"sighthounds & siberians" wrote
"cshenk" wrote

Follow up report after about 5 hours home with us. This is a visit trip
and
she's back with her foster mom for now.
Next weekend, she stays all day or maybe all weekend.

Just curious - how come the 'visits' instead of just taking her home?

Well, it turned out to be a good idea. Please realize I said at the start
that I am not an experienced dog person (I assume many here are but I'm with
the first one of my life and really *do* want to learn better).

My husband Don has had dogs all his life, even when in military was often a
dog handler for the military dogs when he couldn't have one of his own.
Since I can't 'report' and 'ask' as well as he can, I sometimes get things
wrong. This is lack of knowledge not being too dumb to learn. My own
background is cats, girly as it might be (grin).

1.) Apple is a bit of a chewer. So far, only things like bedroom
slippers.

Misdiagnosed age. She doesnt have all her teeth in yet and is teething.

Well, that'll make her a chewer, no doubt about that.

I saw this. Even I could tell. We sent her back with a good 'plastic bone'
that Cash was never interested in that just fits her mouth. She was walking
around carrying it as if afraid she'd lose it. Although she licked Cash's
bone (Cash is amazingly tolerant) it was too big. Don checked and her
molars (or whatever they are for dogs, back teeth I guess) arent all in yet.

(peeing/deficating in house)
Apple is getting worse at the foster parents on this. It looks like an
older 14YO incontinent dog may be related. There were no incidents in our
house at all. She even whined at the back door just a tiney bit once she
knew that lead to the back yard and where to go pee. Took them both out
and
yeah, peed then flopped down for a little sunny rest.

Just another reason to get it done with and bring her home. She's
just developing bad habits at the foster home.

Thats true but there is more than I reported. I didnt know enough to see
signs of 'worry' per my husdnand.

The process here locally is to have a few test visits and see how it goes.
Suprisingly, Daisy-cat came out 3 times to 'sniff the new dog'. Only once
was there a little hissing as if to say 'back off dog. I am the QUEEN CAT
here and you are invading my space'.

I really think that's a weird process. If there are going to be huge,
unsolveable problems with the animals not getting along, you're going
to know pretty quickly. This doesn't mean there won't be problems

Thats the idea. There are several things I did not recognize (so not
accounted for in the message you replied to)

I am sorry. I said at the start that I am cat experienced but not dog
experieced. Please bear with me as I learn. Believe me, my dog experineced
husband had much to learn on cats as well. Integrating them together took
both our experience. You dont afterall just 'toss the kitty in with the
dog(s) and hope they make friends.

later on, but they're often, if not usually, caused by owners not
handling things properrly. I know some rescue groups do
foster-to-adopt, or sort of a test run where the adoptive home takes
the dog home for 2 weeks, and I can kind of see the point in that
(although in my experience the new dog's personality doesn't really
start to emerge until after 2 weeks in the new home). But these
visits sound as if they're confusing animal adoption with human child
adoption. If things are going OK, what's the point of the dog going
back to the foster home? (I know you're not the one who made the
policies.)

Ok, I'll show how dumb I was. Perhaps if will help another?

Here's what I didnt report because I failed to see it or didnt know to look
for it. If it helps, Don just looked thoughtful and said he wanted to think
a bit about Apple.

- All play was initiated by Cash-pup
- Although tails wagged on both dogs, there was no acceptance of play
offered by Cash-pup
- Apple came up to a resting Cash-pup laying on the rug and bit his ear (no
skin broken)
- Apple almost on entry in the door followed me and ignored everyone else
(although friendly to all 2 foots).
- Cash has had various friends of us drop off a dog for from for a few hours
and they didnt get 'alpha' in a one day visit. Sizes of visitors range from
Great dane to itty bitty and it's no different for a an afternoon. *Longer*
I guess is an issue but these are well socilaized sorts.

On the other hand, Don hasnt decided yet. He is still thinking. She *is*
'fixable' he thinks. He was thinking 'no' earlier today but now as of 5
mins ago, he wants to think more on it.

Don's thoughts eem to be 'we can ut with so many unwanted pets, do we want
*this specific one* that doesnt seem to match the house?