Today is two years since Founder joined our family. In early November I had a huge debate over Founder or Pacer. At the time, Pacer won as he needed out of the shelter more desperately. They were both long term shelter residents--well over a year each. Pacer was about to be deemed unadoptable due to his overwhelming fear of everything. (not so much of an issue anymore). Founder was timid, but only with sudden movements & strangers. However, endless months of confinement were starting to take their toll on him psychologically. He began to refuse to come back in from the play yard. He would snap and growl when the staff finally cornered him and made him come inside. Not exactly helpful for his adoption options!
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At the time Stuart and I were both on the shelter's board of directors. He was at the shelter one Sunday afternoon for a fundraiser. When he got home that evening, a rather scared dog followed him out of the truck, tail down, head hung low, not making a sound. I was cleaning one of the dog runs. Stuart walked over and said "where do you want this dog?" His explaination for bringing him home was "well, you already have all his buddies here." Founder's best friends in the shelter were Chase, Raven and Pacer--all part of my pack now! He lit up when he saw his old friends. No reintroductions were neccessary! At the time Founder and Chase were fosters. I adopted them both a few days after Hoodoo's death as a tribute to him.
Founder is no longer timid of anything. He's 80 pounds of long, leggy lovin'!
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He's also one of the noisest dogs in the yard. He has an amazing vocabularly.
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He's recently decided that he likes being in the house and often sleeps inside now. For a long time, Founder wouldn't even come through the door. No way was he getting trapped inside again. There have been no further incidents of snapping or growling at humans since he was released from the shelter.
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He's learning to be a lead dog, although a command leader he is not! He's a trail dog and loves to run the same way he went last time! Paxil and I are both working on that with him! Sometimes it's more fun to take a new path, but Founder disagrees!
Happy Anniversary, my big goofball!
