Been Found By A Rescue Dog

[Ocean5]

(ironic an Alaskan dog falling through ice)..

I had labrador retriever as kid. They love water. He saw me playing with feet in water. Jumped in as just a young puppy (think he thought it was solid), he freaked-out, but after that couldn't keep him out of water. Uh, I miss him.

 

[City Slicker]

Thank you @Changeling - I picked up the pads at Pet Value to try for him - this morning his bed was wet but he was sleeping in it so I think maybe he did wet his bed but he stayed there.

@NoWhereKnowWhere - it's so true how much they teach us - and in such a short period of time. I can't imagine him not being here and it's only been a day!

Thank you @Ellabella44

@Nighthawk I am so happy to be a Foster Failure! In fact I wonder if there are t-shirts that say "proud foster failure' lol! I would definitely wear one.

@KwanYingirl - I will definitely keep you updated as time goes on. I get the sense he knows some things but just needs some time to forget what has happened to him and to relax here.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful support.

We did really well through the night. I think his name is 'Hank'. As I watched him sleep last night I said softly, 'hi Honey' and he opened his eyes and looked right at me.

He so doesn't look like a 'Honey' lol so a few seconds later when he closed his eyes again I said, 'Hi Hank'. He opened his eyes again and this time he did one of those full body dog stretches and fell asleep again only this time he slept all stretched out. So I think it's Hank for a while and see how he does.

Today taking him out I called him Hank about a hundred times. He's wearing one of my old sweaters that I cut for him just to keep him warm when he's outside.

Last night he broke my heart again when I took him out to pee and he curled up on the pavement in the corner of my driveway and looked like he was going to go to sleep there - of course he would do that - it's all he knew in his other place. He thought that's where he was supposed to sleep. I tried not to cry in front of him but I wasn't very successful. His vulnerability makes me cry which I am also trying not to do in front of him too much lol.

I am definitely working on it.

 

[Deleted member 28740]

I said, 'Hi Hank'. He opened his eyes again and this time he did one of those full body dog stretches and fell asleep again only this time he slept all stretched out.

Full body stretch in just a day or so. Well on the mend and a great bond forming. Likes his name too ; )). Woof.

 

[Ocean5]

I tried not to cry in front of him but I wasn't very successful. His vulnerability makes me cry which I am also trying not to do in front of him too much lol.

Cry if you need to - it might help with bonding, and adjustment. Dogs are very intelligent, and sensitive. If he sees you sad he will know. It's not a bad thing.

Best to both of you.

 

[Tinyflame]

Dogs don't mind if you cry. :)

They sense if you are calm, even through their leash.

"Hank" is a good name. :inlove: You need a short one to call if they are lost, too, & for training.

They are pack animals, the worst thing to do is to leave them on their own, they prefer a group/ 'family'.

 

[Teasel]

Reading about you two being lucky enough to meet has been just about the best thing I've read in a very long time indeed! So very happy for you both, am glad he has found such a thoughtful and full blown foster failure and he sounds like a beautiful and gentle old soul.

 

[Ellabella44]

Cafe press has several foster failure shirts!
Found this poem for you too!

 

[City Slicker]

Thank you @Ocean5 and @Junebug - you know I was probably worrying when I needn't have - I worried he would think he had upset me or done something wrong and I was upset with him.

He is so sensitive that when I reach to touch him he flattens his ears and cowers a bit from me. But tonight when he did it he immediately came to lick my hand. We had some seconds where he stayed close enough and let me gently touch him and then he started to wag his bum a little bit - I thought that was a really good sign.

Thank you @Berlinda for your kind words. I am so grateful for this in my life. More than I have words. I know that it has changed me also more than I can describe.

Thank you so much @Ellabella44 for the poem - it's absolutely perfect! Those are pretty much the words and feelings I feel right now. Thank you for taking the time to look it up and send.

The weather here is pretty bad tonight so I thought I would bring him into where I have a treadmill. I brought a rug in for him and I pointed to his rug and said, 'down' - he went immediately into a down and I gave him a treat.

He slept while I ran which was a really good thing because it meant the action and the noise didn't bother him.

But one thing I felt while I was running tonight was how many years I spent in fear growing up and how much of that fear stays with me to this day. I deal with this fear by being as trained physically as I can be and taking on new physical challenges.

Tonight as I looked over at him sleeping I realized that for over a day now I had felt no fear, no anxiety, none of that old childhood agitation and hypervigilance that has been such a part of my life all these years and that I accepted thinking it would be here forever. I had found workarounds.

Tonight looking at this little soul with all his trust struggles I knew we were in this together now - no words required. And if the old PTSD stuff comes back full force tomorrow, I will know that it's possible sometimes when you least expect it to have respite from the nasty side effects that are part of this illness.

The love of a dog. Who knew??

 

[Tinyflame]

Aw @City Slicker , I love your last 3 paragraphs especially. I feel so much that way, too.

Yes, I knew. ;)

I think you are doing wonderfully. He came to the right person. :) :tup: :inlove:

 

[City Slicker]

Thank you @Junebug. I know from your posts you felt it and knew it too.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Thank you so much @City Slicker For sharing what is happening with Hank. It has really, deeply touched my heart and his growing trust of you is so amazing. I think how you are treating him would do wonders for me as well if you can make sense of that. We need safe people to help to heal us as well.

I had a wonderful dog that chose me and the bond was made right away. I miss her very much.

Please keep sharing your adventures with Hank. I sure appreciate you doing this.

 

[Changing4Best]

My husband saw some kids beating up on a poor dog and he stopped them from doing so and brought her home. We had her for quite some time, and then I divorced him. My second husband had a dog that fell in love with him at work. She would run across the parking lot and love on him when she saw him. He called me one day and asked me if he could bring her home and I said sure (we already had 2 dogs, so what was another?).

She had 7 puppies and we kept 2 and so we had five dogs. They were our family until they died, many years later. We had other dogs after that....

I no longer have a dog now, as I cannot afford the vet bills, but I do have my fish aquarium, so I am happy.

Best of luck to you and "May the Force be with you" (and your new found friend).