CAUTIOUS 11/12/03
#237
Pictures
Cautious' Foster Journey - Rainbow Bridge 12/1/03
Pertinent Information
3 1/2 yr old Flashy Fawn Male
Shelter Surrender
Cropped Ears & Docked Tail
Neutered and UTD
Being Fostered Near Albany, NY
Adoption Donation $250 + $20 for Microchipping
12/1/03 - I wanted to let everyone know that we sent our sweet boy Cautious to the bridge tonight. Cautious was just fantastic with our immediate family - Mike and I and the kids but was becoming increasingly aggressive with anyone who came to the house. About a week ago he nipped my brother in law and it got to the point where he needed to be crated and shut off in a room before we could let anyone in. The directors decided, with our agreement, that he would not be safe to
place with anyone so tonight I took him to Dr. Cherry and stayed wit him while he went to wait at the bridge with our Morgan.This has got to be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I appreciate Tina's support through it and the other directors too for letting me give Cautious a second chance. He was so sweet with us it makes me wonder who taught him he had to be like that and why? Sometimes I just don't get people. Kati
11/18/03 - We're a little slow with
our updates on Cautious but what a swell guy he is. He went for a walk
with Satchel and I last night and he really seemed to enjoy it. I'm not
sure how much experience Cautious has being out on a leash, he does pull
some but he's all over the place! And he has no clue about cars (but then
again, do any of them?) I had to be very careful to be sure I had control
if a car was coming, he would've walked right out in front of one, no
doubt in my mind.
Cautious is eating like a horse too - almost 8 cups of food a day to gain
the weight he needs to be healthy. His hip bones are disappearing and I'm
pretty sure that soon we won't be able to see his ribs either. And, his
kennel cough is starting to clear up - he still wheezes but the mucous (ewww)
he was coughing up and sneezing seems to be gone.
Cautious gets along just fine with our two dogs and our kids - and he
looooovvesss soccer balls, we've already lost one to him (much to my sons
dismay) and so we're letting him have that one and guarding the rest. He's
a little pushy if you are sitting on the floor, tries to stand over you or
climb up on you so we're working on that too. We're also making sure Mr
Cautious works for all his goodies, including petting. He sure learned to
sit much more quickly once he realized that he didn't get anything unless
he did.
I'm making his appointment with the veterinarian today for his heartworm
test and then he'll be all set to go to his new home. We're so excited for
him - he's such a great guy I'm sure there's a wonderful family out there
waiting just for him!
11/13/03 - Cautious came to us from one of our favorite NY shelters and I can't, for the life of me, figure out why? He's been just the best boy since he got here - he spent last night in his crate and the only noise was when I went to bed. He could see me get into bed and cried, I think he'd really like to curl up on the bed too. He checked out the house this morning with no attempts to mark and he met the current residents with no issues at all. Cautious is a tall, skinny boy and will be much heavier when he fills out but he's a velcro dog already. Wherever I go, he wants to be. We had some warning that he was a "door dasher" and that seems true - he tried to make a break for it when I went out for the paper. And he definitely pulls on a leash but we'll work on those issues, they're so minor in the grand scheme of things. He's got a nasty case of kennel cough but once he's over that he is going to make someone the best companion! Make a note to yourself, this guy is really a winner.
11/12/03 - Mr. Cautious is here with us - he rode very nicely in the car once he settled down and is in his crate taking in the sights. He is pretty much uninterested in our dogs watching him through the baby gate and whines very quietly when he's left alone. He's a handsome, somewhat skinny flashy fawn boy.