Turning Point

[Guest june]

Kiowa's story just reinforces my favorite saying: There is a God and he does care!

Thanks for sharing this most wonderful, moving story.

june

[Guest breakxdownn]

We've had Finley about two months now and after about a month I thought he was fully settled. Within the first week, he was chattering, roachin', getting up on the couch, and knew his name. But after a month, he just seemed more at home. And since then, every week I think he seems more settled, seems to bond to us more, etc. So...while he definitely knows this is his home, after hearing about so many dogs settling 6 months - 1 year, I think he just may have even more "settling" to do! Can't wait - let's do this Finley!

[HoundHeavenAZ]

That is the most beautiful, touching story of Kiowa! Thank you for sharing it. Here I am giving my students a test and now I've got tears in my eyes

My Lima and I connected the moment we met and she was at home whenever she was with me. Leah finally decided after about 3 months that she was at home one night and started playing with Lima and the toys and doing zoomies. Now our Lima is gone and we miss her every day.

 

this is an old story that I've posted more than once. I've got others, but this one is still the best of the best:

 

How Kiowa Got His Groove Back

When I adopted Kiowa I was told that his former adoptive home was abusive. That he had been kept chained up under a porch where he had been attacked by other dogs. They said when they got him he was skinny and dirty and looked like someone had beat him with a cat-o-nine tails or something. Nonetheless he was a very sweet natured dog. Friendly and affectionate and sometimes playful but just the same there seemed to be a sadness about him. He would wake from sleep screaming often. When I took him for walks he just sort of plodded with his tail tucked and his head hung low.

One night after I had him for about 9 mo I had a very terrifying experience. The evening had been normal, Kiowa had had a long walk, had eaten his dinner and had tossed a stuffy around for a bit. I was in another room when I heard him yelp. When I checked on him he seemed fine, I couldn't find anything wrong, but about 20 min later he started pacing and panting and shaking. I called the vet who told me K probably had gas and to give him an antacid. I went to the store to buy some and when I came back K was laying on the floor and wouldn't get up, wouldn't even move. I called the vet back and insisted he needed to be seen NOW. The vet was in the city about 35 miles away but said he would return to his clinic as soon as he could. Now keep in mind K weighed over 80lb and I only weigh about 100 myself. I couldn't pick him up so I pulled my car around to the front porch and drug K by his legs and pulled him into the car. When I arrived at the clinic we had to wait about another 20 min for the vet to arrive. By the time the vet got there K had stopped breathing. He was alive but couldn't breathe. The vet tried injections of benedryl and epinephrine but they had no effect. Kiowa started to thrash in my arms at that point because he was suffocating. The poor guy even bit me during his panic and I didn't even notice until one of the staff noticed the blood pouring out of my hand later. The vet grabbed a scalpel and performed a tracheotomy and put a tube into K's neck and blew into it. K was then able to breath on his own a minute or so later. During his time on the table we discovered a bruised and bloody mark on his inner thigh which lead us to suspect some kind of bite, most likely from a spider. K spent the night at the vet and came home the next day.

The vet warned me that since he had been deprived of oxygen he may have brain damage and may have lost any/all training he had. Told me he might not even be housebroken anymore, or remember me. That wasn't the case thankfully. The next few weeks were hard on K. He was lethargic and seemed more hung down and brung down than ever. He wouldn't even go on walks at all, out for a pee break and he would want to go right back in the house. Until one amazing moment that I will never forget. I still choke up when I remember that moment. I had him out for his leashed pee break and he was plodding along when he suddenly stopped, lifted his head up and looked over his shoulder at me for a long moment like he was studying me. He sniffed the air and then looked back at me again and then........he jumped straight up into the air and then started bucking like a rodeo bronc. Spinning in circles and kicking up his heels. I was freaking out! When he was done his tail was wagging, his head was up and his ears were perked and he wanted to go for a walk. He even walked differently now. He kept his head and tail high and his ears perked. Best of all the 'plod' was gone and ever since then Kiowa walks with a prance to his step and joy in his eyes. I told the vet I think he may have fixed him too good! LOL

Seems the vet was 1/2 right. Kiowa did forget some things. He forgot to be sad. When he slept and dreamt he no longer woke up screaming, rather his tail would wag and he would sort of chuff and huff.

Kiowa is well into his 13th yr now and he's slowing down. He isn't running laps but does a leisurely lope around the yard. He takes the steps at a slower more methodical pace and is no longer able to jump up on my bed or into the truck without help. He now requires a 2 AM potty break and wears a diaper if I am gone for more than 4 hours but I don't mind. He still has joy in his eyes and a wag in his tail

 

Kiowa was called home in June of 2008. RIP dear Kiowa. I miss you every day.

[Guest Stripeyfan]

Kelly's always been a very loving dog and played from day 1 (I don't think he could believe it when he came in the door on his first day and saw his toy basket waiting for him), but about 8 months in he suddenly started 'high-fiving' for attention and walks and face-rubbing and roaching. There's no doubt at-all now that he's 'our' dog and we're 'his' humans! Plus he seems to have bonded equally with me and DH, which is really rewarding. He's a very quiet, shy dog but he has this wonderful cheeky, naughty side which only comes out when he's with people he knows and trusts, and I just love it.

[gracegirl]

Grace took about 5-6 months to really settle into being "home". I can't pinpoint or recall the behaviors that let me know this, with her it was more of a progression.

 

Fenway took 5 minutes to let me know he was home. He was a four month old puppy who had been flown into SeaTac airport at midnight on Grace's birthday. He explored the yard on leash, explored the very small house, then jumped up on the couch and let out a sigh. He was home! (he'd never been allowed on the furniture at the foster home and Grace was on her dog bed at the time...so he had to have done that by instinct. He's my little bed buddy/couch cuddler to this day 3.5 years later. )

[Guest Sunset123]

We've had Arrisa for 9 months and just yesterday as she came over to me and lied down right between me and my work surface for petting I realized that she'd not the same dog that she was when she came home. She just started chattering about a week ago and she started cuddling on our bed 3 weeks ago. I don't know if there was a "eureka!" moment, but it makes me very happy.

[cleptogrey]

emily arrived at our home on a nov 1st, thanksgiving we had a house full of people that year- she was busy roaching in our terrier's bed while everyone was busy socializing. i think our company rubbed most of her kennel coat off that day, she was massaged and pet so much by everyone! she was home from that day on.

 

annie was a totally differernt story. we have had her for 9 months, she just started jumping into the car and not barking at company when they come out of the bathroom or a bedroom. her affection to us has grown daily and her crazy dog antics in the yard (i think she must have come from a rough and tumble litter) are now blossoming.she is finally taking food from my parents and visitors!

[Guest KansasGrey]

Magnus was a bounce and was residing with the adoption coordinator of the group. When we went to look at him he stood right beside me. I knelt down and he just stood there beside me for about fifteen minutes. I think he knew why we were there. We took him home that day but he never really slept or napped deeply. If I moved he would pop his head up immediately. He had SA and would pee in the crate if we left him alone. A month later we brought Maggie home and he knew Maggie from the prison program they had both been in. From that day on he never had another accident and slept like a baby. He took on the role as home protector after a couple months. He knew he was home.

 

Maggie was a little more shy and it took about a year for her personality to come out. When we went to see her she hid behind the furniture. I thought it was odd that she was following Magnus around the backyard that day. The other five dogs were outside wandering and not paying any attention to him at all. We brought Maggie home and the next day we were told that the two of them had been across the hall from each other at the prison and were buds there. Even the adoption coordinator had not known that. Maggie had been there too long since she snapped at her trainer when he tried to do her nails. That was put in the description on their web page. No one wanted her. She did snap at DH the first time he did her nails (muzzled). After a month or so he didn't put her muzzle on when he did her nails and she would put her mouth over his hand but never attempted to bite. She is a schemer. She is very stubborn, has to have all the bones on her bed and refuses to go for a walk unless I'm going. All this evolved over the first year. She's really a sweet little girl and is my traveling companion.

 

Mama Lisa came as a foster. She walked in the house and was home immediately. This one is a love bug and roached immediately right off the farm. We have had her since last April so her personality is slowly coming out. She doesn't play with the other dogs or toys. If she's not going for a walk or ride she's sleeping. She comes immediately when called and has caused no trouble. I keep hoping one day she will wake up and have some fun.

[arandomchic]

Molly was always a happy go lucky girl for the most part. A little unsure the first night, by day two she was playing with toys and roaching on her bed. But every week, month, etc there after we always see some change that lets us know she's found her home and settling in. Like when she started to play bow and bark at Lewis Cat. Or more recently, right after her 6 month anniversary, she started coming up on the couch on her own. Then a couple of weeks later she was roaching on the couch. Last night she put her feet up on the couch and gave me the most baleful, pathetic look to let me know I was in her spot.

 

I love these little new personality quirks each and every time I see a new one.

[Guest AnnieAreYouOK]

I've had Annie for a month now and I'm still waiting for her epiphany moment.

 

I'm just trying to desensitize her to all the scary surroundings. She has been slowly improving.

 

This thread is really encouraging.

[Guest cassie19]

I don't think Kiwa's had a "eureka" moment yet. Each day though she'll do something that shows us that she is getting more and more comfortable with us and that she is realizing that this is home. She's been with us almost 2 months, a month and a half. In the last few weeks, she's stopped giving us a hard time with leaving her in the crate while we're out. She has started answering to her name. Just this week she began snuggling with us. She'll come up on the couch and lay her head on my lap and fall asleep.

 

The first few weeks were tough though. She didn't bark until the third week with us. She still has trouble with the hard wood floor and when we initiate affection, she runs. It's definitely a process and a journey but every day she gets closer to that "point".

Edited November 12, 2010 by cassie19

[Guest NJgrey]

Well, this was Ellie on her first day:

 

 

She was pretty quick to be playful and find her toys etc. So in that regard she settled in pretty quickly.

 

But I really feel like something clicked in the past month or so - at the 7-8 month mark - where now she really feels at home. She became much more of a snuggle-bug all of a sudden, and just seemed to "get it". I don't know how to explain it but she's certainly settled in now!