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Our First Ever Foster Dog - The Final Update


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I have been following Bonnie's story with interest. Its amazing how things can seem so perfect and then go to pot! Kids can be pretty full on for any dog and it sounds like she was overwhelmed. Perhaps she is really meant to be with you where she can be loved and understood. :) She is such a lovely girl and deserves the best.

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Poor Bonnie, It's very sad that she's had to go through this but at least she is now back where she's comfortable and happy.

When we got Sarah any visitors young or old were under strict instructions to ignore her until she initiated contact, on a day to day basis we kept things quiet and consistent.

It seems this family were a little too excited about the new addition to their family that they lavished her with unwanted attention and the results speak for themselves.

Fingers crossed things go up and up from here and Bonnie finds her true forever home, whether that be with you :) or another family that understand how a beautiful girl like Bonnie deserves to be treated

Edited by Leah82
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So sorry it didn't work out.

At least she is back where she is safe and very loved.

How is the beautiful Bonnie doing now?

She's more stressed out than she was before she left, but she's getting better everyday. Yesterday she started doing some of the funny things Bonnie was remembered for, like collecting my sons toys and hording them in her crate. She even picked up a toy, so in time I think she will be ok.

I'm just being very careful at the moment, as I can see she could very easily go down the road of seperation anxiety and I'm doing my best to make sure that doesn't happen.

Want to hear a funny story?

About a week after Bonnie was adopted I realised that I was missing my favourite bra. I kept thinking it was in the wash, eventually I went through every drawer searching for it. It was only when I went to take the blanket out of the crate that I realised Bonnie had stashed it in there. ha ha Georgia has never done that, so I knew it was her.

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Yesterday she started doing some of the funny things Bonnie was remembered for, like collecting my sons toys and hording them in her crate. She even picked up a toy, so in time I think she will be ok.

I'm just being very careful at the moment, as I can see she could very easily go down the road of seperation anxiety and I'm doing my best to make sure that doesn't happen.

Want to hear a funny story?

About a week after Bonnie was adopted I realised that I was missing my favourite bra. I kept thinking it was in the wash, eventually I went through every drawer searching for it. It was only when I went to take the blanket out of the crate that I realised Bonnie had stashed it in there. ha ha Georgia has never done that, so I knew it was her.

That's one of the antidotes for separation anxiety. Giving the doggie things that strongly have the owners' scents on them. Gives the dogs comfort when the owners are not there. My apologies if you already know that ... but rub palms of hands over all her toys. And put old un-washed T-shirts of her day place outside & in her crate.

Many times, like with Bonnie, the dogs 'arrange' to collect the owner-scenting items for themselves. Underclothing, socks,shoes are popular with the dogs because those items really absorb the owner's scent.

Edited by mita
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Yesterday she started doing some of the funny things Bonnie was remembered for, like collecting my sons toys and hording them in her crate. She even picked up a toy, so in time I think she will be ok.

I'm just being very careful at the moment, as I can see she could very easily go down the road of seperation anxiety and I'm doing my best to make sure that doesn't happen.

Want to hear a funny story?

About a week after Bonnie was adopted I realised that I was missing my favourite bra. I kept thinking it was in the wash, eventually I went through every drawer searching for it. It was only when I went to take the blanket out of the crate that I realised Bonnie had stashed it in there. ha ha Georgia has never done that, so I knew it was her.

That's one of the antidotes for separation anxiety. Giving the doggie things that strongly have the owners' scents on them. Gives the dogs comfort when the owners are not there. My apologies if you already know that ... but rub palms of hands over all her toys. And put old un-washed T-shirts of her day place outside & in her crate.

Many times, like with Bonnie, the dogs 'arrange' to collect the owner-scenting items for themselves. Underclothing, socks,shoes are popular with the dogs because those items really absorb the owner's scent.

No need to apologise Mita. Funny, I did that first time round but had forgotton this time. So thanks for the reminder, I'll put my sweaty top from the gym in her crate, she'll love that. :laugh:

Edited by Michelleva
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No need to apologise Mita. Funny, I did that first time round but had forgotton this time. So thanks for the reminder, I'll put my sweaty top from the gym in her crate, she'll love that. :laugh:

That should do it :laugh: :laugh:

I am feeling such a bad bad mother :cry: . I never have "things" lying around that they can collect :( . Only "things" lying around are the gardening and walking shoes on the deck and they never move ..... unless my feet are in them.

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I never have "things" lying around that they can collect :(

Be grateful, DD. :)

Secretary at work was a large lady who owned a gorgeous Golden Retriever named Oliver. A carpenter came to replace a lot of her kitchen benches, while she was at work. Oliver was home, of course.

She got home after a long day & went to the kitchen to talk to the carpenter. In the middle of the floor was a huge pile of her bras & knickers (of large size, too). Seems Oliver had 'brought' his mum into the kitchen... by raiding her underwear drawer & bringing it out, piece by piece. Not even washing takes away the owner's scent for a dog's nose.

When the man next door went on fishing trips, his Tibbie Brockie who adored him, would raid his sock drawer. And build a pile of socks in the living-room, then bury his nose in them to get the comfort of his dad's presence.

Edited by mita
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No need to apologise Mita. Funny, I did that first time round but had forgotton this time. So thanks for the reminder, I'll put my sweaty top from the gym in her crate, she'll love that. :laugh:

That should do it :laugh: :laugh:

I am feeling such a bad bad mother :cry: . I never have "things" lying around that they can collect :( . Only "things" lying around are the gardening and walking shoes on the deck and they never move ..... unless my feet are in them.

Get some kids, they'll leave plenty of crap around DD! :rofl:

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Good news, Bonnie's been back for 6 days now and last night her and Georgia were starting to play. She was barking at Georgia but it wasn't the anxious/nervous barking I've been hearing this week it was a playful bark. And just now she started whining, but I didn't know why. I turned around and she was trying to engage one of my cats in play. I suspect in a another week it will be like she never left.

This morning there was no anxiety about going outside either. :thumbsup:

Now its time for me to do a little happy dance! :bottom:

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We took the girls to the beach on Sunday and Bonnie did very well for her first visit. She did get a bit scared when other dogs approached her, but she went running straight in the water without hesitation. I even had her off lead for a while and she did great, towards the end she was looking a bit overwhelmed, so I put her back on the lead to avoid her trying to do a runner. Overall, it was a positive experience for all of us.

The last two days in particular Bonnie is desperately trying to play, we've even seen her bum wiggle, which is so heart-warming. She's been trying to win the cats over, its only a matter of time before she succeeds. Her and Georgia have been playing chaseys around the house of a night time. The fear is lessoning and the joy is starting to return.

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Poor Bonnie has been back to the vet this morning because she's had a cough the last few days. So she's got some pills for that but the vet was more concerned about how anxious she was. She was continually circling until he picked her up and put her on the examination table. As soon as he did that, she looked calmer. He said she's a dog who will love a crate, which of course is true, but he didn't know that. She definitely feels safer in a confined space.

So he's given me some valium for her, if we're taking her somewhere new or she's getting stressy I can give her one of those. His advice is to also keep up the exercise and ignore her when she's being anxious. So we have our homework to continue with her.

Its so hard, one minute she's playing with Georgia and the next minute she's a nervous wreck. She definitely didn't cope with the changes in her world very well. And in the last two days, she's starting pulling like a freight train on walks, I suspect thats anxiety. She's just trying to get away, from what or who I don't know. She's done it with both me and my husband. My poor scared little girl. I really hope we can get her past this stage. :(

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sounds like you've got a good vet there Michelle to recognise Bonnie's behavioural issues. Sarah just hides behind me or retreats inwards if she's nervous about something and she can't escape, then people comment on what a well behaved dog she is - while she's standing there looking utterly miserable

Btw is there any news about a permanent home for Bonnie? :provoke:

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