If I Knew Then…(Part 3)

B.J. here one last time before munchkin Charlie Bear gets to speak.

If I knew then what I know now….well, I’ll let you be the judge of the outcome.

When Charlie Bear came to live with us in October of 2010, he had “issues.” His profile online stated: “Poor guy spent his impressionable months fending for himself on the streets with an owner who didn’t care for him. As a result, he developed some ‘issues’ – resource guarding, being sensitive to touch, and throwing tantrums. He starts to chase his tail when he is nervous, over-excited or unable to do what he wants to do. However, when he settles into his daily routine and feels secure and relaxed, he turns into a Charlie Bear…the sweetest, affectionate, cuddle bear.”

It went on to stay that he was very focused, smart, eager to learn and to please and that he currently lived at a foster home with 2 other dogs, one big and one small. That was important because we had Golden Lab, Rex.

There were hundreds of dogs in our area (thousands all over the place) that needed homes. Why did this one stand out? What about his “issues”? We wondered if we should take on a dog that would need so much from us. Then I asked myself, “Why not?” He deserved a home. He’d been through so much. He’d need behavior training reinforced (but don’t they all?); he’d need patience (what dog doesn’t, especially when they are young?). He’d also need lots and lots of love.

A young Rex

I went through behavior training classes with puppy Rex (who flunked!), but I hated to admit that I was ten years older now! My old brain needed to be jump-started and this book helped: Good Habits for Great Dogs. http://amzn.to/9DKwUy

In upcoming posts, Charlie Bear is going to share what it was like for him when he joined our family. You won’t believe what he has to say.

CALL-OUT: Share with us YOUR rescue/adoption story along with your pet’s photograph. Send via email to: bj@bjtaylor.com. Your story and photo could be featured at the end of an upcoming “If I Knew Then…” post.

We look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,
B.J. along with Wiggles & Woofs from Charlie Bear!

www.bjtaylor.com

P.S. We don’t have a “featured pet” to post here. Please send in your photo and story about your dog. We’d love to share.