Rescued beagles experience grass & sunlight for the 1st time

[ScubaTwinn]

I really needed this news this morning! I am so glad he did so well.

 

[Oriah]

Six or seven threads on a rescued beagle (with a rescued bull mastiff thrown in for good measure ) is heaven for me.

We all need the kindness of humanity these days... and I am so happy to find it here, admidst WS'ers. What better way to adjust the universe!

 

[SondraK]

Have read every post in this thread....cried, laughed, and enjoyed every minute. From a five furry friends rescuer to all of you. Thank You... Keep the updates coming. You will be blessed.

 

[Herding Cats]

The pet sitter was really great. All the critters were in great shape, and not clingy when I got home (which usually indicates that enough attention was given while I was gone). While I did sleep under a pile o' kitties, and listened to Gracie snoring, I was so happy to be home and surrounded by my fuzzballs.

Romi (which seems to be what his name is, Romeo or some version thereof...) needed his bedding changed last night, and he was not at all happy about that. I was too tired to get it out of the wash last night, but he's now snugged down on his blue fleece, warm from the dryer, and happy. He's such a sweet dog...wants to love and be loved in return so much. He just doesn't know how, and doesn't trust that he will be loved back. I'm pretty sure he's glad I'm home, and that he can stare at me for hours. LOL. I've already done the "morning lovies", and he seems to be quite content at the moment, no shaking, no nervous behavior...just laying there, kind of sleeping, head on a bunch of my laundry (left there while I was gone...it has my scent on it), and just kinda lookin' at me through heavy lids.

We are going to have one "adjustment" day, where he gets used to me being home, and then we are going to start working on grass, sun, potty, and whatever else we can think of. I'd so love for him to learn that treats taken from the hand are pleasurable, you know? Just would love it. I'm figuring so much has been put into his mouth that was not pleasant, that he just doesn't think it's a wise idea. Maybe, with time and repeated offerings, he'll learn that from some folks, treats are good.

I've got some housework to tend to today, so I'd better get going. Hope everyone has a great day with their fuzzballs! (And I want a Molly update, too!)

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[Rhyme & Reason]

Six or seven threads on a rescued beagle (with a rescued bull mastiff thrown in for good measure ) is heaven for me.

We all need the kindness of humanity these days... and I am so happy to find it here, admidst WS'ers. What better way to adjust the universe!

Here's another WS'er rescue Oriah, if you haven't seen this already! Awesome story & great job by Spurser for saving this dog!

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156858"]Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]


ETA: You've been to that thread Oriah, so for anyone else here who hasn't seen it, it's another great story..

 

[Herding Cats]

Guess who's on the sofa with me? Not a feline. Not a big black Newfie. Nope, just a very shy, scared, and surprised beagle. LOL.

I had to change his bedding again - he had spilled his water and it soaked everything on that side of things. So, I picked him up, and put him on the sofa about 10 minutes ago.

He's still here...and has stopped shaking. He was totally terrified at first, and doing the "don't hurt me" tail-wag and massive trembling. But now, he's laying out, head hanging off the side, watching Gracie (who joined him on the sofa for a while), and is no longer shaking.

I am going to try to make it a point to get him away from the hearth for periods of time during the day, because I don't want him to rely on that spot forever as a security zone. I think it may be time to start pushing the edges of the envelope just a bit at a time, and see if I can't help him break through. Besides, I'm going to want a fire in the fireplace again, and don't want to light one when he's there, so...well...time to start working on it.

Just thought I'd let you know he's on the sofa, and seeming to enjoy himself a bit...and this is nice.

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Herding Cats

 

[teedie2]

I'm so glad for you that Romeo is not one of those furbabies who pees when he gets nervous!

 

[Herding Cats]

I'm so glad for you that Romeo is not one of those furbabies who pees when he gets nervous!

Right? LOL. No, he likes to pee and poop when he's alone...privacy, if you please...

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[ScubaTwinn]

This is just awesome. It's apparent you know what you're doing and to hear how he's progressing (or holding back) is insight to a world I have never known. Thank you so much for sharing your life with us.

 

[Oriah]

Herding Cats,
Re: the taking treats from hands issue...
We had a rescue years ago who had been badly abused. He would take a kibble out of his dish one by one, and place them in the corner of the kitchen under a table (his safe spot.) Wouldn't take a treat OR food from our hands. We tried cheese, hamburger, you name it.
You know what worked?? Picking up his food, leaving a trail of it to him and then getting down and crawling toward him, eating the treats. (Yes, I know- gross, lol!) We would get up close to him and then make a big to-do about chewing, from hand to mouth etc- and while he did spit them out for a little while..after about a week he was taking treats, eating, swallowing, and enjoying.

Well it's worth a try anyway, lol!

 

[Herding Cats]

Oriah, can I cook the burger first? LOL...

I'm not shy about trying whatever it takes...not shy at all. It just has to be edible and not make me barf. That would kinda blow the purpose of the exercise, yanno? LOL.

He and Gracie had a great night. She is still so tired from her week at bestie's, so she wasn't playing (mis)guided missle, and just laid down on one side of me, put her head in my lap, and let Romi sniff her to his heart's content. He wags a lot when she's inside, the real wag, not the scared wag...he's happy to see her, and does enjoy spending time with her (as long as she's not trying to sit on his head...). Big change from the snapping/growling he had been doing; shows me he's getting comfy and somewhat sure of his space, at least. LOL.

We will start potty work today, in the side yard. And we will also do some backyard work with him too. It will be interesting to see how that goes...but it's definitely time to start the potty work. It would be so much easier if he took treats, but we'll still work on it for sure.

Scuba, I honestly don't know what I'm doing with dogs. Horses and cats, yes, but dogs? I'm flying by the seat of my pants, letting him do a lot of the directions and giving me all the clues...I just have to be aware of him and watch what he's doing and how he's reacting...and then take a wild guess as to what it means. LOL...lots of WAGs, you know?

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[Oriah]

Lol! Are you a vegetarian, Herding Cats?
Try M&M's or peanut butter. And you know what they really love? Itty bitty frozen buckeyes. Just no dark chocolate and easy on the amount.

Glad Romi is getting on well. Keep up the good work.

 

[Herding Cats]

Maybe some peanut butter...I'm so leary of chocolate, dark or otherwise. And what is a buckeye? I'm not sure he'd like frozen peas...

And NO to the vegetarian part...I'm Irish, live on meat and potatoes, and think that the best dinner in the world is a corned beef brisket with cabbage, onions, and potatoes!

I'll give it a try...we are going to go give the backyard a whirl, and see what's up with that. Right now, he's snoring happily on the hearth, but I'm gonna wake him and go play with Gracie...

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Herding Cats

 

[Herding Cats]

OH WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

I had to carry him outside, but once there, he went running around, tail up, nose down - beagling, in other words. Just trotting around, sniffing things, touching base with Gracie and me, and then tootling off to the next nose-catching place.

And, he found a spot to PEE!! And it was a good pee, too...not just a territory thing, but a real pee. And then he pee'd a second time, too. Gracie tried to play tag, and he declined, so I called her over, and she came barreling at me...and lo and behold, so did Romi.

Lots and lots of praise, petting, and coo-ing at him...I'm just thrilled. Just THRILLED!

Gracie and he are back inside; Gracie holding down the floor in the living room, and Romi exploring the den. I only carried him back inside, and put him down on the floor in there - he needs to learn how to walk here and there without me carrying him, you know? And he's busy exploring the den (and hanging out by the door...he may want to go outside again, which is very, very cool...).

I'm thrilled. Such a change from the trembling, stone standing boy that we had last time...I'm just so proud of him...he's coming along indeed!

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Herding Cats

 

[Penelope]

Oh Herding Cats-- I am so happy for you and Romi! Sounds like he is starting to come out of his shell and interact with the world. Please continue to keep us posted as this story counterbalances all of the negative stories we are faced with on a daily basis.

)

 

[ScubaTwinn]

HURRAY! And yes, I'm shouting!

 

[Herding Cats]

HURRAY! And yes, I'm shouting!

Me too, although not too loudly, because loud noises still startle him. I will admit to a face-splitting grin, and a tear in my eye...he really enjoyed his outside time today (and even ate a leaf. LOL), and I am beginning to hope he'll be able to be outside unsupervised with Gracie at some point in the next few weeks (or maybe even days...).

He's back on the hearth, snoring away. Seems the outting tuckered him. LOL. But it was soooooo great to see him just wagging his tail, happy to be out there, sniffing and peeing and just being a dog. How very, very cool.

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Herding Cats

 

[Rhyme & Reason]

HURRAY! And yes, I'm shouting!

Me too!!!!!

 

[Herding Cats]

Catching you all up...

Romi and I did another backyard great adventure yesterday evening, and he pee'd again. He also seemed to really enjoy the backyard, as long as Gracie was around. Again, I brought him over the threshold to the den, and then let him go. He seemed to be very unnerved about exploring more territory, and didn't come out of the den, even when dinner was served. So, I picked him up and put him in the living room, where the hearth is, and he settled down. But his tail didn't come down at all while outside, and he seemed to be excited and (dare I say it?) happy when he was cruising around with his bodyguard Gracie.

He bedded down on the hearth, and spent the night there...

This morning, he met me and Gracie from the bedroom about 1/2 way across the living room. He was excited to see us...wagging tail, expression of "oh HAI! Gud ta SEE YA!" There was a potty occurrence where it usually is, so, instead of cleaning it right up, I put the messed wee-wee pads and poop into a bag, and took the bag, Gracie, and Romi out to the backyard.

And OH was he happy to be outside this morning. Did the perimeter check, making sure everything was where he remembered it and the fence hadn't fallen overnight, and then just trotted around, tail up, nose down, tasting leaves and exploring.

I called them both to me, as I was going inside to get breakfast, and neither one seemed to want to come inside. Romi lifted a leg, Gracie stood guard, so I went in, and watched from the den. Romi was trotting, Gracie was watching, and so...Romi had his first "unsupervised" outside adventure.

When I did go back outside, lo and behold, Romi came right over, and not just that, but came over and went onto his hinds to paw my thigh for some petting. :woohoo::woohoo::woohoo: And I swear, he whined for some lovies. I'm not positive I heard it, but I am positive...if that makes sense. He did whine, he did. And that made it all the sweeter.

I got everyone breakfast, and they're done now. Romi is back inside, tucked up on his hearth; Gracie is outside, sprawled on the concrete (one of her favorite spots), the cats have been fed, and I'm drinking my coffee.

It is a good morning here at the "Crazy Animal House", as the pet sitter put it. It is, indeed, a good morning. Romi is making huge strides, just huge strides.

Just thought I'd share...

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Herding Cats

 

[Penelope]

Wow... just Wow! Thanks for sharing -- I am practically speechless with happiness!