When Maisy Met Pyggy

I picked up Pyg- my first foster dog (and first foster fail)- from the rescue late in the afternoon on Monday, October 28. I loved him from the moment I set eyes on him. He was trotting around the rescue office with another dog. I said hi to him, and he was happy to come over for some treats. He seemed calm and friendly, and given what had happened to him in his short life, I was impressed.

Pyg came to me through Second Hand Hounds, a rescue based here in the Twin Cities metro. They got Pyg from a (high-kill?) shelter in Mobile, AL. They sent his vet records with him, which indicated his birth date as January 31, 2013, making him 9 months old. Those records had him down as a cairn terrier/yorkie mix, but I have no idea if that was a “best guess” or if they knew something. Second Hand Hounds thought he might be a yorkie/shih tzu mix. Personally, I think he’s a Midwest Muppet Dog, like Maisy. Damned if I know what he was doing down south.

His records showed that he was neutered at 15 weeks old. I was told this meant he’d been adopted, as the shelter doesn’t spay/neuter until the dog has found a home. Makes sense; why subject a dog to a surgical procedure or waste veterinary resources for a dog who will be euthanized?

At some point in the not-so-distant past, Pyg was returned to the shelter. We don’t know why. I think this question will plague me forever, as I simply cannot figure out why anyone would give him up. He’s wonderful, and someone had obviously done some training with him in the past.

At any rate, Pyg became part of the Second Hand Hounds family, so on the Saturday before I met him, he got on a small commuter airplane and flew from the southern part of Alabama to the northern part. He then got in the car and was driven up to Chicago. I don’t know where he stayed on Saturday night; somewhere along the way, I suppose. I know he spent Sunday night in Chicago, and that he took a second small plane from Chicago to a (small) local airport. I met him a few hours later, put him into one more car, and took him home.

Because I knew that I wanted Pyg to be my dog, and not just my foster dog, I created a plan for introducing him into the household that would give us the best chance for harmonious relationships. The first step was to leave him in the car while I went inside to shut Maisy, my cat Nicky, and my doggie houseguest Maus into separate rooms. After a quick potty break, I brought Pyg up and let him explore his new digs.

I ended up integrating the animals much quicker than I had anticipated. Once he had the lay of the land, I put Maisy behind a baby gate so they could see each other. Both were clearly interested in the other, and so after an hour or so, I let them meet. (I later did the same thing for the cat- who was indifferent- and Maus, who has a rotating foster in his home and therefore was all like “yeah, whatever.”)

Not just interested in each other, but Pyg and Maisy adore one another. Maisy has solicited play from Pyg on numerous occasions, including that first night. It is pretty rare for her to want to play with another dog- she tends to be a parallel-player instead. If she plays with another dog, it’s usually chase games. With Pyg, though, she will wrestle, something that she’s done like once or twice before. Uninterested in tug games, she’s begun to parade around with toys, try to lure Pyg into grabbing an end of it. It’s adorable.

Pyg was interested in Nicky-cat, but for the most part has respected his space. Nicky just ignores Pyg, although if he gets too close and/or obnoxious, Pyg will get a swipe across the face from a fully-clawed paw. This doesn’t happen too often, because I can usually call Pyg away (seriously… this dog is amazing).

He loves to train, and will work for his meals. He’s got a good grasp on impulse control, and knows to sit when he wants something. He’s potty trained, especially if I take him out on a schedule, but he has asked to go out a few times.

He’s incredibly personable. He’s very sweet and a big cuddler. This is a nice switch from Maisy, who has never been big on being touched. She does now curl up near me, but only on her terms. Pyg just wants to be with people (and especially me). He also makes me laugh and laugh. He’s just so dang cute with his puppy antics. For example, the first night he was with me, he found an empty cat food can and decided it was the best toy ever.

Oh, and did I mention that The Pyg has an off-switch? Yeah, it’s bizarre. Not only can he occupy himself by finding an (appropriate) chew item like a Kong or a Nylabone, but he will also just settle down and take naps, too. On Saturday, Pyg was napping on the couch, and Maisy jumped up to join him. So adorable.

All in all, Pyg is an awesome little dog, and I knew I couldn’t let him slip through my fingers. In the week and change that Pyg has lived in my home, he’s begun to shine. Of course, I know that when dogs arrive in new homes it can take weeks or even months for their full personalities to express themselves, so I’m excited to get to know him better.

He’s not perfect, though. There are a few little things that may be issues, or they may not be. Only time will tell. For now, I’m working on mitigating or preventing those things. I’ll tell you about them soon. In the meantime, have some bonus videos. Both are from Pyg's first night with me.

Deal Breakers and Desires

In the week leading up to Pyg’s arrival, knowing that I was hoping to foster fail, I made a list of things I really hoped he had/was, as well as a list of things I just didn’t want. I’m really glad I did, because once he arrived, all those pesky hormones kicked in and decided I didn’t care what he was like. I wanted him.

Doggie Deal Breakers
First up: a list of things that would mean no way, no how. I had thought about this, but friend Sara encouraged me to be specific so I went back and redid my list. Then I asked my Facebook friends what would be on their list, which was a good idea. They said things that I hadn’t thought of, but that I didn’t want in a dog. They also listed a few things that, while I didn’t exactly want to deal with, I would be okay with.

Here’s my list:

Cat Aggression
My cat is 13 years old. He has arthritis, and has had some bladder stones and blockages. And, frankly, he was here first. Cat aggression is a no-go in my household. I decided that it was okay if the dog was interested in the cat, but he couldn’t be obsessed. In other words, I needed to be able to redirect him to something else. Cat chasing would not be tolerated. And while I expected that my cat might hide for a day or two, if he was still hiding after a week or two, that would be a deal breaker.

Maisy-Directed Aggression
You’ll notice this doesn’t say “dog aggression,” and for good reason: I’m actually okay with some dog aggression (ie, reactivity). Occasional snarks and disagreements are fine, but they should be mild and rare, and if Maisy is looking bothered by him, I should be able to redirect him. I am also not willing to crate and rotate. My dogs need to get along without excessive management. Some management, yes (eating in separate areas, for example), but not to the point that only one dog can be out at a time.

Human Aggression 
Again, a bit of reactivity is okay; growl to your heart’s content, little dog. But I do not want a dog that bites people unless seriously provoked. Teeth on skin while pissed off or scared is just not something I want to do. I also wrote that play biting, while not aggression, is acceptable as long as there is some decent bite inhibition with it.

Untreated, Chronic, or Expensive Medical Conditions
I just don’t have the money right now. Of course, emergencies can happen (see: September), making this about the dumbest time ever to adopt another dog, but… yeah. Trying to stack the deck in my favor, you know? I included clinical anxiety here because I just can’t afford to see a vet behaviorist right now. This also includes awful structure. I don’t need a conformation-worthy dog, but I do need one that’s going to be more-or-less sound. This kind of goes back to the “money is tight” thing. Maisy needs regular and ongoing chiropractic and massage to stay sound, and I just do not want to do that again. Plus, I want a hiking buddy, because I think Maisy’s backpacking trips may be limited…

Separation Anxiety
I work full-time. I live in a shared space. I just cannot accommodate a dog who can’t be alone. Not only is it unfair to a dog to be so anxious that he vocalizes all day, but it’s also unfair to my downstairs neighbors. I decided that I was okay with some mild separation distress as long as it improved within a week or two. I also decided the dog needed to be able to be confined (x-pen, bathroom, crate, whatever) without destroying things.

Desires and Dreams
I also made a list of things that I really hoped my new dog would have. Not that the foster dog would have to have any/all of these, but hey. It would sweeten the pot. This list is long, but not as detailed:

Has Easily Identified Motivators
Ideally, the dog would be willing to work for both food and toys, and specifically a tug toy.

Pre-Installed Off-Switch
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAAHAH. The foster dog I was waiting for was an adolescent terrier-mix. My friends and I had a good laugh at this one.

Funny
I wasn’t really sure what this meant, other than the fact that I wanted a dog with tons of personality and able to make me laugh.

No Reactivity
I could deal with it, but I’d prefer not to.

Should Be Friendly, But Not Obnoxiously So
Honestly, friendly with other people and dogs is fine, but not to the point of losing-his-damn-mind, you know?

Low Grooming Needs
A bath once in awhile, nail clipping, and brushing him once a month or so is fine. Daily grooming and/or needing to go to a professional groomer regularly is not. Yes, this means he will probably shed. Yes, I’m perfectly fine with this.

Okay in the Car
Excessive fear just makes it hard to take a dog somewhere. And I like to go places with my dog.

Biddable
Some independence is okay and even desirable, but dangit, I want a dog who is interested in working with me (or at least, working me for my cookies). Maisy is insanely biddable and I love it.

So…?
Obviously Pyg passed the test, but I wasn’t sure he would at first… Soon I’ll tell you about who he is and how he measured up.

Happy Gotcha Day, Pyg!

It's official: we foster failed! I signed the paperwork tonight. Pyg has found his forever home.

Our First Foster (Fail)

For several years now, my Facebook friends have played this game where they post pictures of cute dogs to my wall. I have seen some mighty cute dogs, so when this little guy showed up in my feed one Monday morning, I commented "zomg cute" like I usually do, and then went on with my week.

His name was Han Solo, and he was coming into Secondhand Hounds, a local rescue. He needed a foster home, but I dismissed the idea immediately; the timing was terrible. Not only had Maisy just recently started feeling better, but her vet care had completely drained me financially. Add to that the fact that my friend Laura was going on a two-week vacation, leaving me in charge of her dog Maus. One doggie acquaintance and one doggie stranger at the same time? I'm not that dumb.

I'm really not sure why, but I kept going back to this dog. Now, it wasn't just his adorable scruffiness- like I said, my friends have been playing the "post muppety dogs to Crystal's Facebook" for awhile now. There was just something in his expression. 

I don't really remember why, but that Thursday, I was telling my friend Nicky about him over lunch. Of course she encouraged me to foster him. I figured that something so cute was probably already spoken for, but I went back to that original Facebook thread and asked if he had a place to go when he arrived.

He didn't.

I filled out the foster application, clearly noting that if he got along with Maisy and my cat, I would probably become a foster failure rather than a foster home. I anxiously waited for them to check my references and contact my landlord, but soon enough I was approved to foster.

If I thought waiting for that was hard, waiting for him to arrive was even harder. Originally scheduled to arrive on Sunday, he actually ended up getting here eight days later. It was nerve wracking. I was so scared it was going to fall through.

In the end, it was probably a good thing; it gave me time to thoughtfully make some lists of what I wanted- and didn't!- in a dog. At the encouragement of my bestie, Sara, I was very, very specific. What exactly did it mean to be cat aggressive? Precisely how much reactivity was I willing to work with?

He's lived with us for about 72 hours now, and I'm 99.99% sure that I will be adopting him. I'm going to wait another week or so, just to make sure nothing awful pops up, but other than the fact that he's an adolescent terrier-mix, he's pretty awesome.

I know you probably have some questions- about the "foster" dog, about how Maisy is doing, what was on my lists- and I'll update you as I can. But I'll admit, this dog has way, way more energy than Maisy does, and I'm exhausted!