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As the old joke goes, why do I have seven dogs? Because I can't have eight.
Six has been my max for a long time. I adopt seniors, so they are lower-needs, etc. and have a big fencec private yard. I work third shift, and am home almost all the rest of the time, so this works pretty well.
My groomer called me the other day and asked IF I could... story is, a dear friend of hers had promised a woman on her deathbed that she'd watch over the family. Family now being two young women (20s) and a man living alone, I think maybe drinking, with a Pomeranian. Younger daughter loves the Pom. Father is suddenly found with multiple cancers and goes into hospital, not likely to come out. Pom is 15, not eating, matted, filthy. (I imagine there's some dysfunction involved here- the daughter lives two streets away, but said "I don't get over there much.")
Older daughter wants to put the Pom down, younger daughter is heartbroken, for herself and her father. Groomer evaluates the Pom. Younger d. takes him (Moofie) to our mutual vet, who shaves his back end, gives him antibiotics for infection, and notices that he comes alive- running around, barking.
Of course, the call is to ask if I can take Moofie. Younger daughter's puggle attacks him, groomer is trying to rehome a couple of her dogs as she has too many for current health and money (and she actually rehomed a 180-pound mastiff to a perfect home!) I offered to trade for one of her bassets if she'd take Moofie, but she says the basset seems unwell. Or something.
Anyway, I have Moofie. He doesn't even weigh ten pounds, and my other dogs are 35-60. He tried to bite me if I try to touch him, but will let me pick him up if I put a towel around him and then he's calm. The other dogs weren't very interested in him (he's not fixed either- not sure if he ever saw a vet!). I put a drag leash on him. I can't keep up with him- he's extremely fast!
I decided to keep him in a big crate. He'd been incontinent in his home, but I think the sick man wasn't letting him into the yard or anything, since he's been going out into the yard just fine. He also ate a bit- I soaked kibble in water (don't know about his teeth) and mashed it with chicken, and he's eating. He is investigating his area very intensely, and stopped sniffing up the other dogs. He seems cold- being a little guy with a bare second half. I put puffy blankets in the crate, but he doesn't seem to get "burrowing," so had to pitch another cover over his biting efforts. It was a great relief to see him peering up from his covers, not shivering, the food dish empty and his bright eyes looking eager.
I am only going to let him loose around the living room when I'm home, just in case he bothers another dog. Only Dodger seems to notice him, and that's a protective thing "Don't snarl at my person, don't go in my bedroom." He is amazingly spry- really running fast around the room. (My house is one large room with a bathroom/bedroom to the side that I can close off).
So, I have my first toy dog. I guess #7 doesn't count if he weighs like eight pounds! Oh, I called the woman who "watches over the family" to tell her how well he's doing, and she told me his person died last night. I told her, "job well done" in watching the family. I know it's a relief to her and the daughter that Moofie wasn't put down, plus, so far, it appears he has a lot of life in him, which wasn't apparent when he wasn't eating, and was dragging filthy matts around. I am glad his person went quickly- I've seen cancer deaths in both ways and my only wish is that I could have taken Moofie to visit the man before he died, which I think would have meant a lot to him and his daughter.
So, that's the long of it. At first I feared I'll never bond with this bizarre little scrap with the bony little bare butt, but I worry about that with every new dog. I think he'll be a fine lap dog as soon as he settles in. Thanks for listening. And if your groomer calls you up and says nicely, "IF you could..." tell her there's static on the phone! Well, I did use my new leverage to squeeze in a bath for George when she grooms Benny on Friday.
You are so much like my friend Joanne who takes in elderly dogs and dogs with cancer to offer them hospice. I admire you both as it is not easy. I keep thinking of taking one the seniors from amazing aussies but I think Chaos is still too much of a puppy and would drive an old dog crazy so maybe once she is more mature...
Hope the litte guy settles down for you . It does sound like he was living in a stressful place. My parent's dogs were very stressed when my mom got cancer and then when she died as they know when things are not right with their people. good luck!
Well, once I pick him up (with a towel or something around him) he's fine being held. Just seems to be something about the hand approaching him.
He's running around the living room now. The others really are indifferent to him. George looked at him like, "What in the world IS that?!" He's not fixed, but I'm going to wait to see if that creates any issues with the others. After all, he's 15...l
I love you. And Moofie loves you. You are my hero. And Moofie's hero.
Oh yes...what DandJ said. Aren't the seniors just the best? Moofie is one lucky dog and like most seniors, I'm sure he's happy being in a safe, warm place where he can count on being fed and loved.
October 17 (last month) my latest foster has now been with me a year. I've never had a foster this long. Sammy is nine years old and while the cutest little guy, you know everyone wants a puppy. They don't know what they're missing. By the way, Sammy is dog #5...I have four of my own.
So, we officially adopted him and now my fostering days are over. I'm kind of sad about that but I've been doing it for years and years. That doesn't mean I can't do an overnight here and there but I am in no way trying to catch up with you! LOL See how happy he is now that he's officially in his forever home? LOL
Thanks for taking him in and being a safe, soft place for him to live out the rest of his days. Seniors are just so grateful for that. I'm betting he'll stop trying to bite you. How about a picture of him?
Didn't mean to hijack your thread...it gave me a warm feeling and a couple of laughs. I love your way with words. LOL
Bright, I really think once you get to about 5 you just don't get wonky over "just one more". I've had to draw a hard line at 7, though - a really hard line. At one time we had 10 but lost several seniors in a row who were here to live out their final days. I will say 10 is more work than 7. But even with 7, if I take even 1 to the groomer I notice the hole in the pack and everything seems off balance until they are back home.
My guys are getting older, but I have young ones too. And I'm getting older. I've always done well with seniors and sort of like the golden years and the hospice type situation. I'll always have dogs, but I think as I age I will move into the senior realm with the type dogs I have and we will all be able to creak around together. Actually, seniors are my very favorite...there's just something about seeing an old dog well fed, warm, sheltered, and content that makes you know you're doing a good thing.
Poor Moofie - I suspect he just hasn't had much attention and is scared out of his mind. You will do fine. Moofie may never allow you to become his new best friend, but even with the more aloof ones we always bond with them somewhere in our head or heart. Keep us in the loop on how he's adjusting!
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