Alfie: Heart smiles

Well, that was probably the fastest trip from tears to smiles I've ever had for heart ache.

I know grief isn't linear but I cried for 5 hours Sunday, 2 hours Monday, 1 hour Tuesday, 10 minutes Wednesday, 0 minutes Thursday, and today I'm smiling.

These are the updates I've received from his foster who originally had Alfie was considering adopting him.  

1-Thank you for all these wonderful pictures. It warmed my ❤️  and your very thoughtful and detailed explanation of the situation and your tough decision to rehome Alfie was both heartening and heartbreaking. We are going to give that little fellow all we can think of to help him overcome (although it does sound like you already did that and more...).

2- Alfie and I are lying down for a short nap, he's doing pretty well and the ride wasn't bad at all once I started playing nature sounds that included a lot of bird tweets (Thanks YouTube 😀)

3- Alfie is doing well, whiney of course but it's mostly manageable so far. He slept with me in my bed last night, something I know didn't happen at your house and not really a long range plan with my dogs but we usually let the fosters up with us in the early stages. But he was relaxed all night and then this morning after I let him out to go potty he came back inside and disappeared, and I found him up in bed again! We have gone for a couple of walks, and played fetch in the house. So far so good 👍 😁

4- Alfie has been doing really well, I hope Tracker and you are healing❤️‍🩹. My husband and I took hime hiking yesterday in Woodland Park, and he got a treat at McDonald's, a double cheeseburger with extra pickles (and of course no onions😁), and he has enjoyed sticking his head out the window on the car rides when not going highway speed. I'll have to leave him alone when I go to work tonight but we're letting him on the human beds for now and he loves to go there even when we're not there so I'm hopeful he'll sleep there while I'm gone. 

So, now Alfie is a solo dog getting pampered by two, mostly-retired humans that love him. It very much sounds like he's found his forever home and just took a detour. I'm all smiles and Tracker and I are pretty darn happy too. Yesterday, we hung out on the porch for a while just enjoying the breeze, the wind chimes, and some idyllic rest together. Alfie found this spot stressful because a person walks by on the street every half hour or so.

So, it's been quite the roller coaster but I think everyone is in a happier and more peaceful spot.

Alfie: Heart sore

 I just sent this letter.

Dear Safe Harbor Labs,

It is with tears running down my cheeks that I admit we’re not the right home for Alfie and ask you to find him a better match. We’ve done so many medication trials to help him but, fundamentally, he needs a home where there is more human touch available to him… that is the medication that will mean the most. 

I have a ton of information to impart about what has worked for him and what hasn’t over the last 15months. (I will provide a full vet record.)

Here are some bullet points:

- He has hereditary hypothyroidism which is now fully controlled by a a pill twice a day. The vet has checked his blood levels and his current dose is perfect.

- He has chronic anxiety. 

Things that make his anxiety worse:

-Any change from norms (doorbell, deer, squirrel, people walking on the street, thunder)

-Delayed human touch (even with touch, his anxiety will last long beyond the stimulus anywhere from 30min to hours)

-Separation from humans (e.g. when repairs need to be made and he’s in a room with the door closed because only one person is home)

-Quick hand movements around his head. He has clearly been hit in the past and despite all the love here is really frightened it will happen again. I am also suspicious that his ears were pinched because even slight pressure in petting will make him yelp and show an anxiety response.

Things that make his anxiety better:

-Human touch (He is vocal in his distress for all things that make his anxiety worse but, even when he’s making the vet’s office echo with his barks, a hand of any person on his head with sooth him.)

-Medications (He achieved some comfort on a high does of Trazodone twice a day although the fundamental challenges remained. The vet said this was not a good med for him to take longterm and we’re continuing with efforts at replacement; I’ve lost count of the number of failed medication trials.)

-Chewing will help him be distracted if the anxiety is very mild, but otherwise doesn’t help. (He does love dog chews for pleasure and is not a destructive chewer of property.)

- Other behaviors to note:

- He is GI sensitive.  He can tolerate gradual food changes but is prone to diarrhea and constipation. He needs lots of time and consistency for his relieving routine to be low stress for him.

- He is generally dog dominant and will test his place frequently.  My good natured old Lab gets along with him fine but I do need to redirect from humping at least several times a week and there have been a few times when the dominance has required separation for the old dog to get a break.

- He can walk fine a leash with a gentle leader but alerts loudly to other dogs and struggles to settle afterwards.

- He loves to rub his cheeks on furniture after eating to a level I've never seen before. It makes him REALLY happy. 

- He drinks a lot which may be part of the anxiety or the medication trials, but he does need the water bowl lifted around 8pm each night to be comfortable sleeping through the night.

- He loves to lick people and other dogs for 5-15minutes at a time and thinks eating snow is delightful.

Feel free to use any of the pictures from this blog post:

http://theplayfulspiritrachel.blogspot.com/2023/04/new-family-member-four-months-in-to.html

Please guide me on how next to proceed.

I really wanted to be his forever home and my heart is breaking that we’re just not the right home for him; I deeply want him to be happy.

Rachel