I'm A Nutcase, I Swear!

[xteacher]

Joe and I went to Petsmart to see the rescue pups - DON'T do it!! We saw a pitiful small miniature poodle, Puffy, and asked about him, b/c he looks a lot like our sweet Potsie we lost last year. Geesh.....we found out the poor baby had been a puppy mill stud dog, kept outside for 6 years with no human contact, except to be taken out to breed. Are you KIDDING me???? :M:M:M He's a fear biter and a runner (wouldn't you be, given the circumstances?). The rescue has had him for a year with little improvement, so they finally put him on Prozac, and he's much calmer, but has a long way to go. Potsie was also an extremely abused poodle, so Puffy tugged on our heartstrings.

Long story short... Yeah, you guessed it... We're going to foster the little guy, and since he's probably unadoptable, it's probably going to be a long term deal. Heaven help us! We're hopefully going to get him on Saturday. This will be his first home situation in 7 years - wow, just wow...

[sher9570]

xteacher wrote:
A photo of Sunny (aka Puffy) enjoying my SIL's back deck, sporting his new harness.

He looks so happy!

Sher

[Uppercrust]

He is looking good nice smile.

[CA_POPPY]

Oh, yes, he looks much more like a "Sunny" and he seems to have a new, more confident attitude! New duds, too! I'll bet the rescue he came from is thrilled. :B

[sher9570]

Still that's progress for the little guy. Your doing a wonderful job with him and it really makes me happy to hear these updates.
In the long run he'll be a nice pet for someone.

Sher

[AZPops]

Sunny's face says it all! ...


Pops

[Sue_Bee]

He is smiling! He does look somewhat more relaxed than the previous photo. And he's pretty fly with that harness!

[xteacher]

A photo of Sunny (aka Puffy) enjoying my SIL's back deck, sporting his new harness.

[Code2High]

xteacher wrote:
We decided to take Puffy (whom we've renamed Sunny, for sunny times ahead - lol!) on our Spring Break with us, rather than send him back to the rescue for boarding. We didn't want to risk regression for such a fragile boy. He did better than we expected! He's still very fearful, but he's coming along. We bought him his own cute harness, and I took him for a very short walk up and down the street at my SIL's house. He was scared, but did very well, considering. I let him take his time and stop and look at everything, so we didn't go very far. That's okay. I didn't want to freak him out too badly.

Awesome! Often the challenging activities like this will help them move forward in other ways as well.

[xteacher]

We decided to take Puffy (whom we've renamed Sunny, for sunny times ahead - lol!) on our Spring Break with us, rather than send him back to the rescue for boarding. We didn't want to risk regression for such a fragile boy. He did better than we expected! He's still very fearful, but he's coming along. We bought him his own cute harness, and I took him for a very short walk up and down the street at my SIL's house. He was scared, but did very well, considering. I let him take his time and stop and look at everything, so we didn't go very far. That's okay. I didn't want to freak him out too badly.

[bt6845]

xteacher is doing a lot right now. Being a foster is heartbreakingI know...when they leave I cry, I get updates on them I am happy and cry....it is a tough life...we have fallen in love with many and they get happy homes. Very rough to let go of...they make their impression in your heart. Take pics of each one as they come and go. Good memories, good doggies. There are fosters that never leave your home. I keep saying I am full, six doggies and one foster working his way into our pack. But then there is always another foster needing a temp home...can't turn them away when they need love and attention they so much deserve.

[S-n-L]

You two are amazing people. Thank you for being so compassionate and generous for a needy dog.

It just infuriates me to the way dogs are treated in puppy mill. I wish there could be some national expose on a show like the Today show or Good Morning America.

Thank you,

Stuart

[bt6845]

She has been doing great...my fosters take a little bit longer. Up to 2 years. They just need love and training that they don't realize they are doing,
As for fostering...my husband is working on #7 to keep him. Had him since August...fantastic fellow...I am full...six doggies, keep telling hubby we need to find him a home.

[sher9570]

Any new updates on Puffy? I love hearing about his progress and I hope it continues. I especially hope he gets more comfortable with being petted and just loved...

Sher

[xteacher]

Code2High wrote:
This is tremendous progress in a VERY short period of time.

:B