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Great story and great ending. That's a lucky little dog and I'm sure he'll bond with you, given some time.
My sister in law has you beat for numbers though. She takes in older or younger (with behavioural problems) chi, chi/terrier, pomx breeds and she's up to 32. They all love her and hubby to death. They live in a very large, gorgeous house full of expensive articles and artwork. No thief in his right mind would even attempt to enter it, thus, no need for a security alarm system. Those pooches don't let anyone enter without a huge ruckus lol. Some of them are very friendly with strangers, others bite your ankles as you walk down the hallway. Ouch! lol
Moofie is settling in just fine. I am thinking his age was a guess. Except for slightly cloudy eyes, he doesn't appear to have any age-related issues- hears fine, runs around, gets up the few steps to the yard. He is eating a mash of soft kibble and chicken, perfectly housebroken. Today he started asking to go out and coming back in on his own without my needing to pull him in on the drag leash.
He enjoyed the fire I made in the woodstove. Doesn't appear so cold- maybe eating is getting his metabolism moving (wish my eating did the same for me!).
I talk to him all the time, using his name, so he'll get used to me. He's already calming down. It is really nice to look over at the crate and see his porcupine-like remaining fur sticking up from the blankets, or see the bright little eyes.
Thanks for the kind responses.
Thanks for asking
Moofie is doing great. There is a tiny amount of soft new hair on his bare butt. He is very bright-eyed. I let him into the big yard (I have a smallish graveled yard out the back door, and a gate to a fenced quarter-acre of grass). He took off and raced around the big yard and just kept racing. His head was high and his naked butt low and he looked... odd... but very pleased! He is very fast, even with his drag leash tripping him up sometimes. The others aren't noticing him, although old George stepped on him once.
He is eating fine and has picked out spots on one bed in the living room when out of crate and one spot in the yard for "business." Still snapping and squeaking at me if I put my hand towards him, although will eat chicken from hand.
I'm going to call the vet and take him in for a check. I want to put Frontline on him (got lazy and forgot the group last month and had to do a whole flea thing, as two got bites, of course, the two who sleep on my bed!) I thought Moofie might be too debilitated for Frontline, and anyway, I have to buy his size at the vet's, so want him checked out.
I don't know if he'll ever look like a dog and not a hedgehog to me, but I think he'll be around for a long time.
I don't have seven dogs. I have 6.25, in my book. He weighs about five pounds, and the next smallest dog is 40 pounds.
Again, thanks for asking.
I think Moof will have to be double his size to count as a quarter dog in this house!
I took him to the vet today. Had to wrap him in a blanket as he seems very cold, plus he does try to bite me as my hand approaches him, although he settles very nicely when being held. The vet said he was looking really good- his hindquarter infection is cleared, and he has no sign of flea trouble and got Frontline. Vet also said it would be OK to bathe/groom him, as his heart sounds fine, he's eating and pooping and drinking fine, and not vomiting or anything. He has three teeth- two on one side, one on the other. Apparently his teeth fell out over the years. He is supposedly 15 but is so alert and active! He was standing up in the front seat of the car to look out the window.
I stopped at the pet supply place to show the owner my new dog, and asked her if she had any T-shirts that simply read "Sucker" or "Pushover." She selected a fleece jacket for him, and it made all the difference- he stopped being cold, and I think might like the swaddled feeling (also hides his bare butt).
Stopped off at the groomer's (the one who called me to adopt him) and we sat on the floor and he just cuddled and climbed on my lap, in between trying to bite any hands that scared him.
Moofie had a great day. He is so happy with his fleece jacket, and I am so pleased that he is more comfortable (plus, I can pick him up and avoid his three teeth thanks to the jacket). He's conked out now from his active day.
He'll be getting full grooming in a couple of weeks. He smells skunky and has lots of mats on his front half where he still has fur (and the downy hind fur is growing quite fast). He's a healthy little old guy. I think he'll be around for a long time.
Well, other than the fact that you could end up with 3 little holes in your hand daily, it sounds like you're making headway with this old boy! Is there ever a time he doesn't want to bite your hands? I guess I mean, if you come at him from the front is he less startled than when you come over his back or something? Did your vet check his eyes? I was just thinking if he'd lost vision in one eye he might have a startle reflex as something came into his field of vision?
More than likely he was swatted a lot and became hand shy - hopefully with time he will learn there is nothing to fear, but if he's had 15 years of swatting it might take longer...but I'm glad to hear he's getting about and has a new jacket. My little dogs do so much better with a sweater in the winter - well, that and me constantly stoking the fireplace... :-)
He doesn't like hands at all around his head. He keeps getting out of his jacket, rather, his legs do, and then he's tripping on the jacket. To get it back on, I have to hold him and get his legs through the little front leg holes, and he squeaks and snaps at me. I think if I just wear gloves, it should be fine, because I hate to see him so cold (when I try to cover him with another blanket, he takes it as an attack).
Today he was galloping around the backyard, not just trotting fast, but galloping in his jacket and he looked so cute. Still doesn't look like a dog, but a porcupine or hedgehog or something.
My dog Benny apparently doesn't care for an unfixed male in the house, even if he is 15 and five pounds. Benny has made a point of sleeping on my bed, which he never does, peed on the bed once, and peed inTO Moofie's crate twice. I think the point has been made. Benny spent one night in the bathroom and now seems satisfied that he's been heard. The vet said that, even at 15, the others can smell testosterone and their nonsense might kick up.
I really enjoy making a fire in the woodstove and watching Moofie stare into it. There was a fireplace at his old house and he clearly likes the warmth. He curled up in the corner of his crate as close to the fire as he could (and his jacket is still on at the moment). The vet said he's strong enough to get a heartworm test and start Heartguard. I just didn't want to overload him after the stress he had, and the Frontline was really important. I never had a flea before- I guess it was the weather this year- a lot of people have had fleas for the first time- and I'm going to use the Frontline all winter long for any survivors. There's been a few frosts, so the comforter I left outside and rug should be OK (along with spraying).
It'll be nice if and when Moofie lets me handle him without all the drama, plus, the other dogs get revved up when he attacks me, so I have to put his jacket on when the others are out or I take Moofie out on the porch. It's getting a lot more complicated than "let dogs out/let dogs in," between Moof's jacket, Leah's blindness, and Artie seems to to losing his sight, too, and slowing down, very confused in the yard, but he really wants to go out there. I have to go fetch him when he finally plops down in the middle of the yard.
I think I could stand a younger dog or two, next time around.
Thanks to all for your comments.
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