Port Hope, Ontario We are still looking for the perfect home for Indi and Sanford - here is an update from their foster dad - Bob Interim Fosters Notes (2 months of care as of July 6, 2014) Sanford and Indie came almost totally traumatized. They had lost their person, to whom they were devoted and experienced an ill-fated air cargo transfer… round trip across almost half a continent in less than 3 days… and were living with a grieving daughter who was at the same time caring for a new born child as well as her own household with another child, pets and husband. Sanford is 8 and Indie just had her 9th birthday. Both are in good health and very active. Indie has had a history of allergies which seem to have been related to her eyes. She has not had any symptoms throughout her stay but has been give 12mg of Benadryl daily for preventive measures. Not having known the dogs before their arrival, I can only go by what I experience/observe on a daily basis here. Since I live alone, I have had a lot of time to spend with them and observe their behavior and of course benefit from the affection they continually give. Sanford (the male blonde) Sanford is still a bit shy but with each day becomes more sure of himself. There does not seem to be a person or dog that the does not want to meet. He is very undemanding but has started to seek affection and gives great cuddles … he is obedient but I suspect that he was never properly leash trained and must be kept in a fenced area since he will wander. He was Indies companion and allowed her to dominate him ...sometimes to the extreme. In this environment where that has not been tolerated, he has become much more confident and while he is aware of Indies presence, does not report to her anymore. Sanford in a nutshell, is that calm loving companion who loves his car rides, sleeps on his side of the bed and is always up for a pet or scuffles to his belly. Indie ( the female black) Indie was obviously the original owners favorite. Small, at 17 pounds, she is the a devoted, loving and constant presence. She is (once bonded and secure) a companion that only seeks to please… while at the same time she is high energy, extremely smart and wakes up in the morning ready for a new day with a great sense of joy. Indie may be the smartest dog with the largest vocabulary of any I have worked with. A mirror of Sanford, Indie does not welcome strangers (human or animal) and displays an insecurity which we have been working on. I have been using a soft muzzle (for safe measure) for times when new people have come to the house--which she accepts and seems to be comfortable with. Once she learns that she can trust someone, there does not seem to be a problem… in fact she seems more relaxed and confident. What Indie offers is LOVE with capital letters intended. Her attention is to her person. Now that she understands that sharing is the guiding principle of this environment, she no longer tries to prevent Sanford from getting first place on the couch or other things such as toys etc. In fact, she seems to be more comfortable with the balanced relationship… seeing him as a pal rather than a servant. In a strange way, he almost seems like he is her big brother now. The Odd Couple In some ways, the time here has been couples therapy. Both of the dogs have seemed to welcome the elimination of dominance in favor or a more easy going roommate relationship. Both have very different needs and it is easy to meet them just by treating them with respect and affection… while maintaining a firm set of rules that they both must adhere to. They had been litter box trained. While this seems to be a nice convenience, often Sanford would have problems and wet himself. I believe that this contributed to self-esteem issues… all I can observe is that he has fallen in love with every vertical object in the yard and will ask to go out. I have put down pee-pads, which have been seldom used even when I have been away for up to 6 hours… Indie has developed much better bladder control and seems to prefer the outdoors. I have the feeling that Indie would have more difficulty being left alone than Sanford would. Indie is only interested in her person and Sanford is her baby-sitter. Sanford is a bit more comfortable with being alone and his easy going temperament is part of that. Conclusion The perfect forever home would be one where there is a certain amount of calm, a fenced yard and a mature gentle but firm approach to the dogs--not playing favorites. In time, they will both give back affection and respect because both of them seem to respond positively to disciple --where the lines are drawn. They are very loving and wonderful TTs!
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 02:17:55 +0000
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