Rhys – If Only Dogs Could Write Memos

If I could have a questionnaire for my dogs, it would probably read something like this:

• Are you an active dog that would like an active owner, or are you a couch potato?
• Do you like cats or do you think cats taste just like chicken?
• Would you like to have a playmate or would you prefer to be an only dog?
• Do you think you would enjoy swimming in a pool, or playing on the beach?
• Do you think you are an adventurous dog, and would enjoy going for car rides, dog parks, or camping?
• Do you like to talk a lot, and keep your humans up at all hours, or are you a quiet canine?
• Do loud noises like thunder and fireworks bother you?
• Would you prefer to live with young children, or do they make you nervous?
• Do you like to go for walks with your human, or do YOU take your human for a walk?

Wouldn’t it be great if we could interview them?  But we can’t!  Let’s face it, most of the dogs that we rescue have absolutely no history at all.  Even though we gather a lot of information from our transporters and fosters, each dog is like completing a puzzle.  Sometimes new behaviors are exhibited after they are adopted, not only because they have new humans, but a new environment, a new routine, a new diet, and certainly new experiences that they had not yet been introduced to.

In most cases, we work through these issues.  Whether it’s a professional behaviorist or trainer, developing an exercise program, going to doggie daycare, a change in diet or routine, insisting on using a crate to enhance training, and sometimes a medical consult.

In the case of Rhys, formerly known as Chance, being a loving family pet was foreign to him.  No matter how hard Cyndy Doty and her family tried, he simply wasn’t ready.

What we do know is that Rhys has spent his entire life in an outdoor kennel run, had very little training, no social interaction, and was used only as a breeding dog.  Everything he has experienced while he has been with us is new to him.

Prior to his rescue, we all know that Rhys was almost fatally attacked by either coyotes or wolves, and left to die for nine days.  His former owner told rescue that he wished that the dog would die already.

After Rhys’ rescue, he was clinging to life, enduring multiple surgeries, on numerous medications, and kept in a sterile environment.  Even after he was transported to us, and adopted by Cyndy Doty, he not only experienced complications during his neuter, but experienced a reoccurring infection after newly discovered puncture wounds were located.  If he didn’t know bad luck, he wouldn’t know luck at all.  But I suppose when you know his story from beginning to end, you would disagree with me, and say this dog is the luckiest dog on the planet!

There are dogs that love to load up in a pickup truck or a jeep, and there are dogs that love to pull you on your roller blades!  Some dogs are miserable in apartments, some are nervous in open spaces.  Could Rhys be a man’s dog, and not a family pet?  If only dogs could write memos.  Does he want to work on a farm, or sleep on the couch all day long?

In the case of Rhys, we are still putting the puzzle together.  I can tell you that today, he is eager to come into the house, loves his crate, and is quickly becoming housebroken.  He is friendly with all people of all ages, and is very good with dogs that have his temperament.  Rhys is very quiet at my home, and because of Cyndy’s patience, he is almost fully leash trained.  One of Rhys’ strongest assets is that he’s awesome in the car!

Cyndy, Holly and I have discussed Rhys in detail, and we believe  he may simply want to be someone’s companion animal.  He loves to run for the fun of it, and much like Jake, he’s waiting for his human to come for him.  But who is this person?  I won’t know until Rhys shows me.

Those of you in rescue have all experienced that wonderful moment when a dog jumps and cries with excitement when that special person walks through the door.  “That’s my human,” they cry, “what took you so long.”  Holly and I have seen it and it’s those special moments that make all of our work worth while.  We even joke when the dog jumps into his new owner’s car, and never looks back!

When Jake was adopted, it was as if he was telling Bill to hurry up, throw it in reverse, and step on it!  That’s what I want to see for Rhys.  In the meantime, timely updates will be made available on this post, and on Facebook.

To read about Rhys’  struggle to survive as Chance please visit his original story.

 

06/29/11 Update: It appears that Tri-State Collie Rescue received quite a few unsavory comments after we posted Rhys’ video on Facebook, and unjustly I might add.  I urge everyone to remember, Rescue is an Effort, Not a Science.  Rhys is a Dog Liberator Dog, and we love him!   He is safe, and he is in good hands.  What’s the beef?  We continue to work closely with Tri-State, and hope to work with them again in the future.

If anyone is interested in adopting him, please contact me directly.  If not, my Mom used to say if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say it at all.  – Gisele

07/06/11 Update: It was independence Day weekend, and some of us Liberators got together to work with Rhys!  Here are some of the results!  Special thanks to Maria DeRosa and Paul & Teresa Pipitone! Today, Rhys is eager to learn, responds quickly to training, and loves to run!