Official Zaphod Picture/Update Thread
- Thread starter RD
- Start date
Eventful day for Mr. Beeblebrox.
He needed to go back to the shelter for a bath, another tick dip and just to get checked out before they permitted me to foster him for another 2 weeks.
He was good in the car previously, so I decided to let him sit on the back seat instead of in the cargo area in the back of our SUV.
BAD FXCKING IDEA.
About halfway there, he decided to take a gigantic dump on the seat. He had been restless but I figured it was just because he gets a little carsick (drooly, no puke, thank god).
Nope. So there's crap in the car and I am about ready to puke, the smell is so bad (I now realize WHY I love raw feeding/grain free food so much. That stuff was FOUL!). We pulled over and I let him out and tied him to the car to finish his business. I normally am not squeamish but I couldn't even clean it up without gagging, my mother had to.
So, he finishes up, we clean up as much crap as we can and febreze the hell out of the seats, and onward we go.
He spent the day at the shelter with me while I groomed some of the dogs there (and someone donated a furminator, which made my life just a little brighter! I didn't bring mine for fear of losing it but I really needed to use one on a couple of dogs) and shared a pen with a little female Lab mix (MIDDIE CLONE, I swear!) who gave him absolute hell whenever he was too dominant or pushy. So he got a lesson in manners as well as some socialization.
I also found out more about his past. He'd been there so long that only a couple people remembered the details of what happened with him. He only came in with one littermate, Smokey, who was adopted. That awful scar on his back is something he came in with when he was a puppy, not something he acquired at the shelter. I can't help but wonder if those scars are from burns or some kind of deliberate abuse. The hair is not growing back in like I had anticipated.
Everyone at the shelter was happy to see him, and he was happy to see them too - he let a couple people touch him! A few of them didn't believe he was the same dog.
He's maybe going to the "mutt show" at the opening of this town's new dog park tomorrow, which should be some good socialization for him. Just depends on whether or not the park is off-leash. If it's off-leash, he can't go until he's neutered and friendlier to people.
I'll try to get photos of him tomorrow! He's looking really good, better every day.
He needed to go back to the shelter for a bath, another tick dip and just to get checked out before they permitted me to foster him for another 2 weeks.
He was good in the car previously, so I decided to let him sit on the back seat instead of in the cargo area in the back of our SUV.
BAD FXCKING IDEA.
About halfway there, he decided to take a gigantic dump on the seat. He had been restless but I figured it was just because he gets a little carsick (drooly, no puke, thank god).
Nope. So there's crap in the car and I am about ready to puke, the smell is so bad (I now realize WHY I love raw feeding/grain free food so much. That stuff was FOUL!). We pulled over and I let him out and tied him to the car to finish his business. I normally am not squeamish but I couldn't even clean it up without gagging, my mother had to.
So, he finishes up, we clean up as much crap as we can and febreze the hell out of the seats, and onward we go.
He spent the day at the shelter with me while I groomed some of the dogs there (and someone donated a furminator, which made my life just a little brighter! I didn't bring mine for fear of losing it but I really needed to use one on a couple of dogs) and shared a pen with a little female Lab mix (MIDDIE CLONE, I swear!) who gave him absolute hell whenever he was too dominant or pushy. So he got a lesson in manners as well as some socialization.
I also found out more about his past. He'd been there so long that only a couple people remembered the details of what happened with him. He only came in with one littermate, Smokey, who was adopted. That awful scar on his back is something he came in with when he was a puppy, not something he acquired at the shelter. I can't help but wonder if those scars are from burns or some kind of deliberate abuse. The hair is not growing back in like I had anticipated.
Everyone at the shelter was happy to see him, and he was happy to see them too - he let a couple people touch him! A few of them didn't believe he was the same dog.
He's maybe going to the "mutt show" at the opening of this town's new dog park tomorrow, which should be some good socialization for him. Just depends on whether or not the park is off-leash. If it's off-leash, he can't go until he's neutered and friendlier to people.
I'll try to get photos of him tomorrow! He's looking really good, better every day.
Nolu, if she's still there (she prolly will be. medium size, nondescript black dog with floppy ears that everyone ignores ) I will get pics when I go in on Tuesday to photograph the cats for petfinder.
Two new Zaphod pics from yesterday, just to record his physical condition.. I know these aren't the most interesting, but I'm posting them mainly for my sake since I don't keep a blog and want a place to keep updates on him.
) I will get pics when I go in on Tuesday to photograph the cats for petfinder.Two new Zaphod pics from yesterday, just to record his physical condition.. I know these aren't the most interesting, but I'm posting them mainly for my sake since I don't keep a blog and want a place to keep updates on him.
http://www.chevalinternational.com/page3.html
Grace - if you go down this page a bit, there is a product called something like Hair-Gro-Back. It did a great job getting the hair to re-grow where Tristan had to have some sarcoids removed on his neck. I'm not sure if the hair would have grown back on it's own or not, since I started using it as soon as the skin had healed. But for the price, it might be worth trying.
Zaphod is looking wonderful!
Grace - if you go down this page a bit, there is a product called something like Hair-Gro-Back. It did a great job getting the hair to re-grow where Tristan had to have some sarcoids removed on his neck. I'm not sure if the hair would have grown back on it's own or not, since I started using it as soon as the skin had healed. But for the price, it might be worth trying.
Zaphod is looking wonderful!
Oh, this boy has LEGS, they're just not as scrawny looking as they used to be. I love his legs, though. They feel super solid, like a strong man's forearm. LOL, that's the only way I can describe it.
I sure hope I'm doing the right thing, Smkie... I know he just needs time to rehabilitate, but sometimes it's so discouraging to watch how broken he is. I can't bring him in the house for more than a few minutes before he cries and scratches at the door, asking to go back into the garage. I don't know if he'd ever been in a house before. He has a hard time handling it, even when I thought I was taking a very slow and cautious approach. I can't just tell him to "deal with it" and let him adjust to being in the house, because he'll destroy our walls and doors. But at the same time I don't want to just let him stay in the garage, his very small comfort zone, forever.
Boston - GREAT! Thank you, I will check that out. I've gotten used to the look of his scar but it would be nice if it would fill in.
I sure hope I'm doing the right thing, Smkie... I know he just needs time to rehabilitate, but sometimes it's so discouraging to watch how broken he is. I can't bring him in the house for more than a few minutes before he cries and scratches at the door, asking to go back into the garage. I don't know if he'd ever been in a house before. He has a hard time handling it, even when I thought I was taking a very slow and cautious approach. I can't just tell him to "deal with it" and let him adjust to being in the house, because he'll destroy our walls and doors. But at the same time I don't want to just let him stay in the garage, his very small comfort zone, forever.
Boston - GREAT! Thank you, I will check that out. I've gotten used to the look of his scar but it would be nice if it would fill in.
Zaphod spent a few hours in my room last night. In a desperate attempt to help him focus and settle down a bit, I put a gentle leader on him and would redirect his head whenever he'd start circling.
After he realized he couldn't be a spaz, he climbed up next to me on my futon and SLEPT.
He's still a neurotic mess in the house, but the fact that he could relax enough to sleep in my room was a big deal to me.
After he realized he couldn't be a spaz, he climbed up next to me on my futon and SLEPT.
He's still a neurotic mess in the house, but the fact that he could relax enough to sleep in my room was a big deal to me.
Zaphod had another breakthrough tonight.
We hit the park this evening for a walk, but there were dozens of people there - we were expecting an empty place. Still, we took our walk around the park and Zaphod actually permitted people to approach and speak to him. He let one lady touch him, but ducked out of the way of everyone else. No uneasiness whatsoever, just a little bit of surprise when they tried to pat him on top of the head.
THEN.. He had nothing but positive experiences with about 30 different people (friends of my parents) in the span of 3-4 hours, and by the end of the night he was relaxed enough around them to sleep by my feet during a movie.
I'm looking forward to seeing if this has any impact on his view of strangers. I don't care if he avoids being petted by them, but the fact that he can mill about a bunch of new people without feeling the slightest bit defensive is wonderful to me!
We hit the park this evening for a walk, but there were dozens of people there - we were expecting an empty place. Still, we took our walk around the park and Zaphod actually permitted people to approach and speak to him. He let one lady touch him, but ducked out of the way of everyone else. No uneasiness whatsoever, just a little bit of surprise when they tried to pat him on top of the head.
THEN.. He had nothing but positive experiences with about 30 different people (friends of my parents) in the span of 3-4 hours, and by the end of the night he was relaxed enough around them to sleep by my feet during a movie.
I'm looking forward to seeing if this has any impact on his view of strangers. I don't care if he avoids being petted by them, but the fact that he can mill about a bunch of new people without feeling the slightest bit defensive is wonderful to me!