Alfalfa~Adopted

He’s Clearly Not A Border Collie – But he is as smart one.  This 2 year-old purebred Poodle knows dozens of commands, has experienced agility and did great.  He has a lot of energy, lived with cats, and is great with kids.

He’s learning to be part of a pack, and he does well with my big dogs.  He does, however, find Ruby annoying!  He is slow to adjusting to change, but is becoming more relaxed every day.

His photo album can be viewed on Facebook.

10/01/13 Update:  Alfie is still cautious of strangers, but he is starting to wag his tail a bit!  He is slowly coming out of his shell.  Poor little guy, he’s just shy!  He’s doing very well with my daughter, Sarah.  She just loves him, and can’t believe how many tricks he knows!  I’ll be taking new photos shortly.

10/03/13 Update:  Alfie made huge progress last night with my daughter Sarah!  They played ball for hours, and he was very proud of himself.  Then, he sat on the couch with us, and finally he ate some kibble with good appetite!  Ironically, Alfie has a meet today!

10/09/13 Update:  I took Alfie to the groomers, and he got a gorgeous new look!  When I got home, I had an email waiting for Alfie, a potential adoption!  Alfie was adopted by James of Rockledge, Florida.  James lost his Poodle recently, and going home to an empty house was too much for him.  He’s retired, has a big back yard, and is thrilled that Alfie will play ball and go for long walks with him!

I also received an update:  “Just a quick  note to let you know about Alife (Winnies) first night.  He found a safe spot on the  day bed in my bedroom. This is where I watch tv and work on my computer.  He stayed curled up next to me all night.  He ate a big bowl of chicken and rice. Bed time he slept in the big bed all night without fussing. He trots rite outside does his business then comes rite back in.  This morning he has been following me room to room wagging his tale.  I think he’s going to adapt just fine. Thanks again.”

10/23/13 Update:  When I first met Alfie at his previous home, he ran up the stairs and barked for over 30 minutes, and refused to come down to meet he.  He was scared, and very nervous.  He trembled so bad, I felt so sorry for him.  As you recall, he wouldn’t eat for me… no matter what food I tried.  He was terrified of my dogs, and I just had to give him time to adjust.  I usually have a house full of kids here, and every time a stranger came over, Alfie would go crazy.  He’d bark, run around in circles, growl, and refuse to come close.  I put him on leash, correct him, and made him meet new people.  One by one, he learned that the more people he meets, the more attention he gets!

Alfie’s previous owner suggested that he needed a home with a lot of children, so they would play with him.  She said he needed a tremendous amount of exercise, possibly agility.

Alfie’s previous owner is very upset that TDL did not adopt him to a family with a lot of children.  Why didn’t we?  Because  that’s not what Alfie needed.  A house full of children would’ve made him even more nervous, anxious, and unsure.   Dogs with children can be a great thing, but children rarely focus on their dogs.  Instead, they focus on their Xbox, their Ipads, their cell phones, boyfriends, girlfriends, soccer practice, etc.

Alfie wasn’t hyper, he was nervous.  He needed a pack leader to tell him what to do, and how to act.  When I first met James, I knew he was perfect for Alfie.  He would give Alfie the undivided attention Alfie needed, but he would also expect Alfie to behave, and relax!

I’ve been waiting for this moment, here’s an update from Alfie’s (Winnie the Poodle) new Dad!

Hi Gisele!

Update on Alfie-Winnie,  He had his checkup at the vets last week and all is well.  He is such a different little dog than the nervous little pup we bought home.  He has made friends on his walks with the neighborhood children that love to pet on him, not to mention best  buddies with the little dog next door.

No more shaking when he is approached by a stranger just lots of tail wagging and a look that says pet me damn it I’m cute. He loves to get on a tare running like a crazed hound around the back yard as hard as he can. Not to mention the hours of playing fetch with his stuffed rabbit up and down the hallway. 

He has also discovered the big birds that come to the back yard to eat from the feeders, he loves to chase them away even though they are bigger than him. When it’s bed time it’s off to sleep in the big bed and he pretty much sleeps all through the night. 

His appetite is great.  He eats at least two bowels of chicken rice and veggies a day and only gets organic dog treats.  He has already found the treat closet and goes there and stares when it’s treat time. The barking is down to a minimum usually when the doorbell rings, the  tail starts wagging. I was a bit worried when we first brought him home that he would not transition well but the difference is like night and day. No nervous barking and hiding, just tail wagging and lap sitting. He goes with us everywhere, loves the car, and going for walks.  Our former Poodle did not play ball, or do any of the things that Winnie does.   He is such a joy.

So while Alfie’s previous owner felt she knew what he needed, more exercise, children and maybe even agility classes, what Alfie needed was to stop being terrified of everything and everyone.  My Mom wanted me to be a lawyer and marry a doctor.  We all have good intentions for the ones we love, but what’s important is that we’re happy and our needs are being met!   Alfie, I mean Winnie, hit the jackpot!