About a week ago, Jason and I welcomed Snickers (one of the puppy mill rescues) into our home.  Snickers is a VERY sweet, 4 year old Bichon Frise.  He was matted, dirty, full of urine and feces (probably never bathed) when he was first rescued and was part of the Petsmart, extreme makeover pups. He is now stunningly handsome and completely adorable and kissable.

Snickers was SO unsure of us, our home, his surroundings, our other dogs and I can’t blame him – it can all be very overwhelming.  Getting the little guy to go outside was a task in and of itself.  We literally had to pull him out of his safe place – his crate – a place he had probably lived his entire life – a place he would spend most of his time now that he was safe in our home.  The place that when he would come out for a split second and spot you and you would go to him, he would run right back into.  We would drag the poor little guy out of this safe haven and place him in our yard – the only way to get him to go out to do his business.  Getting him to come back in was like trying to catch a fly.  He didn’t come back in on his own so we would have to try to pick him up and carry him back in but catching him took the greater of, sometimes, 15 minutes.  We’d go one way, he’d go another.  He found ducking in between trees and in and out of bushes in our yard a game and one that he was winning for sure!  We did everything but flail our bodies on top of him – just when you thought you had him, out of your grasp he would wander.  Getting him to come in from outside was a task for sure and took great patience.

Just the other day, I was getting ready to go out and I had an epiphany.  What if we closed all of the crate doors (we usually leave them open as crates are ALWAYS a place that the dogs should and do feel safe to sit whenever they choose) and Snickers was forced (I use this term very lightly as I would never do anything to make my pets feel uncomfortable) to hang out with the rest of the Causey pack.  What if he didn’t have his safe place anymore?  What would happen?  At first Snickers stood in the middle of the room, baffled.  He didn’t know where to go or what to do.  I left the room and returned a few minutes later to find him snuggled up in the Chihuahua’s pillow, as if it were his own.  Definitely progress.  When it was time to go out, I rallied the troops to the back door and much to my surprise – IN ATTENDANCE – Snickers!  No one had to go pick him up – he was finally feeling like part of our clan.  I loved watching him saunter out with the rest of the kids – he had this DOWN!

Now the big test – was he going to come in on his own?  One by one they all start to come up the deck steps from the yard - Lily….Kota….Jagger…..Willow….Max….Kat……..waiting…..waiting…..waiting…….a little encouragement, we call him……”Snickers!!” again…..”Snickers”…..we wait some more……and then, bringing up the rear, my man Snickers, at the top of the steps….he made it…..so proud of this little guy.  I knew he had it in him.

And now, a few days later, he knows the routine, he goes out, he comes in, we don’t have to wonder…..He hangs out with us.  He sits on my lap and watches tv with the family.  We even journeyed down to the end of the block on a leash today (we were slightly unsure about said leash but we were also unsure about going outside at one point, right – so we’ll work on it).

This little guy has come LEAPS and BOUNDS in the week or so that he has been with us.  He ENJOYS being loved (never had it).  He enjoys sitting on our laps (never had it).  He enjoys living in a home (never had it).  And this all happened within a week.  Imagine what’s in store for this special guy with the whole world in front of him……I’m so looking forward to seeing him in his forever home – he SO deserves that.

Snickers

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