separation anxiety in dog

Oh, that's all good news!

Someone in my neighborhood found a miniature Dachshund wandering the neighborhood on Sunday evening. Of course, there was no one open (vet's, groomers, animal shelter) to contact to see if it had been reported. She was a sweet little dog, apparently pretty old with quite a gray muzzle, friendly. I offered to keep it overnight so the lady who found her wouldn't have to miss work on Monday. I walked her around the neighborhood and could find no one looking for a little dog.

We took her in and all she wanted was to be in a lap, which was fine with us. She slept with my son right under his armpit all night (all the dogs sleep in his room, so he didn't mind). She was sweet and we knew we would keep her until we found her owner (some other dogs we find go straight to the shelter). I delayed making the contacts at the vet and animal shelter because I really wasn't done with her. But, within an hour of calling her in, I got a call from the owner.

He said the only thing constant about little Sammy was that she would eventually escape from my house, too and go on a little jaunt. He said she adopted herself out for 2 weeks once before she escaped from that house, and HE saw the "lost dog" posters. When she was found again, she went back home.

It sure was hard to let her go. She lives 2 blocks over, so I'm sure I'll see her again!

Karen

ha, that's a cute story. My cat's like that. He'll go and walk into someone's home and I'll get a call that my cat's there (thankfully he's got a collar wth my number on it).

Ok, so I'm having a bit of dilemma. I woke up this morning at 4 and couldn't get back to sleep. I'm having misgivings about letting the puppers go. I've never seen a schnauzer come in at the spca, let alone one that is young and with relatively no issues.

I actually let him out of the crate last night and put his little bed by my bed and he slept all night without a peep. I did find a little poop pile, but bless him he did it right by the cats' litter box. I left him loose this morning and will find out what, if anything, he'll get into on his own.

I taught him how to sit and lie down last night in 10 minutes. He's like a blank slate and I have a feeling with proper training he'll be a remarkable dog.

So I'm not sure if I'll be doing him a disservice by keeping him, or if I should let him go and I get a rescue from Taiwan with possible issues with no choice but to keep her forever. I do feel like I need to adopt a harder-to-adopt dog, but I don't know if I'm passing up a great dog. *sigh*

They're all great dogs, in their own way. And sometimes the harder to place dogs are so remarkably special, even if they are a little more work. :) But it has to be the right dog for you and your lifestyle.

We've had people return dogs and say "he's just so this-and-that and it's just not working" and then the person who adopts the dog says "exactly what I was looking for! A dog who was this-and-that!"

It's all about the match.

So the foster (who, by the way is now called Foster), went to his new forever home yesterday.

While I had misgivings the day before, it felt right yesterday. I got a call this morning telling me he's settled right in, played with the neighbourhood dogs (which he couldn't with me, all he did was bark at them), slept all night in the crate without any incidence, and just all around having a great time.

Happy ending :)

Wonderful ending for him. Although you loved him he is a very smart breed who will flourish with someone to be able to train him and spoil him. It isn't wrong to love him and even better you found him a great home. Every animal I meet is wonderful but they aren't all the right fit for me. ;)

I put a bell by the front door so my German Shepherd wouldn't scratch the door to go out. Works like a charm - except - when he wants to go outside & play ball with me, he rings the bells & won't stop. I created a monster. So, whenever he rings the bells - he goes out. Without me.

Sigh - be careful what you wish (train!) for!

All GREAT ideas on your new foster! Wow - we're very savvy women, aren't we?