Lots of positives to report this week.
Declan 16-046 went back to his FM.
Braden regressed on his housebreaking the following day when I let him have free roam while I walked the other dogs. I put him in the kennel now when I leave the house. No other accidents since then. He does have free roam at night and when I'm in the house.
Braden was neutered on 4/15/16. I was expecting him to regress slightly. Instead, he progressed ! He is now comfortable in every room in the house. It makes me very happy to see this and other small things start to happen. Just this morning, on our way to the door for the first trip out of the day, Braden got very excited and did a play bow. With most dogs, I would think nothing of it. But with Braden, this is a good sign that he is well on his way to being a "normal" dog after his recent neglect in his previous life. Braden still has some leftover behaviors, but nothing to be real concerned about. I think that Braden has progressed enough to make him available for adoption.
This past weekend, my other foster dog Surf 16-020 met his adopters and was adopted. Braden loved all the people around. The kids were teenagers, but I think Braden would be fine with younger kids, as long as they didn't have food. Braden craves any and all food, since he was near starved to death. I also keep him separated from the other dogs at feeding time.
Braden continues to be very affectionate. He loves pets and rubs. Now, since he is comfortable in the living room, he will snuggle with me if I lay on the floor. He hasn't tried to be a lap dog yet, but I think it could happen in the future.
As far as requirements for Braden's forever home, I think the biggest is the understanding of his past and willingness to work with him to become a "normal" dog. There is always a possibility that not all things will become "normal" with him. I have to say I think he has a good chance, though.
I think the "fence desired" requirement is a good thing with any dog. A potential adopter not having a fence is not a deal-breaker. Right now, it is hard to get Braden to want to stay outside long enough to do his business. He loves being in the house.
Having another dog is optional, but I think Braden would get to "normal" faster if he has another dog to look to for confidence. Braden is a little scared of new things and looks to my resident dog to make sure it's OK. Having another fairly confident dog around really helps speed things up. He does look to me for confidence also.
In other things: Braden continues to put on weight and muscle. I'm pretty sure he has passed the 45-lb mark (up from 32 lbs). I hope to get him weighed again soon. He is really filling in. Less of his ribs are sticking out and his coat is looking better all the time.
Thanks for your support and for checking in on Braden 16-044.


