It's been my experience that rescue dogs spirits go into a state of suspended animation - it's like their spirits leave their bodies while they're in the rescue system and they don't come back until they're in their forever homes or a foster home that they feel completely safe in - and that's what makes rescue so addicting - because you can actually see the transformation happen. You can see their spirit coming back into the animals bodies as they start to realize that they aren't going to be hurt anymore, or have to live in a cage and threatened daily with death, and are going to be eating yummy food everyday - that it's all sunshine and lolli-pops from here on in.
Every day their mouths open a little wider when they run - their tongues hang out a little further, their eyes open a little wider, they bark a little louder when the door bell rings - they become more convinced that people who are visiting are there solely to see THEM. And it's intoxicating to watch. And I can't wait for it to start happening with Teddy. It can't happen soon enough. He definitely needs it.
Right now he's hardly wagging his tail even though he's constantly staring at me and following me around - he's definitely got separation anxiety - I had to shoo him back with my foot when I left for work this morning. He doesn't react at all to praise - not one little bit - it's like he's never heard it before. He doesn't know what to do.
I think up until now he might've been treated like a baby - carried around and sookied, and when that became inconvenient and they tired of it and he started insisting to be treated like that - he was hit and pushed away and ignored. So all he wants and all he knows is to be cuddled and carried around. He's not house trained, he doesn't know any commands, he's obviously never been to the beach, he's not used to walking on a leash, and he's definitely not used to unconditional love.
Well, except for having to put up with Buttercup attacking him - he'd better get used to unconditional love and lots of praise - because I want him to learn to how to wag his tail, because we've got a lot of years together coming up and his tail is far too cute a thing to waste!
These are some pictures that I took yesterday over at Silver Sands beach. I don't think Teddy's ever been to a beach before - he didn't roll in one thing - and there was tons of things to roll on. I wanted to go somewhere where the dogs could spread out and relax and get to know each other - Buttercup even initiated play with him several times, but he didn't understand what she was trying to do - he just ran away from her. Hopefully he'll figure it out eventually...
Teddy hasn't figured out yet that the liver is NEXT to the camera - but Daisy, Buttercup and Charlie certainly have!
Teddy in his glorious smallness..
A close-up of his face - he's looking very ewok-ish, don't you think?
Buttercup and Teddy - "no, I don't see any dog around here that is as small and cute as me - I'm not having any self-confidence issues - I don't know what you're talking about Mommy!"
Long shot of another Buttercup running toward me with great abandon picture....
Close-up of Buttercup running - #4 in the series of on-going shots - I like this one because her mouth is nice and open and she looks like she's smiling!
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