Dasher

It has been 5 months since we first met Dasher/Toby. He has been a joy and a challenge. He is full of energy and so much fun to watch on our walks. He does not walk, he trots, you are certain to get a workout keeping up. He has his usual stops along the way, greeting and getting attention from his favorite neighbors. His surgery went well and the recovery too. The incisions are barely noticeable. If only his hair would catch up now. We have a grooming appointment on Saturday to get a summer cut that should help. Some of the biggest challenges were the worry over the hernia and the recovery, the set-back in poddy training after the surgery and some temper tantrums. We are happy to report, we are back to being almost 100% on the housetraining, although the rainy, windy days can be a little more difficult, he still does not like the rain. We have had temperament challenges with Dasher too. I believe some of them may have come from his previous environment and a loss of patience with him for one reason or another, he had so many changes in where his home was and a loss of security. He was very particular about when and where he was touched. He was sometimes food and toy aggressive. He would growl & snap for no reason at all. There were times we wondered if he would ever settle in and feel safe & secure and at other times he seemed right at home. He slowly warmed up to his foster brother, Teddie. They would play tug with a toy or chase each other. They would nap near each other and eventually on the same bed. We have had success in so many things. While Dasher still has been a little work in progress, he has been a blessing for Teddie who was so lost after losing his buddy last July. His anxiety level was through the roof, and he could not sleep most nights, he would pace and roam the house as if he were looking for her. Dasher has resolved these things for Teddie. They share food and toys (most of the time) lol. They sleep together and play together. Teddie’s anxiety is gone. They even zoomie together when one of us comes in after being gone for a bit. He has become very comfortable in his environment. Dasher loves to explore in the yard and will even walk/run through grass, leaves & even puddles. He loves to give my husband kisses (must be the beard?) for no reason, I get them too. He growls a lot less often and it is now more of a grumble, the snappiness on occasion is half hearted and more of a little head jerk. He does not like you to touch him when he is sleeping and 9pm is his bedtime. He lets us know exactly when that is, I swear he can read the clock. So, of this and so much more, he has become our fur baby, part of our hearts, we cannot let him go and must make him our first foster fail.