Remember this crazy Lab? Well, Emily, a blog reader, came down to TAS to walk and train her and ended up taking her home. A week later, she sent along this nice e-mail update on life with the Lab (now Livi):
I was thinking about you since I picked up "Someone ELSE'S perfect dog" last Thursday. Too funny! It still makes me laugh hysterically whenever I think about what you had named her...
Honestly, Fred, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to write your blog and then allowing us to take PSYCHO (LOL!) out for a walk that Saturday. I don't know what it was but I really took to her - I've always been drawn to the more difficult/less-than-desirable animals and teh ones in the really sad circumstances the most. I also appreciated your recommendation on the muzzle - she doesn't really need it anymore but it was invaluable for the first few days as she just didn't have a clue as to how to greet and interact with other dogs.
I have been walking the bejeezers out of her and it seems to be really helping her calm down. She now also plays non-stop with my Otis - I don't know how they don't drive me insane but I was trying to watch a movie last night and for FORTY minutes they hopped around playing, mouthing and climbing ALL over each other right in front of the telly. So I had my 90 pound dog and PSYCHO (who's probably around the same weight) bonking into me and the couch and I just had to, every so often, push them back with my heel - not that they even noticed! LOL...they had a great time and then finally sat down and panted for ages and were all smiles. Too cute. She also goes up to Otis when he's in his big bed and licks his head and in his ears (ewww - but don't worry, I clean his ears regularly when I bathe him) and he just bows his head, closes his eyes and laps up the attention.
I took them on a 3 hour walk yesterday throught the Moore Park Ravine and beyond and she did pretty well - learned how to better greet other dogs and even got to swim! She was on leash, of course, but just dove right in (don't worry, it was clear water and she didn't try to drink it at all). I'm going to pick up a super long, thick leash so she can go further next time and roam and explore more on our walks there. I always wished my Otis loved the water more as the family homestead is lakefront property and I always thought "huh, what a waste...so many dogs would kill for this!"
She's getting better with her leash training...slowly. Still highly excitable. I'll definitely send you pics, though, asap and make her famous on the internet!
Friday, November 28, 2008
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3 comments:
You are a better woman than me Em.... Or you are just plain crazy...which I think may be the case. In all seriousness, thank you for giving her a chance. I felt so badly for her when I saw her on Fred's blog. I never thought for a minute that when we went down there to see her, you would be back two days later to get her. You have a heart of gold and are one of the kindest and most compassionate and loving people that I have ever met. I am so happy to have met you. YOU ROCK GIRL!!!!!
AMAZING!!!!!!!! I too have a soft spot for the wild and "deemed crazy" dogs(I adopted a portuguese rabbit hunting dog myself, oh my). This yellow lab, as wild as she was, stole my heart. I found it amazing to watch her calm down in only 10 minutes into our walk.I knew that with a patient and VERY ACTIVE OWNER, this dog would be a prized pet. It looks it turned out just the way it should have for VIVI. Thank you Emily, you have done a wonderful thing in adopting this dog and giving her a home she deserves. I guarentee the changes you'll witness in her over the next 6 months will leave you amazed.
Susan
P.s I didn't get to watch tv for the first 3 months of adopting my dog as she was constantly making trouble, with obedience training she now sits and stays on her blanket when I command it...finally
More kudos from the custodian of 2 unadoptables. Yep, there are problems, and yep, my life is near constant vigilance and yep, muzzles are a must and, NO, they are not pit bulls.
But when they are frolicking at the lake or all over the furniture, big dog smiles on their faces and tongues lolling, I would not trade them for the best behaved dogs in the world.
Because these are MY dogs, and they ARE the best dogs in the world -- for each other, and for me. And if they had not adopted me, they would have for sure been euthanised.
Sure, it's a real pain sometimes, but they are alive and happy, and learning, very slowly, that maybe humans can be SELECTIVELY trusted after all.
And, given what they went through to get this far, that's a miracle in itself.
Who knows, maybe someday they will be
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