We took a little drive up to Brooklyn on Sunday and we came home with this little girl. She's probably about 10 months old. Came into the shelter weighing about 18 pounds. Was going to be put down as they didn't have the space, but one of the guys who works with the shelter took her to nurse her back to health and hopefully to find her a home. That was in August. At the end of September she now weighs about 36 pounds (though still looks very skinny) and is living with us.
Ira, who took her from the shelter, already has about four dogs in his house and is usually transitioning at least one rescue dog. The stories he told, just during our vrief meeting were simply unfathomable. I assumed that she was a "foreclosure dog." House was foreclosed on, people moved out and left the animals behind. How else does one explain a "medium" sized dog, weighing just 18 pounds and barely able to walk. Her housetraining was poor simply because she lacked the muscles. Well, it turns out that she was not a foreclosure dog, she was simply starved. How one does that, I simply cannot fathom.
So we're back at home. Trying to get familiar with each other. Figuring out what the signals are to do what. Tomorrow is our official "home visit." Ira and the lady who runs the rescue are driving down from Brooklyn to inspect our home. Hopefully we'll pass, otherwise B's heart is just gonna break.
Back to the old "No pullin" "That's a 'No'" and plenty of "That's a good girl" And of course all the doggie stuff too: the crate, the toys, the leash, the doggie bags... It's also interesting to train the kids how to handle her. We'll all get better. The fence people are coming on Thursday. Sealing up the back yard will be nice so that she can play out there on her own.
Oh yes, alternate names for her included Moots and Radon. Both made sense, though for very different reasons. But Storm it is. Definitely a happier home than where she came from. B gets all the credit for that.
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