Help! He Tore The House Up

[Guest Tiptons_Mom]

Hello all,

I am new to posting on this site, and I am sure that this has been addressed before but I am in need to some serious help.

I adopted Tipton last Satruday 12/3, and he is just so sweet and gentle he stole my heart right away. They adivsed me at the rescue to crate him at night and when I was out of the house. Crates are his place, his den and that he would probably go into it when he was nervous or scared. He has not once gone to the crate willingly. I noticed right away that he was like velcro to my hip. Everytime I move from room to room, he was right there with me. Being new to the house, this made sense and did not seem like a big deal. He apparently is bonded to me, couldn't care less about anyone else in my house (much to the chagrin of my children). He was doing great with potty breaks, even ringing the bells on the door to let me know when he had to go. Then there was bed time... UGH! I was told to put him in the crate and to ignore his cries, don't answer them or acknowledge him at all while crying in the crate (downstairs) and that this would last for a few days and then he should be okay. NOT SO MUCH.

1st night - whined and cried for about 30 mins

2nd night - for about 50 mins

3rd night - whined and cried and now he added howling and this lasted 2.5 hours.

That was it. I could not take it anymore, so I decided to bring him into my room with his bed next to mine and use the baby gate to keep him in the room so I could keep tabs on him. He paced my room for a few more hours and then finally at 2am he fell asleep. I was told to give him a Benadryl about 30 mins before bed to "chill him out" to help him settle and that this might help for a night or two and until he got settled. I tried this last night and he was very calm, laid down when we went up to bed, woke me at 3am for a potty break, but went right back to bed when he was done. So I am not sure if it was the Benadryl or the fact that he was permitted to sleep in my room, but this worked fine. I will be trying this again tonight w/o the Benadryl to see what happens.

 

In the crate during the day, I don't know if/how long he cries since I am not there, but he was pooping and peeing in his crate, so I thought that this was a big cause for stress for him and that maybe (after reading some other posts) that the crate was not for him and that I should try to get rid of it.

So today I tried an experiment. I left for work today with him downstairs with the run of the living room kitchen and dining room, using baby gates to keep him from going upstairs or down the hall to the front door with him wearing his muzzle to keep the cats safe (just in case) and to keep him from chewing anything up). I sent my friend over to check on things and when she got to the house, she could hear him crying from the front yard. She went in to find that he was right at the door (having gotten over the baby gate somehow), he had gotten the muzzle off, he had knocked over the coat rack, ripped the cat door right out of the wall, chewed on the baby gate, busted through the baby gate on the steps and peed in the hall, and ravaged my bathroom.

After accounting for all of the pills that were scattered about the bathroom, and making sure that he had not gotten to any of the cats (tested cat safe) my friend was able to get him in the crate to keep him and the house safe until I return.

He cries and whines when in the crate and whenever I am out of his sight. He will get up and follow from room to room. I can't even go into the pantry to get a new roll of paper towels without him following me to the door and crying. I can't have him tearing up the house when I am not there, but I know that he HATES the crate and cries something awful when he is in it. What can I do?

[GeorgeofNE]

First step: contact the group you got him from IMMEDIATELY for their advice

 

Second step: Buy "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell (a very short book on fixing this problem!). You can get it on Amazon.com

 

Everything is new to this boy. Everything. You need to work with him. Some Greyhounds are totally "plug and play" and fit into a home immediately, but many need time and effort to make the adjustment.

 

Mine was one of those, so I know what you're feeling--probably along the lines of "What did I get myself into?" It gets better--but it won't get better without help.

 

Please call your adoption group TODAY. They need to know what's going on.

[Guest TheDoggfather]

God I HATE when "rescue" groups tell new adopters to crate a dog and ignore its cries.

 

What you have here is a SOCIAL animal. His whole life he's been around other dogs and people he knows. He's never been alone. He's never played alone, He's never spent a day by himself. He's never slept alone. he's always had his brothers and sister around when growing up, he's always had his kennelmates with him when he was racing. And now these genuises suggest you isolate him away from his new family and expect him to be okay? the height of arrogance to be sure. (On their part, not yours.)

 

You noticed how he calmed down when he got to sleep in your room? Not a co-inky-dink. His world's been turned upside down and the one thing that makes him feel safe and secure - YOU - is being told to isolate him. If it were me, I'd give him a bed in my room, deal with a couple nights of him pacing and I'll betcha... pretty soon he'll settle right in.

Edited December 8, 2011 by TheDoggfather

[Guest Tiptons_Mom]

That is my plan for the sleeping arrangements going forward. I personally have never really like the crate idea with the exception of when needed for medical situations, but I can't have him tearing up the house while I am out. I thought with this muzzle on that he would be a little safer for the cats and maybe keep him from chewing if he got bored with his Kong, but that didn't help much as he got it off somehow. I never thought that he would be able to get past the gates and tear up the whole house. Was really hoping that this experiment worked and I would be able to take down the crate but now I feel like I need it to keep him and the house safe.

[TheFullHouse]

He's suffering from separation anxiety. I've never had one that suffered from it but then I have a houseful. There are a lot of people on this board who have been through it and can tell you how to deal with him. I do know from reading that you need to do some alone training with him so he will adjust to being alone, how to do that, I can't tell you but I hope someone on here can.

Edited December 8, 2011 by JillysFullHouse

[heartdogs]

You can slip the head strap of the muzzle thru his collar, it will make it harder for him to get off. Take him out for a really long quick walk before you leave him alone, leaving a radio on when you're gone can also help, as Chris said he has never been alone before so it is a strange new world for him. You don't say where you are but maybe someone near you can be a dog walker for you half way thru the day. Be gentle with him & he will learn what you want, think how you would feel if your life was turned upside down.

[OwnedBySummer]

I've never had to deal with SA in a dog, any dog. But I can say that from the very first night, Summer slept in the bedroom with me. That is where I intended her to sleep so that is how we began. I crated her at night for the first week and after that, she was on my bed. Some may say a dog shouldn't have furniture privileges that quick but Summer is very much a submissive, gentle, Omega girl with no guarding issues or sleep aggression -- this is important information for granting bed privileges. Back to the crate, though... the first few nights, she cried but since I had the crate right beside my bed, I just stuck my fingers through the bars and spoke gently. That was enough for her and she would go back to sleep.

 

Good luck!

Edited December 8, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[Guest mariah]

Definitely check out the Patricia McConnell book. Many dogs suffer from a bit of SA when they come to live in a home for the first time. It's something that will go away, but working on it is a bit of a drawn out, tedious process (unfortunately). The book does a very comprehensive job of explaining this process.

 

The basic idea is that you will just leave him alone for very short periods of time at first, and then work your way up as he builds a tolerance for being alone.

 

Also, think about the actions he associates with your impending departure (putting on your coat/shoes, picking up keys, etc.) and then do these things at random, without leaving, until he stops reacting anxiously.

 

I think it's also a very good idea to make a conscious effort to ignore him at times when you're home together–maybe even gating him out of the room, but he should still be able to see you. He sounds like an especially velcro-y dog, so some structured "alone time" while the both of you are home together might be the first course of action.

 

And...this is somewhat unsolicited advice, but I was just thinking about what you said with him ignoring your kids. If the dog is bonding strongly to one person in the house, sometimes it's because that person is providing the dog with all the Good Things (meals, walks, treats etc.) If you're normally the one to do those things, delegating those tasks among the other people in the house might help balance things out a little more. This would probably help to make him less panicky at your departure, as well. Good luck!

[kudzu]

What steps did your adoption agency suggest to prevent separation anxiety? This is a link to the Adoption Manual from Southeastern Greyhound Adoption. http://greyhoundadoption.org/downloads/adopt/AdoptionManual.pdf On page 6 are some very good recommendations. You are rather behind the 8 ball at this point but it will still help if you start ignoring him. It may sound terrible to some but I assure you that it can help a great deal.

 

In particular, ignore him for 30 minutes or more before you leave & make your departure as matter of fact as possible. Don't look at him, tell him goodbye, give him a kiss or any such. Just leave. When you come home ignore him while you put your stuff down then grab a leash, clip it on him & take him out. Or in our case I just lead the dog to the door & send them all out. For newbies I do stay out with them to make sure they really go potty.

 

About the crate. Every Greyhound who has come into our home has been crated initially. It doesn't last forever, sometimes just a few weeks & others a few months. We use crates, xpens & baby gates to keep dogs confined to small areas when we are not able to supervise. None of ours have ever had a problem with the crates & most seek them out to sleep in. We keep a crate in our bedroom for nighttime sleeping. We also have them in a crate or xpen in the living room during the day. They are confined in a location where they can see most of the comings & goings as well as the exits.

 

Ours like their crates because we make them one of the comfiest spots in the house. They get fed in there. They get treats in there. If we have a rare dog who balks at going in when requested we play some crate games. The faster they go in the faster they get rewarded. They continue to get rewarded as long as they are in there & that stops if they leave without being asked to leave. They often get treats that will last them long enough for me to get out of the house & out of the driveway. And if I leave them in the crate while I go take a shower, feed the outdoor animals, etc. they get a chew treat for going in the crate. They get the treat after I've closed the door & I leave immediately. When I come back I ignore them for a bit & only open the crate when they are calmer. (There could be an exception if a dog is so worked up they he/she simply can't calm down but that's only been one non-Greyhound.) Very quickly our fosters learn that crates are wonderful even if the doors sometimes close & remain closed for a while. Honestly, I find that most of the time the problem isn't the crate but the location of the crate & how it is used. That doesn't mean it is this way in every single occasion but it seems that way the vast majority of the time.

 

Heed the advice to get Patricia McConnell's booklet. Also, consider the suggestion for other members of the family to do more of the care for the dog. Though sometimes dogs pick their person despite who feeds them, it really does make a difference.

 

Welcome & wishing you the best. These are normally things that can be worked through. You all have had a rough start to it may take a bit longer to go back & redo somethings. Still, it can work.

[Guest sheila]

One thing I have always done when I bring in a new hound is to plan to take a week off work while they settle down and settle in. This way I can monitor them and their reactions to all the new things, the dog learns the normal routines of home life, and we can spend some time just bonding. I can't imagine bringing a new dog home on Saturday and expecting him/her to learn how to live all alone in a crate by Monday. Then again, I crated my first hound for about a minute (actually an hr) the first night and decided it was not for us. I returned the crate the next day for store credit that I used for dog beds. There have been some 'oopsies' along the way, but my being home the first week mitigated many/most of them.

If the dog is already this stressed, forcing him into a crate is probably going to make things worse.

Honestly the more I read what you posted, I think you and Tipton would be better off if you returned him to the group now and find a hound that is better suited to you and your home and lifestyle. That is not meant to imply that you are not a good pet owner because just by coming here to GT shows that you are. Sometimes it's just not a match and Tipton sounds like a hound who needs more attention than you can give him.

[silverfish]

God I HATE when "rescue" groups tell new adopters to crate a dog and ignore its cries.

 

What you have here is a SOCIAL animal. His whole life he's been around other dogs and people he knows. He's never been alone. He's never played alone, He's never spent a day by himself. He's never slept alone. he's always had his brothers and sister around when growing up, he's always had his kennelmates with him when he was racing. And now these genuises suggest you isolate him away from his new family and expect him to be okay? the height of arrogance to be sure. (On their part, not yours.)

 

You noticed how he calmed down when he got to sleep in your room? Not a co-inky-dink. His world's been turned upside down and the one thing that makes him feel safe and secure - YOU - is being told to isolate him. If it were me, I'd give him a bed in my room, deal with a couple nights of him pacing and I'll betcha... pretty soon he'll settle right in.

 

Exactly so.

 

And yes, he is suffering from separation anxiety. This needs careful training, and for most hounds it can be overcome but it takes work, and it takes commitment. I've had a couple with SA. The first one trashed my bathroom and pooped and trod in it and plastered it everywhere. When I got home and heard the frantic, desperately unhappy cries (he'd somehow shut himself in) I was more sorry for him than anything, but oh boy ... what a MESS.

 

I will say one thing: you need to move your pills to a place of safety. Also any asthma inhalers you have (they can and do kill dogs if they puncture them). I don't know how you accounted for the pills but I hope you're right and he didn't get any.

 

Patricia McConnell's book is excellent and a first-class introduction to how dogs think and how to adjust their behaviour.

 

Your Tipton is still the sweet and gentle dog you fell in love with, but right now he's miserably unhappy when he's left, or when he's crated. You can change this!! Sid was a mess when we left him originally, now he hardly bothers to get up from his bed when we leave. Calm down (important anyway so as not to stress Tipton further), and take a deep breath.

 

Alone training works in 90% cases. In the other 10%, I'd probably advise returning the dog because he may need more company than you can give.

 

There are many places to research 'alone training', including here in this forum. The key is baby steps and never forcing the pace. Also you need to commit to an intensive few days of 'lessons' consisting of stuff like picking up your keys and putting on your coat and then NOT leaving. Of going out for two seconds and coming right back in. Of starting to stay out longer and longer before coming back. But each stage needs to be repeated many, many, many times before moving on to the next, and if he starts to freak at any point, you need to step back and repeat, repeat, repeat, until it's all rather a bore for him and he'd rather sleep than stress about it.

 

Finally, I understand the need to keep the cats safe, but personally, I'm not happy about leaving a dog alone in a muzzle, and by the sound of it, you might be better babygating so the cats have somewhere to run, rather than babygating Tipton in somewhere.

[GeorgeofNE]

God I HATE when "rescue" groups tell new adopters to crate a dog and ignore its cries.

 

What you have here is a SOCIAL animal. His whole life he's been around other dogs and people he knows. He's never been alone. He's never played alone, He's never spent a day by himself. He's never slept alone. he's always had his brothers and sister around when growing up, he's always had his kennelmates with him when he was racing. And now these genuises suggest you isolate him away from his new family and expect him to be okay? the height of arrogance to be sure. (On their part, not yours.)

 

You noticed how he calmed down when he got to sleep in your room? Not a co-inky-dink. His world's been turned upside down and the one thing that makes him feel safe and secure - YOU - is being told to isolate him. If it were me, I'd give him a bed in my room, deal with a couple nights of him pacing and I'll betcha... pretty soon he'll settle right in.

 

 

And did you see they told her to dope him up with Benadryl too?

 

[Maddiesmom]

God I HATE when "rescue" groups tell new adopters to crate a dog and ignore its cries.

 

What you have here is a SOCIAL animal. His whole life he's been around other dogs and people he knows. He's never been alone. He's never played alone, He's never spent a day by himself. He's never slept alone. he's always had his brothers and sister around when growing up, he's always had his kennelmates with him when he was racing. And now these genuises suggest you isolate him away from his new family and expect him to be okay? the height of arrogance to be sure. (On their part, not yours.)

 

You noticed how he calmed down when he got to sleep in your room? Not a co-inky-dink. His world's been turned upside down and the one thing that makes him feel safe and secure - YOU - is being told to isolate him. If it were me, I'd give him a bed in my room, deal with a couple nights of him pacing and I'll betcha... pretty soon he'll settle right in.

 

 

 

Exactly so.

 

And yes, he is suffering from separation anxiety. This needs careful training, and for most hounds it can be overcome but it takes work, and it takes commitment. I've had a couple with SA. The first one trashed my bathroom and pooped and trod in it and plastered it everywhere. When I got home and heard the frantic, desperately unhappy cries (he'd somehow shut himself in) I was more sorry for him than anything, but oh boy ... what a MESS.

 

I will say one thing: you need to move your pills to a place of safety. Also any asthma inhalers you have (they can and do kill dogs if they puncture them). I don't know how you accounted for the pills but I hope you're right and he didn't get any.

 

Patricia McConnell's book is excellent and a first-class introduction to how dogs think and how to adjust their behaviour.

 

Your Tipton is still the sweet and gentle dog you fell in love with, but right now he's miserably unhappy when he's left, or when he's crated. You can change this!! Sid was a mess when we left him originally, now he hardly bothers to get up from his bed when we leave. Calm down (important anyway so as not to stress Tipton further), and take a deep breath.

 

Alone training works in 90% cases. In the other 10%, I'd probably advise returning the dog because he may need more company than you can give.

 

There are many places to research 'alone training', including here in this forum. The key is baby steps and never forcing the pace. Also you need to commit to an intensive few days of 'lessons' consisting of stuff like picking up your keys and putting on your coat and then NOT leaving. Of going out for two seconds and coming right back in. Of starting to stay out longer and longer before coming back. But each stage needs to be repeated many, many, many times before moving on to the next, and if he starts to freak at any point, you need to step back and repeat, repeat, repeat, until it's all rather a bore for him and he'd rather sleep than stress about it.

 

Finally, I understand the need to keep the cats safe, but personally, I'm not happy about leaving a dog alone in a muzzle, and by the sound of it, you might be better babygating so the cats have somewhere to run, rather than babygating Tipton in somewhere.

 

 

 

What they all said. +me. Chris (Doggfather is right) about groups telling people to crate. I am not one that likes the idea that all greys should be crated when they go to a new home, each dog has a different personality and may not like the crate when by themself. The first thing i tell people that have a dog with SA that our group has me talk to is "Ditch the crate" and safeproof the house (close doors that you don't want them going into, baygating, muzzling etc) Some greys love their crates others (Maddie) hate it, she ate her way out of 3- 2 wire and 1 plastic. I took the groups advice being a first time adopter 6 years ago to crate. I wish I listened to my gut after the first crate eating, it would have saved both of us frustration, tears and crate money that could have been used for more TOYS and collars. Maddie bonded very quickly to me. Once out of the crate, and with some clomicalm prescribed by her vet, we were on our way to being a happy family. (Medication was a last resort and I discussed this in depth with our vet. She agreed that using the clomicalm and taking her out of the crate would help and then we would wean Maddie off the clomicalm slowly During all this, I did the alone training,, using the kong, the radio and TV. The crate is/was the problem. She will not go near one now. She is muzzled when we travel in hotel rooms. it takes patience, I know but it is worth it as you will see a totally different dog.

 

Take it one day at a time, and the thing I thought of is that their life has been totally been turned up side down and this is all new for them. Be patient, it is totally worth it I promise. Maddie is now one of our best meet and greet dogs, she has never met a stranger and I have to tell people that want to adopt her that she already has a home, mine and I can't imagine it without her. Let me know if you need help. we are here for you

 

 

ETA: My SA girl, could care less when I leave in the am as long as she gets her cookies. When I back the car out out of the driveway, I wait to make sure she comes to the window to see me off to work. and if she does not, Ii look in the window and she is already laying down on her bed. talk about a difference.

 

But when I come home, I am greeted with butt in the air, tail flying and toy cow mooing and that totally makes my day followed by her Happy dance to go outside for a walk.

 

Amy and Maddie

Edited December 9, 2011 by Maddiesmom

[Guest karilynn]

I'd go ahead and say there is a definite difference between practicing alone training and crating a dog all day and night and ignoring it.

[kudzu]

I'd go ahead and say there is a definite difference between practicing alone training and crating a dog all day and night and ignoring it.

Yes! There's a HUGE difference. Crates are not supposed to be prisons or isolation chambers. They are a safe spot. It's a place where the dog should feel comfortable & secure while at the same time keeping them from practicing unwanted behaviors thus keeping your house safe from damage. A crate needs to be set up somewhere the dog wants to be. So for most dogs at night that would be your bedroom until such time as the dog has learned enough to be loose in the bedroom at night. During the day it will likely be the living room or whatever room most of the activity occurs. Shy or spooky dogs may want a quieter spot but the dog OP is describing will want the place people spend most of their time. The exception is if that room is well away from the entrance/exit. Every SA dog I've had wanted to be within sight of the door through which their family left & will return. My first dog couldn't be left in the yard not because she would run away but because she would escape the fence to sit in the front yard & wait for me. If I'd had a fenced front yard she would never have escaped.

[Batmom]

Oh my word.

 

I agree with others that you should contact your group as a matter of principle. I'm not sure you'll get good advice from them -- they're the ones who told you to crate him away from his people at night, ignore him, and give him Benadryl, which is some of the worst advice I've ever heard. I'm flabbergasted about that ..... Kudos to you for figuring it out before even posting!

 

Most dogs learn fairly quickly to do OK on their own. Some take longer than others. I have heard good things about Patricia McConnell's book but haven't read it myself. The best trick I know re alone training is to take a couple hours and leave a lot. As in, first take the dog out and get him good and empty potty-wise and maybe a little bit tired. Then leave (truly off the premises, not hiding outside - they can hear you) for 3 minutes, come back for 5, leave for 5, come back for 10, leave for 3, come back for 1, leave for 3, come back for 3, leave for 5, come back for 5 ... as many times as you can stand in an hour or two. I'll try to do one or two sessions of this a day every day; usually by session/day 3, most dogs are so bored by the notion of your leaving that they don't even get up when you come back in. Doesn't solve the problem of what if they wake up from a 3-hour nap and discover you're gone, but does give you a leg up on defusing the "OMG, she's LEAVING!" signal.

 

Hugs and best luck with your new pupper.

[Guest Tiptons_Mom]

Update:

So last night we went for a quick stroll around the block just to make sure that we took care of the potty situation and to let him stretch his legs a bit and then we went up to bed. I put his pillow bed on the floor in my room, and as soon as I sat on my bed, he did his quick turns and laid down. In a few minutes he was fast asleep. No pacing or rooting around. There were a few times that I myself got out of bed last night and of course he rose with me, but as soon as I sat down again, he was down.

After reading everyone's replies and speaking with the adoption group, I know it will be okay, and I just need to work with him to find that sweet spot to keep him happy and safe during the day while in the crate. There was some mention of "returning Tipton" but that is not an option for us. He choose us (we like to think that we choose them, but I know better)

It has been less than a week, and he has made so much progress in that time, I just needed to know that I was not alone in all of this and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I took the advice of those who recommended the book "I'll be home soon" downloaded it to the NOOK and read it last night. This makes total sense, and we started on some of the suggestions this morning.

I am also setting up my laptop with the webcam to keep an eye on him in the crate during the day just to see how long the Kong lasts, how much he is sleeping, etc.

 

Thank you so much for all of the support and feedback and I look forward to being a part of this greyt community forum.

[Guest mariah]

So glad things are going a little better now! I've been there too...it can be a very daunting and frustrating thing to deal with at first, esp. in addition to all the usual stress and worry that comes along with getting a new dog.

[kudzu]

That's a wonderful update. Wishing you all the best. Sounds like Tipton has landed in his sweet spot already.

[silverfish]

Excellent update! It's always good to know people are committed to working things out, and even better to know that things are improving already!!

 

Tipton has a lot of settling in to do - they always do, and some have more difficulty than others. They mostly do settle, though, in the end, especially with help from a sympathetic owner. I'm sure he'll do just fine.

 

[Guest TBSFlame]

When I bring a dog home I always feed them in the crate. It does 2 things. It allows the dog peace while eating until he/she finds their place in the pack. And it provides good things that happens in the crate. I have never crated a dog at night unless they were in a crate. They want to be with you. Time takes care of most problems. Some dogs love their crate and do find it a safe place and other do not. The crates at the adoption kennel and the racing kennel are lots bigger than the crate we use at home. They also have buddies on each side and above (if a boy). Those of us that foster don't see the SA thing because most of us have dog packs. Some greyhound just don't do well as an only dog. Our first was an only dog for 5 years. He was fine. I think Memmie would love it if all the others went away, then she would have me all to herself. lol. Most like having others around, it gives them comfort.

 

 

[Guest greytgrandma]

Tipton is so lucky he has you. You care so much about him and are willing to go the extra mile to learn and help him settle into his new life. Welcome to GT , I look forward to seeing news and adventures ( and I hope photos) of Tipton.

[Guest Tiptons_Mom]

Tipton is so lucky he has you. You care so much about him and are willing to go the extra mile to learn and help him settle into his new life. Welcome to GT , I look forward to seeing news and adventures ( and I hope photos) of Tipton.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for all of the support. This has made this all so much easier. I did not take adopting a greyhound lightly, I did a lot of reading and felt like I knew what to expect, but just like kids, they never do what you expect them to.

I can report that he is doing much better with the SA as I have been working very hard on the alone training and we are playing the "kennel game" with him often. Tipton really enjoys these liver muffins that I made for him, so we use them to get him to go in and out of his kennel to know that good things happen there. We have even gotten to the point where he will go in the kennel on command (for the most part)and he has not been following me as much. I have been watching him on the webcam at home when I go out for my little alone training sessions and I found that he is not crying nearly as long as he had. He is such a loving dog, I am so happy that he is part of our family.

Now we just have to work on our manners.

[kudzu]

Beautiful! So wonderful news. It must feel like this is taking forever, at least I would feel that way. Some days may be better than others. Just saying that so that if there is any back sliding you won't despair.

 

Just think of it as if someone took you & dropped you on a foreign planet. You had already met the aliens when they worked in your office but to be delivered to their home planet & brought in to live in their home with them would be major culture shock, especially if you only knew a few words of their language.

 

I'll echo the sentiment that Tipton was so lucky to land in a home where people love him & are willing to work with him. One day you will probably look back & be amazed at how far you all have come.

[silverfish]

Great news! So glad Tipton is responding so well, and that you're feeling less stressed.