Monday, June 4, 2012

Alex: Before

So today is the day. Today I'm taking on my largest challenge as a dog advocate.  Today I'm opening up my heart and home to a 1 1/2 year old Boxer/Terrier mix in hopes of saving his life.  Meet Alex.

Alex was left at the humane society by someone who stuffed him into a carrier and placed the leftover bag of food on top.  A volunteer found him the next morning upon opening.  They had to cut the crate to get him out.  As you can see in the picture the carrier was far to small for the puppy of just a few months.

From what I have been told Alex was adopted out for 8 months but then returned due to anxiety. He's been back for 4 months and is not adjusting.  

During this last 4 months Alex has been back at the humane society I have been going at full speed with wanting to learn and do as much as I can for dogs.  I noticed that a dog trainer had opened up a dog sitting/training business in our business complex at work.  I immediately went to the interwebs to see what I could dig up.  I found their website and facebook page and immediately sent the owner a note saying that I have begun to foster dogs and was looking to better myself in the area of training in hopes to help my fosters become more adoptable.  I also side noted that I had Sadie and she needed some help in her greeting of new dogs and also with greeting customers that come to our showroom.  She replied saying I should come over to her place with Sadie and let her do an evaluation and talk about what could be done.

During our meeting she mentioned to me about Alex and how the humane society was desperately seeking a foster home for him because they had come to terms that the life he was living at the humane society was not humane for him.  He was miserable.  Talks of euthanizing had begun.  The trainer agreed to help me with training both Sadie and Alex if I would foster.  I voiced my concern that Sadie was not friendly with new dogs and I wouldn't be able to help if Alex and Sadie didn't get along.  She agreed to facilitate the meeting of those two to see how it would work.  Needless to say, it went perfectly.  So perfectly that today I'm a nervous wreck in thinking it's not going to go as perfect as the first time. Today is that day we find out.  Today is the day I find out if Alex can live a normal dog life.  Today is hopefully the beginning.  

I've made it sound like I haven't even met Alex except when he met Sadie but that isn't the case.  On my Saturdays at the humane society I've walked him a handful of times and then the past two weekends I've spent time with him at the shelter with him just loving on him while in his kennel.  I wanted him to get used to my smell, my presence and just me.  My favorite Saturday with him was the first time I walked him.  I wanted to get my phone out of my car so I could take pictures of him but he decided he wanted in.  So we chilled out in my car for awhile.  He took to sniffing every square inch.  Afterwards I took him over to the water bowl where he promptly began digging the water out of the bowl splashing everything near him!  

He's a fun dog and I hope this all works out for everyone!!