update on Libby, re-Trixxie

[sitdownshep]

Hi all, a quick update on Libby, sorry no photo's as yet, got to get daughters help to put them on, well we have had her 3 days now & she is starting to settle into our family, she is good with Shep until he comes near me when i am sat down, then we get a few growls so i say no & move away from her, this seems to be working a lot better now, & it is getting less frequent, she is enjoying her food, doesn't like being groomed, isn't completely house trained but we are getting there, with a few tasty treat as a prize if she does it in the garden & not in the house!! not really keen on going in the garden on her own!!, so have to stand with her, after the first night, when i got to sleep at 5.30 in the morning she has been a lot better, & last night we didn't hear a peep out of her until Steve got up at 6.30!!  , & no mess!! The lady from the home she was at, said she has been sleeping with her each night, which to be honest i found a bit daft when she was rehoming her, as she had really bonded with her, but a safety gate at the bottom of the stairs has stopped her coming upstairs & she is settling well at night. She follows me round all day & isn't really keen on the men of the house, but is getting better, i wasn't told before we got her that she has to have "tears" put in her eyes daily which she hates so it is a bit of a battle to do that!! She traveled well on the way from Wales, only sick once, & think that was the upset of the move, had to have the windows open all the 5 hours journey as she really stank, but she had a shower the next day so smells a lot sweeter now!!,was told that she liked a crate but she doesn't, has a bed that was Katie's which she loves to sleep in at the bottom of the stairs at night, & has also has took shep's bean bag, ( which he never use) which she settles on in the kitchen in the day time, proper spoilt already!! She had to start her vaccinations again as they never sent the card on to prove that she had had them, so is going for her 2nd jab in 2 weeks, not really sure if she has been spayed, without opening her up again they can't tell, just have to wait & see if she ever comes into season, apart from all that she's lovely, very loving (towards me!!) but it's early days. One thing that made me laugh was when i went for a shower then came back down stairs there was only one of my slippers where i had left them, the other was in her bed, Katie the second!! at least she hasn't started to pinch my shoes as well!! i will try & get some pic's on here. Got some lovely ones on my phone of her. will be back in a few days!!....Tricia

[bluegirl]

Thats a lovely update, hope all continues to go well for all concerned.

[johndoran]

Sounds like she has landed on her four paws. So pleased for her. And you too

[honeysmun]

Thank you so much for your lovely update on Libby, Tricia
 she sounds as if she is going to be a little  love the missing slipper  and
please, please keep us all informed about all her new adventures in her wonderful new home with her new loving family, I'm sure I speak for all of us on COL that we never get tired of hearing all about these rescue babies.

[MacTavish Boys]

That is a lovely update, i hope she continues to settle in with you all  i shall look forward to seeing the photos of Libby

Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx

[Pop-Star]

Thank you for the lovely update.
Libby has really landed on her paws with you
So sweet to hear about the missing slipper.
Love to Shep too, sounds like he is being a star with the new arrival

[lindseyp]

One thing that made me laugh was when i went for a shower then came back down stairs there was only one of my slippers where i had left them, the other was in her bed, Katie the second!! at least she hasn't started to pinch my shoes as well!! i will try & get some pic's on here. Got some lovely ones on my phone of her. will be back in a few days!!....Tricia

just you wait missus - she soon will 

Wonderful update Tricia     She may only of been with you for 3 days but sounds like she's already starting to feel 'at home'   
good luck with the artificial tears - I'm sure once you get into a routine she'll settle & will let you do it without problem (I sit Tinker on a bar stool to do eye care & she 'tollerates' it 'cos she knows she gets a treat afterwards  )
A lot of happiness comes over in your update Tricia - sounds like her coming to you has bought joy to all of you 

[AnnieG]

" ...she is enjoying her food, doesn't like being groomed, isn't completely house trained but we are getting there"

"The lady from the home she was at, said she has been sleeping with her each night, which to be honest i found a bit daft when she was rehoming her, as she had really bonded with her"

"She had to start her vaccinations again as they never sent the card on to prove that she had had them, so is going for her 2nd jab in 2 weeks, not really sure if she has been spayed, without opening her up again they can't tell, just have to wait & see if she ever comes into season".

Lovely to hear that Libby is doing so well.  I detect, however, a slight feeling that you didn't get the full picture from the rescue - which is one that many people rate as among the best and most caring in the UK.  Firstly, it is very common for any rescue dog to slip back on their housetraining when they go to a new home - it doesn't mean that the rescue was untruthful.  In the case of a puppy-farmed blind dog, it would be remarkable if they didn't go through a confused period while they sorted out where and when they can relieve themselves.  And I can quite understand why the fosterer let the dog sleep in the bedroom initially. The original post said she was turned out in appalling condition. Quite often puppy farmed dogs are so sunken into themselves that they have difficulties bonding with anyone. In some cases, their only reaction to any human is fear. I have no experience of rehoming a blind one although I have rehabilitated a sighted p/f dog but I imagine complete disassociation is even more likely when the dog can't see.  So, before even considering rehoming the dog, it makes perfect sense to teach her to respond and trust - and that process can't even begin unless the dog feels safe at all times. If that means letting her sleep in the bedroom, sobeit.  Better that than having a terrified dog freaking out on her own in a kitchen or outhouse. I suspect you would be having a much more difficult time with your girlie if someone hadn't put in the basic emotional building blocks before handing over the rest of her little life to you. Finally, it must be totally frustrating not to have the vax records sent on and I can quite understand why you decided to start the process.  But rescues are busy places run by hard pressed and often exhausted people and documents often don't climb into envelopes with the speed the new owner would like.  In the case of this rescue, I am almost certain that Libby would have been injected and - in particular - spayed as promised. So you may well be worrying yourself for nothing on that count.

Anyway, it sounds as if everything is going brilliantly.  I too remember that wonderful day post-first-bath when the stink finally disappeared. It's so good when a cuddle becomes a wholehearted pleasure.  And I love the story of the stolen slipper.  It's obviously her version of a teddy bear/comfort blanket and really touching.

[cindere528]

That's a lovely update on Libby and I look forward to seeing photos of her in her new home.

Did she come from Many Tears? I can't remember now. If she did, I'm sure she would have been spayed, Many Tears always spay bitches before rehoming, unless there are very good medical reasons for not doing so.  Her fosterer may remember taking her to have stitches out, so it might be worth contacting her to make sure.

Keep up the good work with her, adopting a puppyfarm bitch isn't easy, and being blind must make it harder for Libby to settle.  Although it's not easy, it is so rewarding when they bond with you and start to trust you.

[Holly Berry]

Thanks for the update, sounds as if she is making real progress. I'm sure as the days go by she will make herself at home.

My friend has recently taken on a rescue GSDx he settled in well and now has got to the "norty" stage to see just how much he can get away with 

[sitdownshep]

Thanks for all the replies!!, as far as i know Annie g Libby went from the puppy farm & was re homed with another family that did a lot of the caring back to health, she had bonded with their granddaughter who then when to collage/university, & the family where out most of the day so the asked Lizzie's barn to have her, not sure how long they have had her but was told by the previous people that she had been spayed, but Fionna at Lizzie's Barn says they are not 100% sure she has, also she was told she had been vaccinated & had asked for her vets card to be sent to them, she was promised that it would be sent to them by last Friday/Saturday but it never arrived so she took her to their vets on Monday morning to restart her jabs just before we arrived to fetch her. I don't mind as our vets do a jabs for life plan which you just pay £99 then they have a booster & health check every year free!! saves a lot of money!! don't get me wrong Lizzie's barn is doing a wonderful job & they are such nice people, i wasn't pulling them down, just would have liked a bit more info before i got there, wouldn't have stopped me going to get her, she a sweet heart!! hopefully my daughter is coming down tonight so might get some photo's on!! fingers crossed Tricia