Monday, June 27, 2005
Tanya
I'm fostering a shelter dog this week. Tanya was returned to us about a month ago. The owners said they didn't have time for her anymore. You never know what that really means, but usually, it means that the family got bored with her and didn't want to deal with her anymore.Anyway, she didn't pass the 'stranger' part of her temperament test and did some "icky" yelping sounds when we handled her legs and paws. We weren't sure she was safe for adopters, so she was put on probation. This allows us to work with specific behaviors to help us better determine if she can be safely placed in a home.
Over a month later, her reaction to strangers is better and we determined that she has some hip dysplasia which is why it probably hurts her a little to have her legs moved around too much.
But just to be extra sure before we make any final decision about her one way or the other, I took her home. To try her out. To see what she would do in a home. To let her be normal again.
And as I type this, she is snoozing on the rug at my feet. Calm. At peace. Far, far away from the noise and stress of the shelter.
I hope she makes it. I really do.
