Saturday, August 27, 2016

Saturday's Success: Dog Adoption Story

"Butch"
(C) Operation Paws for Homes

My friend "Miss Ashley" from Operation Paws for Homes shares a successful story about dog rescue, fostering and adoption. "As you may remember, Butch was with us for over six months. He is doing very well in his new home. Below is a statement from his foster:"

"We received a plea from the shelter early in the week that they were full and needed help - Butch's future did not look promising as he had been there for two months already. We committed to him and he was transported up just days later, Feb 12.

Butch was terrified and shy but had such a gentle demeanor - we knew he would blossom, he just needed time. For the first two weeks he lived in his crate despite us keeping the door open 24/7. Slowly (and I mean slowly) he got comfortable enough to explore the house, room by room, on his own terms, of course running for his crate with any sight of us! We moved his crate into a more active room after a month of him being with us. This really helped him become comfortable with us. He watched us interact with our own dog, was kept company and talked to by our son, he watched us cook meals in the kitchen from his crate. He was forced to be with us and learn our behavior. One night, out of the blue, he decided to sit with me on the couch - I was thrilled. That was the turning point and from there on he opened up more and more each and every day. He started playing with our dog, he would follow us around the house, he would keep me company in the nursery as I put our baby to sleep, he kept my son company while he played, we started bringing him on walks which he learned he absolutely loves.

It took a lot of patience. He needed time. He needed to learn that we were good. He is still terrified of new people and noises but for a dog that probably had no human interaction prior, that's understandable. Because of this, he was passed up by two adopters for being too shy and too skittish. Actually one of them came back two times to spend time with him - she followed his journey through with me but just didn't think she would be the best fit for his needs. The third meet and greet was the winner. They liked that he was so good with our kids (they had two kids of their own), that he was fantastic with other dogs (they have a dog of their own) and that he was generally a laid back, calm dog. Their meet and greet was two hours and Butch warmed up nicely to them while they were here. Since the adoption on June 6 they report back that Butch tends to stick by their sons side, spends much of his day with their other dog chewing on bones and is a delight."

Here is a statement from his new family:

"Just wanted to give you some feedback on his first day. We actually named him "Bruno," which everyone has taken to. He explored last night and found a nice quiet place to retreat to eventually (guest bedroom). He has spent a lot of time in my son's bedroom, I even found him sleeping on the foot of his bed earlier when my son took a nap. He has been following me around when he feels like it, and has explored the yard a number of times off of the leash (with supervision). He really enjoys snoozing in the dog beds or wherever he can! Our dog walker came by too and spent some time and we worked out a plan for this coming week. He seems to transitioning well. I am hopeful he will continue to do well. Right now he is curled up in the dog bed in the basement while we watch TV."

Interested in learning more about dog adoption and adopting one yourself? Please visit Operation Paws for Homes



No comments: