Another outing...

Simba went with me yesterday afternoon to get a mailbox set up... I've been taking him with me consistently, testing him in all kinds of new situations to see how he'll react and handle any fears or issues that come up... While he did bark at two little girls who came by, his confidence levels and self esteem have done a radical change since the beginning of this process... He'll allow strangers to pet him and while I'd like to see him continue to hold his head up and not sink in, it's all a matter of time...

He really loves sitting in my lap and looking out the window as I drive... He's not yappy or antzy in regards to going bye-bye, but I think he actually looks forward to it... For sure, as soon as that lead goes on, he's a new dog all together!

Another thing I have noticed is that the extreme level of his humping has diminished... The more secure he gets in his own little world, the more it seems he doesn't have the need to do this or to tear up and destroy stuffed animal toys... Pet Palace has a good article on humping in case anyone is interested... Dogs do it for a variety of reasons, not just sexual ones...

When I catch him in the act of tearing up a stuffed toy, I reprimand him with the 'no, Simba!' and then I pick up what remains and go on about my business... I understand the drive and psycho-ness of this behavior, but I don't want to do much more than ignore the bad behaviors and reward the good ones... Isolated dogs or dogs not socialized properly tend to 'act out' like this (for lack of a better term)... The natural prey drive all dogs have seems to be carried to the extreme - they caught it, they're going to destroy it, etc... If Simba destroys one or two stuffed toys a week now, it's unusual... Originally he was destroying several every day...

Another thing he's now doing is coming for TLC and affection... He comes to me and wants to be petted and cuddled... I'm an avid Cesar fan and firmly believe in the 'rules, boundaries, discipline and then affection' mantra... Maybe I go overboard and hand out too many kisses and cuddles, but I need them just as much as my dogs do... LOL... I can't sit down without having a few in my lap and as many hands as I have, that's how many are getting pats and pets or rubdowns... Then I switch over to someone else... I go to sleep every time doing the same thing... I think they enjoy the soothing as much as I do, and as long as they're not complaining, neither will I!

Ut oh... shots time...

Yesterday my husband and I took Simba and BeeGee into the shots clinic... BeeGee needed her rabies shots upped for another three years and I had no history on Simba (I did ask for it though)... While I'm a supporter of ALWAYS keeping shots up to date, I'm not so sure if I'm 100% behind the current protocols of the lifetime duration of rabies vaccinations, but maybe one day soon the Rabies Project will publish their findings and all of our animals will stop being over-vaccinated...

Regardless, I put a crate in the back seat of the car (just in case) but intended on taking Simba out in public on lead for this event... He handled the car ride without any anxiety and I think actually enjoyed looking out the window as we rode along... He sorta/kinda has a kinship for BeeGee, although she won't give him the time of day!... LOL...

Once at the store, we got in line and although he stood on my knee once, he wasn't anxious or scared... A Miniature Schnauzer got in line behind us and she was on overdrive - not happy at all about being in the store (?) or what was going on... Simba retained his cool and even my husband commented about how well he was taking all of this in...

We were probably in line for 20 minutes from arrival until we made it up to the table... And the entire time he was down on the floor... He was interested in what was going on, not put off by people arriving or the various amount of dog smells, etc... He stayed between my husband and I, and I could tell he was confident about his position, safety and role there... (I'm just SO proud of him! smile)...

No issues with the strangers at the table, nor being handled by the vet for the two shots... We have no history so we had to start from ground zero with this aspect of his health... Delayed the rabies until three weeks from now to make sure there were no reactions to all the rest of the vaccinations... And I watched him closely for a few hours to make sure he was OK...

This morning he once again delayed climbing out of bed with me at 3AM and about 20 minutes ago finally decided to not be a lazy bones about it... Came out and I let him outside to go potty... Surprisingly, he went up into the penthouse and then attempted to step onto my desk... I reached over and he didn't go into that 'hanging head' dog stance... Simba sat in my lap for a few minutes and I could tell he was cold, but he relaxed into one of those "I'm warm now and a contented puppy" states on my lap...

After he warmed up, I went and got a doggie bed and blankee, then sat him down on top of it on the futon after tucking in his blankee around him... A few minutes later, Frito came trotting out, went potty outside and came back in, looking at me... As a fluke, I lifted up the corner of the blankee covering Simba and put Frito inside there with him - the worst that could happen is that one of the two would leave... BOTH of them are curled in together asleep now...

These are the remarkable little 'angel-hiccups' that occur along this journey that just keep me awestruck about it all... It wasn't that long ago that the thought of another dog within 3' of Simba would put him into anxious, whining, nervous mode complete with air-snapping jaws... Granted, Frito is my 'go-to-guy' for every new dog or human... He just doesn't ever come across a dog or human that he doesn't love on the spot... But to look in underneath and see Simba and Frito curled up with each other (both boys, both Chihuahuas, etc.), it does warm my little pea-pickin' heart this mornin'!

Success at getting his nails clipped!... BRAVO~!!!

From Simba's most recent photo, you can see how well the old halter indentation is coming along... Slowly the flesh tone is leveling out from where the back piece encircled his chest cavity too tightly... And yes, it if seems like he's laying in the center of the small of someone's back, he is... That's my daughter's butt in the photo!... LOL...

Simba successfully got his nails trimmed for the first time yesterday... It went VERY well without much difficulty at all, in fact... But Maggie?... She's the best~!!... And he wasn't 'wigged out' when he returned either, so that's another small step of progress IMHO... He was able to handle a trip in the car, seeing a groomer and having his nails clipped without going through another major anxiety issue...

Maggie verified the staff infection (??) he had on his four paws is gone now (there's a lot to be said for the vinegar/water - 1:1 - homemade brew)... Usually dogs and cats get that when they've been stepping in their own poop constantly, but the vinegar/water brew works very good... And most of his fur has already started growing back in on his paws... This is but what?... A month since his arrival here?... It usually takes about 6 weeks to see the difference to see major coat losses... The increased Vitamin E helps a lot in that regard as well..

And he's 'found his spot' now in my lap in the evenings when I watch a movie or 'American Idol'... He curls in with BeeGee and Frito underneath the covers without any issues...

I think for me --- and I'm really deviating off the goal of this chronicle --- the unbelievable aspect of doing something like this is watching the interaction of my crew and the new fosters... Seeing a new foster go from a total inability of getting along in harmony with other dogs... To the ability to interact without aggression or rancor... I am ALWAYS totally amazed as I watch this transformation and it is simply like seeing a baby chick come out of their shell for the very first time... Over and over again, each time is totally brand new to me with the amount of awe I feel...

When Simba arrived here, he couldn't interact with any of my guys... If they got too close to him physically, he'd do an anxiety episode... He was barking-almost-crying with anxiety and nervousness... It seemed like (at least to me), every hour he'd have one of these episodes occur... And now to see him curl up and sleep peacefully aside of one of the other dogs that caused him so much anxiety just weeks ago is almost close to a miracle... I am SO fascinated by the ability of dogs (when in a calm and serene environment) to lower the anxiety levels and be a part of the serenity instead of the chaos...

He's such a sweet little guy and the idea of him spending his life in a state of anxiety over the simplest things is darned close to heart breaking... And to watch him experience new things without regressing back into that emotional chaos is such a warm fuzzy to feel inside...

I seldom have to use the harness to pick him up any longer and I think he is ready to move from wearing a harness all the time (even a loose one) to a normal collar like everyone else... He will readily allow you to pick him up without the need of all that extra stuff to get a hold of... And it will be more comfortable for him as well...

It won't be long now that he'll be ready to be adopted by someone who will love him as much as we do... What a great gift that will be for both him and me... His journey has been so long in some aspects and in others, so short in the grand scheme of things... I am SO proud of him!

For the first time ever, Simba came up yesterday when I called him at naptime, laid on my tummy and allowed me to rub and pet him as he 'relaxed' into my body... Then, in a humorous kind of mood, he rotated between playing with my hand, and licking me to death!... Maybe he thought I needed a bath!

Once I got tired, he moved to the base of my neck, butt on the pillow, head on my shoulder blade and went to sleep... Right underneath my chin... Thankfully the little goober does not snore, so we both eventually went to sleep...

He's also mastered "get into your bed" as a command... He doesn't usually stay there, but I give the command, point and up into it he jumps... LOL... We're still working on the 'stay' with spread hand command... ...

Simba also allows my husband to pick him up, pet him and doesn't fly out of his hands any more... Maybe he's finally figured out no one here is going to hurt him... He and Zeus still 'snarf off' at each other periodically, but overall, he's learned tons of canine manners he didn't have before... He'll come to you now for kisses and food without fear you're going to hit him or harm him... It has all taken time...

Today he's going in to have his nails clipped by the best ever groomer... She's always handled all of my dogs and fosters, so I'm sure he won't give her too hard of a time... Maggie is the best - EVER~!!!... And next week, to the vets hopefully, depending on how well he does today...

I'm really touched at the love fest yesterday afternoon... I wasn't expecting it... He's done it at night beneath the blankee, but never out there in the open which I suspect he feels more vulnerable doing... We must have stayed at it for 30 minutes and I was doing my absolute best to not fall asleep because I didn't want it to end... But that's what a nap is for, right? LOL

I've been remiss about posting here as consistently as I should... Me bad... LOL...

Simba and I have been engaging in a mini love-fest on the nights "Idol" is on... I put his leash on him, he's ready to go before I am, and up on the couch he jumps, waiting for me to sit down and get the blankee on my lap for him to climb underneath... Then he scoots around so that he can come up and give kisses, get a bit antsy, hand out some more kisses and then settle in...

He's doing so much better the past couple days, despite all the busy and craziness that's been going on around here... His anxious zones are only about once a day, and sometimes not even then... He's figured out the 'lay of the land' now and rolls with the rest of the crew every time...

The doggie door is still too much for him to overcome and there's something about him and his head that prohibits him from trying it on his own... But he goes outside for potty each and every time, so I'm VERY happy with that progress...

He's also figured out the favorite spot of some of the other crew - on the chaise lounge or the doggie hammock, sunbathing every morning with everyone else... He really enjoys the sun and the slight breezes that come across the backyard...

Simba doesn't always come to me on command (but no longer runs from me either)... When I'm gone (even for just a few minutes to switch laundry loads), you'd think I'd been gone for ages... He is VERY happy to see me and jumps up like a jack-in-the-box... Dong, dong, dong... LOL... THIS is the human connection I was looking for and didn't see when he first arrived here... I'm not sure if it is the evening cuddles or the afternoon nap rubs, but he is looking forward to being petted and the human touch... Whereas initially he'd freeze or high-tail it in the other direction...

This week we've been working on crate training again... He wasn't too happy about it the first time I put him in there, even with a Kong, but today I was able to do it without a ton of crying and complaining... I normally leave the crate doors open around here (they are favorite napping spots by some of the others), but I believe in crates - if you have to evacuate, you can't bring your pets unless they are good canine craters... And vets really dislike dogs that can't tolerate a bit of time in their crates...

We are doing exceptionally well on lead now... Simba is not pulling from me or pulling in front of me... I think my other guys are still somewhat confused about why we are walking around in the backyard on lead, but they follow along too... (smile)... My guys are something else - I could not do what I do with other fosters without their help and efforts... Now that Simba is doing so much better on lead, he's headed into my vet's office on lead for a check-up... I haven't taken him to the park yet, watching for signs of kennel cough but (knock on wood), he's doing fantastic on the diet here, his coat is nice and silky as well as filling in where it was a bit thinned out...

He's a sweetie and has really come a long, long way... I just looked over and he's asleep in one of the doggie beds in the penthouse... What a sweet angelic face he has... Sweet, sweet, sweet!

(yawn...)

I went today and did a follow-up check on my most recently placed foster (Yoda)... What an awesome home and new furever family he has gotten!... What a cutie patootie he is and (sniff... sniff... ), I miss that little goober!... Ah, the downside of rescue - when they move on!

I have no degree or training... The little bit I know about dogs and rehabilitation of rescue dogs is what I've read, researched, observed and tested out through trial and error... If you believe in Cesar's philosophies and 'dog-speak' by various authors, there is a space that is yours and must be claimed as the alpha in charge. Add in the belief that 65% of the clues we give dogs come from the percentage of white our eyes show to them, you could make the assumption 'your space' is generally the two foot sphere in the front of you.

I've been testing out these theories with Simba. Because of the back issues I have, I seldom move around very much during the few hours of sleep I get... 'Primo' spots are reserved for BeeGee and Frito (by my tummy) and Peanut (above my head on my pillow)... Little Bits usually sleeps on my side and balances throughout the night there (don't ask me how with her back kneecaps!)... This is standard routine and happens every night or nap... Simba jumps into his basket (which faces me) and that's where he stays...

UNLESS I happen to turn over to the other side and then he will jump into bed with me, but sleeps at my back around the ribcage... Frito and BeeGee switch sides and stay in the tummy area... Peanut is the queen so I think that's why she choose the pillow and Little Bits 'rolls with the flow' as they speak!

I have been testing out this theory that if I crawl into bed with my eyes closed, will Simba climb into bed?... He seems to want to claim a spot in bed, but getting into 'my' space in the front where he faces me seems to be too daunting of a task still for him...

This afternoon (after numerous times of testing out this theory), for the first time ever, he climbed into bed and underneath the covers --- and I didn't need to close my eyes for this to occur!... He even allowed me to unhook the harness, pull it over his head and give him a full body massage... Then allowed me to put the harness back on without going into statue mode...

BTW, we've been practicing this too because eventually I want to get rid of that harness and have him wearing only a collar... I use harnesses to train with or walking on lead with --- not having them on 24/7... But for now with Simba, he's still too skittish to be able to catch him (if need be) without one... And he's now tagged - I broke my own rule long enough - so despite the oddity of the ID tag on the look at the base of his neck in the back, it's the best we could do for now... That soft cotton harness AND a collar is just too much... And the indentations around his rib cage have receded now, although he still has sensitivity at times in the areas underneath the armpits... I think that will go away in time, and who knows how long that original harness was on and that tight...

Simba follows me wherever I go throughout the day now... Well, just about everyone does eventually, but those with the highest self esteem take the longest to follow me... The others just about have every chore or task down pat - they know about how long it takes to change a load of laundry, take a shower, go to the bathroom or change clothes... If I'm a minute or two longer than their expectations, they will come find me if I haven't given a command... Simba still has such low self esteem (and a bit of separation anxiety still) that he follows me each and every time - no matter what...

He still is not seeking out love, affection and attention on his own... If I bend to pat someone on the head, he's there... He follows everyone else in regards to TLC and food... But he doesn't reach out to connect on his own yet...

I noticed he has not had any of those disturbing nightmares since about a few days after Valentine's (for the lack of an exact date)... His demure and small cries don't occur in the middle of the night, nor the twitching of his feet when he's sleeping or napping... (keeping my fingers crossed that they are finally gone now)... I don't know what happened in his past, but it must have been traumatic enough to give him nightmares... sigh...

I don't have progress to report every day... And some days it is very small in the overall picture of this journey... He LOVES the backyard and since I got it 'spring-ready,' I tend once again to spend more time out there... He investigated the pool the other day when I was cutting back the vines, but although he went to the edge and peered in, he had not much more interest than curiosity... Once the pool water heats up, I'll make sure that he's water-tested (like we do each of the other dogs each spring)... Although he looks and is curious about things, I don't worry about him being a runner or trying to leave me, the house, backyard, etc. He seems to be as happy as a dysfunctional, slightly traumatized little pupper can be and I expect the greater his self esteem becomes, the happier he will become...

P.S. He's great at destroying at least 3 or 4 toys a week... He gets downright destructive with some of them and he's learned "drop it" means to stop tearing the stuffing out of one! I'm writing it off to anxiety and also expect this to decrease as he gets better along the way. The humping issues have not decreased to any degree and I feel downright sorry for the giraffe (which is now three-legged), the overstuffed teddy bear and the lion that is indeed sorry it has a fluffy mane to hold onto!