Buddy

INTRODUCTION     As told by Buddy

Hello there! It’s nice to meet you! If you have the time, I’d like to tell you a story. It’s called “A ‘Tail’ of Two Doggies.”

The first doggy (me) has been described as “the funniest and most handsome dog I’ve ever met,” one who is sweet and silly. A dog who loves to chase squirrels, play fetch with a passion, chase water from the hose, and who is known for the “Buddy Roll,” a fake-out move I came up with when playing with my foster dog sister (hee-hee-hee, drives her crazy!).  I am a dog who does his part to help keep the kitchen tidy during meal prep by planting myself in the middle of the room and vacuuming up stray veggies that just happen to fall.

Mine is the “tail” of a dog who loves to romp in the snow, swim in the lake and cuddle – a dog whose smile is infectious and who, according to my foster mom, has a “heart of gold.” When determined, I know no bounds: I once jumped over a 2½ -foot fence in hot pursuit of a rabbit. (OK, that might not be the best thing to tell you, but who doesn’t love a creature of focus and fortitude?) Yep, that’s me.

But there is another side of me. This is a dog who has struggled with anxiety, allergies, physical pain and fear. An easily distracted dog who gets nervous around other dogs when on a leash (though I am friendly and playful with dogs off leash) and who can get overexcited by new people. A dog who, despite loving the children in his family, just couldn’t live with them, no matter how he tried. (Sadly, there was just something about those kids that sometimes set his teeth on edge. Maybe it was their sudden movements or the way they intruded – unintentionally – on his personal space; maybe it was just the normal noises that normal kids make. He is ashamed to admit it, but there were times when he growled and even air-snapped at them. He feels badly about that.) This dog went through countless hours of training, dog therapy and medications in the hopes of getting the better of his demons. His family did their best to help him, but when it became clear that it was going to have to be him or the kids, he was the one who had to go. Sadly, that’s me, too.

One of my vets thought that some, maybe even a lot, of my behavioral problems might be due to pain, so she recommended I see a chiropractor. He determined that I do have neck and back issues from past trauma; my tail was somehow pushed into my spine – I think that would make anyone crabby. He’s done a few adjustments on me, and between that and some medication, my foster mom and dad have seen a big improvement. My growling has pretty much stopped, and I don’t react to kids that I see from afar.

The silver lining in all this (and there usually is a silver lining if you are willing to see it) is that my family loved me enough to surrender me to As Good As Gold. Saying good-bye to them was the saddest chapter in my book – but it wasn’t the end. Since AGaG has entered my life, they’ve given me help – and hope. They’ve taught me that my story isn’t over yet, and it could still have a very happy ending.

I’m working very hard, with the love and support of my fabulous foster parents, to tackle my problems.  Might you be interested in helping me write the rest of my book? Let’s talk.

BEHAVIOR

• Highly distractable.
• Knows several commands.
• Barks when meeting people (foster mom is working to modify this behavior)
• OK in enclosed spaces but does NOT like the crate.

HEALTH

• Currently seeing chiropractor for pain with positive results.
• Currently taking Gabapentin.
• Needs to lose another 10 pounds.