the Importance of Fostering-A Dog like Meg

I recently got an email with photos from one of our adopters on one of our more difficult cases...her name was Meg. I decided to get out her file and go over her notes, on just how bad she was in the beginning. Not bad I should say, but what a challenge she was, and how I fumbled through different ways of handling her to counter these challenges.

The first weeks entries were eye opening. I had forgotten all of Meg's quirks, and my own dismay over her personality. She was a huge girl, around 28" at the shoulders. She had obviously been a kennel dog all her life with little socialization with humans or other dogs.

Meg was dumped into a shelter with what we believe to have been her breeding partner. When another rescue contacted us, it was decided they would take the male and I would take the female. We enlisted help from those wonderful transport people, mostly former adopters of ours to help bring her from the Texas panhandle to Oklahoma City where my son and I would meet them from Kansas City.

When we picked up Meg, she was incredibly thin....shaking, and belly crawling. Rescuers were shocked as we were. Considering she had some huge ticks on her, my first thought was tick borne disease. When we got her to our vet here that was ruled out. It was the extreme lack of socialization and realization she was just a breeder...a money maker. Meg had never had any affection, and we learned early on that a nod when she did something good was enough. When I started to work with Meg, it was a day by day slow progression. I really had to work hard on my frustration level, breathe, meditate...seriously before working with her.

I was so wrong when I thought she was "dumb as rocks"...as later when I observed her opening crate door latches with ease. I thought, "okay girl, if my eyes did not deceive me which I KNOW they didn't, you are capable of so much more than I am getting from you." What could I do to reach this dog that when even patted would maul you with unwanted attention, or ambush me from behind while I sat on my computer wrapping her legs around my neck and licking my head? Oh that used to frustrate me, now it is quite funny to think of it.

I see from the progression of my notes, the big changes came two months into her stay with us. As we are somewhat lucky, being our breed is not overly common we have the capability of taking in a few at a time and doing actual rehab. We are not about numbers, but about working with our dogs to provide our adopters with a pet with some manners, and no surprises. My big requirement is a loose leash walk, some idea of recall, sit and wait.

I have a special son, actually three special sons...but one that does good work with the dogs. He has grown up observing rescue dogs, he reads them, handles them well and the dogs respect him. He was the one person Meg did not pull any punches with. He was much larger than her, and one of our first orders of business was to master the walk with Meg. I will never forget when we "saddled" up the dogs for their pack walk I of course, being the experienced handler wanted Meg. That lasted about one block, when I told Matt..."Hey, you're going to have to trade me the three pups for this one!" Meg was bucking like a horse, and I could feel my back and shoulders taking hits already.

What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. Matt made her go into a sit,(one command I was able to teach her), leaned over her and spoke to her. He pulled the leash short, and Meg was no longer bucking. She fell into a heel, and walked beside him or slightly behind. He said he had laid out the rules, pulled up his energy from the gut and Meg had understood. Meg soon realized the leash was good, sitting calmly was required for the leash to be attached, and waiting at the door required. I remember as time went on how I used to take her alone in the evening, and how wonderful it was to be one with the dog....a team, and the joy of realizing this girl was going to progress into a lovely adoptable pet! Matt was featured in Cesar Millan's Newsletter with Meg last March, as special kids seem to have an intuitive communication with the dogs.


Meg started then to mingle with our other dogs, and she did very well. She started Daycare in the country two times a week, mostly hunting breeds and geared towards their needs. She was changing, before my eyes. We labeled her the Queen Diva Bigness, as she conveyed the Diva attitude in her body language, almost as though she thought she was royalty.



We came to adore Meg as she was with us six months, and so ingrained into our day to day lives. A dog that required so much had not disappointed us, a young man with little confidence other than his handling skills with the rescue dogs felt proud of his hand in making her what she was now. She was finally ready to move into a home.
And that home did come. Meg went to live with the most special couple, one that marveled at her leash skills, obedience, and manners.

As we stay in touch with our adopters and love to hear updates and receive photos, one such email this week announcing Meg had a new sister from Lab rescue prompted this post. As this most unlikely pair sit for a treat, and are the couch Divas together, can we celebrate the rescue, rehab, re-home and rejoice of these tremendous animals. As they teach us so much, and allow us to never give up....to keep trying.






Below We have a photo of our new Queen Diva Bigness....her name is Emma, and the saga continues!
"Oh Matt???"