Had a sleepless night. We had placed Lena int he kennel to be alone and feel safe (kennel is a fenced part of the garden, very cool, shade by Bugambilias, soil covered with carpet). She did not let me get any close to her. Around midnight she started howling like a lamenting wolf. I went down, sat under the kennel. She stopped. I went back to bed. She started again. Back and forth until 3 am. Then, the cry sound came from a different corner of the garden. I rushed downstairs and found her running around in the garden. My yard is fenced but if she managed to get out of the kennel she would also manage to get out of the yard. Going round and round the house... (not letting me go any close to her) until, she disappeared!!! Of course I worried a lot. Around 4 am I decided there was nothing I could do but wait for the morning light and then go out and post lost dog posters in the streets... As I get in the house I see Lena sitting in the entrance, howling at me... (my other dogs were all upstairs locked in my bedroom, the idea was to keep them separate until she settled in). I get in, i enjoy the feeling of relief!!! She did not run away! I go upstairs and try to get some sleep. Too hard... air-condition unit in my bedroom died last night. Woke up at 7, took my dogs one by one outside, then let them in. They are all fine with her. She is hiding in corners, howling a bit when I get too close to her. But now she lets me go as close as one meter, I even got to touch her nose. She is more relaxed, probably because of the presence of the other dogs. She even started making yawning and other sounds of comfort. What is VERY strange is how the other dogs behave as if nothing changed. When I bring in a new foster the biggest challenge is always how to gradually make them accept the other dog (Dana, my dane, is female and does not tolerate the presence of other females because she is also heart broken rescue dog and very insecure). Yet, this time this is not an issue. Rather, the issue is how to help her feel safe and trusty. And it seems that my pack of dogs are going to be the primary agents of progress!! ps-so, if you are wondering where is Lena now, she is home, trying to figure out where she is more comfortable, under the table or on the table.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 09:07:54 +0000
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