Dearest Valen,
Congratulations on this your very special "Gotcha Day!"
We wish you the very nicest happily-ever-after a dog can have in your new home.
Much Love,
Tri-State Poodle Club Outreach, Inc.
Tri-State Poodle Club Outreach, Inc. |
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Dearest Valen, Congratulations on this your very special "Gotcha Day!" We wish you the very nicest happily-ever-after a dog can have in your new home. Much Love, Tri-State Poodle Club Outreach, Inc. Deepest thanks to the MANY who contributed, labored, and cheered this sweet boy through his rehabilitation. "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much!" -HK
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This has been another busy week with his first agility exercises. Many thanks to Deb Schulman of Coaching K-9's in Platteville, WI for her help in giving Valen this powerful, confidence building opportunity. He had his first bath since his big dematting; with his body processing so much inflammation, he's quickly gotten "greasy." Though not thrilled about the process at first, he got comfortable with just a little work.
This week has seen significant time/diversity/intensity increases to his multiple daily training outings, tandem adventures, learning to enjoy so many new people, and lots of working through the things that upset him most--over and over and over again--including running children, big dogs, new doorways, various styles of stairs, and curbs: big curbs, snowy curbs, so MANY curbs! This has been Valen's strongest week yet. It's happening more and more often that he seems to be "just a regular dog," no longer always standing out as the shattered thing shrouded by so many question marks. He will always carry his background with him to some degree, but we're watching its effect slip off him like an old coat. Valen is increasingly confident, curious, and as goofy as a two-year-old SPoo should be...and, perhaps, will be ready soon for his incredibly lucky forever-home to continue showing him what happily ever after looks like. He is strong, intelligent, forgiving, courageous, sweet, and silly--and has been so worth fixing.... Good boy, Valen. Good boy.
Now, back to work, silly dog...next project: Operation Ceiling-Fans-Will-Not-Kill-You!
Valen has been working hard to learn his new environment. He is warming up to his foster people, accepting some petting, and loving having a foster poodle-brother to show him the ropes. Though easily startled and always "on high alert." Valen is proving to be a gentle soul with the adults and dogs he's met. He's been correcting well with housebreaking/marking accidents and enjoying the many trips to the yard where foster poodle-brother can be talked into playing. Valen is definitely more comfortable and trusting of other dogs than people! Valen tolerated his goopy eyes being cleaned and the swelling around his surgery incisions is making small improvement. His badly infected ears will continue to be a major project....poor guy. MOST excitingly, Valen finally was talked into his first meal; though not underweight, he's not been eating well at the shelter or his foster home...until today :) Good boy, Valentino! We were hoping to bring Buster to his foster home today, but it seems he's having a hard time bouncing back from his surgery yesterday. His neutering became hernia surgery and, with his already depleted physical condition, the procedure overwhelmed his system more than expected and the side effects have been rough. This morning he was resting comfortably but still not stable enough to be transported. Fingers crossed for tomorrow--and that his Valentine's Day is as special as it can be!
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Two year old, Standard Poodle, surrendered by mill breeder. This boy came to us for rehabilitation: to see if he could learn to trust people and live in a home.
Help Valentino! We are a small, non-profit with limited resources. If you can help with the costs for this boy's rehabilitation it will make such a difference! Archives |