My little secret for hard-to-get rescues
You probably know by now that I have a special spot for weirdos. I’ve had quite a wide range of dogs in my life so far, from senile seniors to disabled and incontinent ones, very sick dogs or seriously deranged. We did have “normal” dogs, but they were by far not the majority! For some reason, I was always drawn to the most shy, insecure, unbalanced dogs, those who required a special touch to come out of their shell.
Elliott, our very first rescue, devoured with red mange.
Mamie Nova, our first super senior.
Gutz, our first backyard breeder rescue, neglected and shut down.
Many had one thing in common: trauma. Some more embedded than others, some overcoming their fears easier than others. Our first rescues had mainly health issues, like Elliott who was devoured with Demodectic mange, Mamie Nova, our first super senior with kidney failure, hypothyroidism and senility in the end, or Gutz, our backyard breeder rescue, who was physically damaged and emotionally shut down, but perked up rather quickly. It was only when Maggie arrived that the rehabilitation work took another dimension. She had been found in the streets (there was no way she had tried to escape, she had been dropped like a piece of garbage), shamefully abandoned after having served enough for breeding. Not only was she neglected physically, but it was clear she had been strongly abused. She was terrified of humans and would cower when a hand approached. It was heartbreaking. I remember having watery eyes when I first saw her. But I was determined to show her life and human beings could be good.
Maggie on her ride from the shelter, terrified of humans.
Trying to avoid us at all costs.
A short few weeks later, happy and longing for our attention.
Barking at breakfast time! And always smiling.
Bonnie when rescued, needing intense shaving due to a horribly matted fur.
Better not mess with her!
Much more friendly once she recovered and let her guard down.
Of course our own crew was super helpful. They were kind and welcoming, she felt there was no threat, not even from us. She saw them longing for our attention and that tickled her, especially since the interaction was so positive. She slowly started to trust us and I have to say, didn’t take too long to come around. I think after two weeks, she started showing her true personality, playing and bouncing, wiggling her big butt, pushing our hand with her big truffle for pets, barking for food and laying on our leg for a nap, soaking our pants with her long hanging tongue. Same later with Schnouf, a one-eyed Shih-tzu found in the streets, who was said to be a runaway once we found her previous owners. Well, she never tried to flee our home! She had been shell-shocked from her time as a stray, fending for herself, so she was a little on edge and distant at first, but she found peace and enjoyed her life within our pack.
I first thought it was just our unconditional love and the peaceful environment, together with good care, that fixed them. I didn’t realize there were things I did naturally for them that was the key for succesfully turning them around.
Cookie, our first puppy mill rescue, severely traumatized.
I was the only one able to touch him, still today.
And this bond is priceless!
Even if he can still be insecure at times and depends on me a lot.
He is one happy boy!
Who finally enjoys life.
It’s only when Cookie, our first puppy mill rescue arrived, that it struck me. Nobody could touch him, he would growl or bite if anyone came close. Since his rescue by another organization, he was living in a bedroom, hiding under the bed, without any possible interaction. A pet behaviorist even advised euthanasia, saying he would probably never overcome his trauma and prescribed drugs to knock him out so that they could at least bring him to the vet. Luckily, I was in touch and agreed to give him a chance. When the president of the organization brought him, I saw indeed a little guy with so much fear in his eyes. I made contact and while she was warning me he would bite, I approached my hand and oh surprise, he just sniffed! She was stunned and later said that he just didn’t like her, a little pissed I guess... Long story short, I handled him from the get-go and only got bitten once, when I had not been patient enough. Today, I am still the only one who can touch him (ok, he will allow a short pet from my hubby if I’m around, but try to bite if it lasts too long!) and he is my heart dog, our bond is magical. He did overcome many of his fears, and even if he remains insecure and needs my help to cope outdoors especially, he lives a “normal” life. I mean, normal to my standards. But why did he decide to trust me when others had failed to bond with him?
I must admit, I kind of felt I was special. Maybe my aura was so extraordinary that the most damaged souls found the fitting relief in me?! I mean, it’s nice to think you are amazing, right?! But then, when others came, all from different backgrounds, some also as unstable, feisty or cranky, and each again blossomed in our home, I decided to uncover this mysterious phenomenon. And it suddenly struck me! So you wanna know my uncanny recipe? Keep on reading then!
Everybody stays in the same spot.
Which brings the pack together.
And gives reassurance to the most sensitive ones.
Even the less social ones are included.
And all wait at the door to get their paws cleaned, even when it rains (just getting more side eyes)…
Although I didn’t do it on purpose, I suddenly realized my behavior was actually mimicking a mother’s with her puppies. Maybe I was a dog in a previous life, who knows… Of course they knew I was not a dog and I know that too, duh, but my profound love for them probably made me a different human in their eye. Although I would let them get their bearings and give them the space they needed to get used to us, I would never let them hide in a corner or being away from the pack. And since the pack was always around me, they had no choice but to put up with my presence! Whether they liked it or not, I would go get them and place them back in the middle of the crib! Little by little, the most fearful found it reassuring to be surrounded with love and the least friendly ones thought it was not so bad, they just had to find a single bed ;). Each time we came back from outdoors, I would gently wipe their eyes (remove the boogers), paws (much more hygienic, they had full freedom in the house) and tushies (in that order!), just like a female would clean her litter (I was using baby wipes, not my tongue, thank you very much!). I was always talking to them, letting them know what was coming next (walk, dinner time, caring routine, etc.), making them learn the basics, even tricks for the ones willing to, making positive interactions, but also not allowing any misbehavior and redirecting their focus. I would groom and bathe them, which was sometimes quite a feat, but each time, it was a breakthrough, they had overcome a new “obstacle” and it gave them confidence. I was loving and caring, showering them with kisses (which most seemed to enjoy), playing silly for their entertainment at times (which really aroused their curiosity), but also showing them how to appropriately interact in this world, not overprotecting them and feeling sorry for what they’d been through, increasing their insecurities, but focusing on their future. I was a true mother, balancing love, nurturing and rigor when needed.
Gus, feisty and ready to bite anytime at first.
But soon becoming a little angel.
Using his teeth for a better purpose!
It was not always welcomed at first. Some tried to bite to show me they didn’t appreciate my techinque at all (some got me bad), others were so scared of that overwhelming handling that they peed or pooped on me. Others also barked, cried or tried any other daunting subterfuge to stop me in my tracks. Unfortunately for them, I was headstrong enough not to let them down. In the end, they all realized how much my little tricks were helping them be happier, more serene and balanced. It was their therapy.
I always trusted my instincts and so far, it’s always paid off. Even at the time with Cookie, I didn’t follow the behaviorist’s advice to give him sedatives, but instead used aromatherapy to soothe him and counted on my magic touch to get his trust and love. And it worked! Same with Gus, the feisty little Chihuahua who terrified several humans and digged holes in many fingers. People thought he was aggressive, when in fact, he was deeply insecure and without the right approach to help him, he got very frustrated. Most backed down when he showed his fangs. I was never scared of what these troubled dogs might do to me and that threw off the most dangerous little monsters. That’s what Gus and many others needed to sart a change. Handling him at first was hectic to say the least, he cried and bit a lot, but then realized he had no choice and ended up surrendering to a better behavior, which actually brought him good things! He became the sweetest little angel, licking my nose and begging for attention. Of course, spaying & neutering also played a huge part in the rehabilitation, removing the negative effect hormones can have on their already uneasy minds.
Bernie in the middle, liking his pack’s company but still not too sure about the human members…
Enduring his daddy’s rubbing of ears (might not look like it, but he enjoys it)!
Now much more confident in the busy streets of NYC.
And being an involved member of this festive crew!
Recently still, I had another proof of the worthiness of my innate knacks. Bernie had been fostered by a young couple and they were struggling. He was unable to walk in the streets, let alone being handled by them without any fear, peed and pooped anywhere inside, in short, the puppy mill trauma in all its glory. He was almost nine years old, so the wounds were quite embedded. I helped them and again, after a short time fostering him, I could already see improvements, although it took him almost a year to be where he is now. He still doesn’t fully trust people, but is comfortable enough to be more relaxed and even cuddle. They first expressed the desire to adopt him, but even if they acknowledged the progress, they realized his trauma was probably more than they could handle. When I gave them some guidance, I could see they were astonished, there were things they had never thought about. I knew these unbalanced doggies very well and what to do to help them overcome their behavioral issues. Again, my motherly canine-like approach made the most deranged come around! Even he is quite the weirdo and still has schizo moments with unfathomable reactions, he now strutts his struff in the busy streets of New York City, plays with toys, comes to us when called in the most awkward kangaroo moves (two times out of three, he suddenly switches and flees the other way, told you, schizo episodes), lies on his daddy (that he adores!) while watching tv, wakes me up with his paw on my face (not the most gentle dog, but that’s ok), in short, he is a totally different dog! And that indeed makes me feel like I’m special, at least a tiny bit :)!