If you rush too quickly with a foster, it upsets the serenity of the pack... If you move too slow, it gives the foster the only spot of 'bottom of the pack'... Unfortunately, each foster is different and there is no hard and fast rule for this... Simba has stopped attempting to bite everyone else but he still has these periods of "I'm anxious and the only way I know how to deal with this is to bark and mini-bite"... (Note to self: I gotta go get that mouth looked at and cleaned... what I can see, I'm not happy with)...
Last night he attempted to come up onto the couch with everyone else, but just could not settle in without getting anxious - although he did let Paul pet him during that period... Finally he settled on the comfort pillows on the floor across from us in front of the aquariums... And after a few looks around, settled in for the nap while we watched "American Idol" (2 hour show last night... one of the few TV shows I like to watch each season as a family with everyone else)... And that's OK too... He's progressing at the pace he feels comfortable in...
However, we still practiced 'pick up, pet and cuddle, then sit down' at potty break time (the doggie door is still too much for him to learn)... I haven't tried a hand-off to either Des or Paul yet, but we'll get there eventually... During one of these practice holds, he leaned into my neck and I got my first 'Simba kiss'... Oh my!... Tentative, but sweet, it was a major leap of faith for him and tickled me to no end!
Once the show was over with, I did my usual "let's go to bed" command and everyone 'assumed their places' rapidly... Jack knows he sleeps in the crate at night, Peanut stands at the hallway waiting for the walk to the bedroom, etc... Simba headed to his doggie bed in the Xpen and I took a leap of faith, based upon that doggie kiss... I decided to try to let him sleep with the Chis in our bedroom, but not in the crate I had planned to try... The worst could happen is that I'd have to get up and bring him back out, ya know?...
He quickly found his new spot, but then opted for the pillows on the headboard as they have fluffier and thicker blankees there... Settled in immediately and went to sleep... Not a peep all night... When I got up at 2:30AM this morning, I had to lift him down from the bed as we did the potty-potty run (he still hasn't figured out how to go back down the doggie steps)...
Right now he's sleeping with the 'big dogs' on the futon here in the living room... (smile)... Simba's learned our routine around here pretty fast!
