Inside the Dogs Mind

( Dexter (in rear of picture) in his former shelter, a dark damp place)
Too many hands and mouths are involved in the project "shelter mission" Too many people who said they were in, and then disappeared because it is not an easy project. People who don't attend to meetings, or do their research later on but have their opinions ready, and many times the facts are wrong, very wrong.

We didn't chose to adopt our new dog Dexter! He ended up in our home for a variety of different reasons. Regardless of intent, in my heart I couldn't let him return to the shelter. I still get nightmares when I am thinking of that place. Volunteers that went with me say the same, it was like the air went out of us.

A Sengora didn't like that we adopted Dexter since he was in the category "easy to adopt." According to her, we should pick one of the other less desirable dogs, blind, crippled or...... We wanted the blind dog, but with two small children I am afraid he would walk into them (not on purpose of course) and the children could fall down the stairs. And just why should we not want a good dog anyway?

But in another way she couldn't be more wrong about Dexter being an easily adoptable dog. Other than size, what makes her think Dexter is so adoptable? Sitting at a distance from me, and having a psychological opinion makes me wonder how she does that? Maybe she is psychic?

Last year when I held a lecture for one of the leading dog trainers in Sweden, they were very much against importing stray dogs to Sweden, "You don't know what you'll get!" they said.

To one certain degree I agree. Having more than 10 years of experience from different countries dealing with strays, you do not know what you get, and ....the dogs don't know what they are to get either!

Dexter, is fantastic in the group of our pack, but is terrified of humans and sounds. You take out the broom and he screams a sound that goes through skin and bones. You cannot pet him on his head, and if I call him he freezes and throws himself down on the ground... totally submissive, waiting for a beating that apparently in the past would be sure to follow.

He also has separation anxiety and you can hear him howling far out to the parking lot. He pees and poops inside, so according to the Sengora if this is an easy dog to adopt away, I sure don't know what the other dogs are behaving like. But we love our Dexter, he is one of us now --- we know it will take time, that is ok for us.

You can get a small dog with huge problems, and a big dog with small problems. You never know. Dogs, like humans, will react to, and interact with, different environments differently: child, children or empty nest; apartment, house or farm; a calm person, athletic and active or one who is stressed; the list and variables can be long. But who has the skills, and time to fully observe and evaluate every individual dog before being put up for adoption?

Who can communicate with the dog, and make sure what his needs are? (ok, I can!)

Sometimes we chose with our Amore heart, sometimes we are too demanding that we think we rescued a dog, and he should be thankful.

They have the same emotional needs like our children, every one different and unique. Adopting a child takes years to accomplish, adopting a dog takes a day.....where is the balance?

Opinions expressed are solely my own, and not those of AWL.