Rescue Journal

just to point out...

Carol  ·  Jan. 18, 2010

folks are spelling merridth's name incorrectly...i know meredith is the traditional spelling..but her mom spelled it merridith....as an aside, her mom also called her...bunkady..not sure what that means, but there you go.

and a heads up on ootah...he was hit by a car a few years ago....he had reconstructive surgery on his toes, a steel plate in his hind leg and a large skin graft taken from his side...so while he has healed very well, i do notice he is somewhat sensitive about those spots.
also...he can be a bit growly in the laundry area...it is a rotti thing...i have noticed quite a few dogs over the years, speak deeply in their chests, they don't really mean anything..but it is good to pay attention. it is a good idea when hearing any dog growl to take it as a warning and not to push them too far. the best thing to do with ootah when he gives a soft deep growl is to just to walk on past him and pretend he is not there.

apparently he gave a warning snap yesterday when a volunteer tried to reach out and reassure....he does not want reassurence, he at that moment wanted personal space. that area is too small to give him much physical space, except in his very large bed....but we can give him emotional space when he needs it and he has been ok with that.
so when ootah is in his bed..he is invisable...when ootah comes out to say hello...we can see him again.

it will only be another week or so until he is comfortable loose in the house...already he is sometimes stopping on his way back and forth to outside to check things out and say hello to the other guys, it won't be long now.

this is a big adjustment for him to come here...so many new animals, so many new people, such a new way of very busy living....it is a bit overwhelming to him. he did so much better on his runs yesterday....he looked more comfortable, he is figuring it out that he will really be ok.

it is never easy for any dog to lose their home...and it certainly is not easy to suddenly find yourself in an overcrowded animal hotel...but once he figures out how this party works..i suspect our nervous ootah is going to become one of our very best party'ers.

he is a very good dog under a lot of stress....the first few weeks at boarding school or university are difficult for human youth too!

change may make us stronger and better, but it scares all creatures at some point too so lets give ootah the time he needs to adjust to his new life at saints....no pressure ootah, you are doing just fine.

Comments

Cerredwin

Hello, it's so wonderful to read these blogs on Ootah and Merrideth, how they are settling in to their new home. They were my babies till 2 weeks ago when time came to place at Saints. I have cancer and cannot physically care for them anymore. Yes Ootah is a big boy. He loves his bed and is quite posessive about it, but has never been aggressive towards anything ever, when he's sleeping he doesn't like to be disturbed.We had alot of naptime, me being a sick as I am, and the activity level is higher than what's he's used to. Merrideth's nickname is Bunkity or Bunk because she used to bunk or hit things in play. I miss them terribly but I know they will be happy and that's what we want for our kids, to be happy, my kids with fur, Ootah and Bunkity. Thank you Carol so much for being there.

erin

does ootah have an equal to play with? i have a strong young ox of a dog that might just be a good match, could bring him out saturday and let the two of them wrestle and slobber all over each other awhile....

lynne

he is really a handsome strong guy. welcome ootah, you are going to be okay. i have finally stopped calling him oka. for anyone that does not know, that was our other rotti, also a very hadsome and likeable guy. nice when ootal can finally be sprung from the laundry room. i also kept my distance from him when he had that low deep growl. one has to have a heal thy respect for that.

nicole

ootah is quite obvious when he doesn't want to be touched. he is very 'uninviting' with his eyes.
when meg and i were in the laundry area on saturday. he was chilling in his bed and definitely wanted his space.
but when he does want to play, he's all over the show with silliness.