the basement stairs and had him sit beside me. Then I called the guy back up. Hank let him pass right by again and all was well.

I think this happened because I didn't realize all the stimuli Hank was taking in about what was going on in and around his house with all the banging, the people moving around and that might have influenced his feeling of safety. When the guy came in, clearly this was some type of violation because I wasn't paying attention so Hank stepped in to take over. I saw how clearly Hank looked to me to let him know what he should be concerned about. Once I put the boundary in place, Hank relaxed and trusted knowing what his role was.

This is what alpha is right? When the dog can look to his alpha to know the right things so that he doesn't have to worry?

This boy is so sensitive to al this - or maybe it's me with this parenting stuff...or maybe it's both of us so sensitive to wanting to do the 'right' thing that we are both teaching each other. In this one example, Hank taught me so much about how to be aware and how to let go of the unimportant things I obsess about which aren't the important things anyway.

I have lots more to share but this example was right at the top of my experiences with his (read my) growth.

Take good care and thank you again for reading and your support for me and my boy.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I think that you are a awesome Alpha! I loved the story of how Hank obeyed you and trusted in your decision and he did not bark at the man in fear. This is so amazing to me. Thank you once again for sharing your story about you and Hank and personally I think that there is a really good book in your adventures and training of Hank who has come from so much of a an abusive background.

Once more I realize that I wish had the kind of parents that you are with Hank so I could have learned to trust too. Thank you is not enough but it is all I have.:hug::hug: For you and Hank.

 

[ladee]

Had a City Slicker and Hank brain zap yesterday so knew we would be hearing from you soon!
How awesome the pair of you are! He looks intimidating so happy the guy stopped and let you handle it.
And what an awesome Alpha you are! And showing him what to do. He so absolutely trusts you. What a bountiful gift from the Universe for both of you.
Thanks from my heart for sharing your story. Hugs to you and snuggles and kisses for Hank.