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It's not really known what Black Jack is or what he came from. He just a little 14 pound black dog with some poor social skills. He was moved from another foster home that could not keep him because he was too energetic for the other fosters that were too old to want to put up with a young dog. My Chihuahua and he started playing right away and it was obvious that they would be friends.
I started him out on twice daily walks since he was said to be so energetic. Turns out he has never actually been on a walk and I almost lost him as he slipped through his collar to get away from a charging Labrador. Our next trip was to the pet supply store to get him a harness. I had to carry him inside as his collar was obviously too loose and I had no idea how he would react. He did fine in the store and I used their training room to try the harness on him so he could not get away from me.
We took several walks after that. He was afraid of barking dogs, passing vehicles and people. But as time went on, he learned to not be so afraid. It was clear that he had never been properly introduced to different things and that he really didn't know how he was supposed to react. I discovered that he had a very mean sounding bark when the doorbell rang and that he was definitely afraid of our two hunting Labs. The good thing is that he was house trained and he only had one accident on the carpet and that was my fault for not taking him outside sooner.
I was interested to see how my little Chihuahua was going to react to having another dog in the house and he seemed happy right off the bat. He would jump onto Black Jack off the couch. He would chase him around the house and all the sudden toys that he hadn't touched in a year where exactly what he wanted when Black Jack had them. At one point I thought I had two spoiled children in the house with me as Black Jack became more and more relaxed and my Chihuahua became more and more like a big brother. Black Jack started playing as rough with Leon as Leon was playing with him and that made 5 pound Leon mad. So I had to referee every play session until Black Jack learned not to play so hard and Leon learned not to ask for it.
When that was settled, Leon decided that the Kong I had bought him two years ago and that he never played with was all the sudden his favorite toy when Black Jack started showing some interest in it. Leon would wait until Black Jack would be distracted and he would steal the Kong away from him. So, Black Jack started growling at Leon when he had Leon's Kong so it wouldn't be stolen away from him. Again, I had to step in a ensure that Black Jack understood that growling was not alright and Leon learned that all toys are actually MINE and can be taken away from both of them.
While trying to teach Black Jack not to bark at every noise her heard, Leon seemed to egg him on and would bark just as much. At one point both of them were placed in their kennels to "think about what they did." I do not know if it worked, but at least I had some peace and quiet for a half hour.
After two weeks, Black Jack is getting less fearful and more socialized. He is barking less and playing with Leon as if they always knew each other. I know that someday soon, he will be adopted by a family that will love him and nurture him. They will take him on long walks every day and will help him deal with his insecurities. I know that adoption by a good family is the ultimate happy ending for him. But I can't help wondering if they will really love him like I do. I have to believe they will.
Because when he is off to his forever home, our house will be blessed with another foster plagued with their own problems and quirks. And we will love them and teach them how to be a good dog so that someone will adopt a happy, well adjusted forever dog.
I started him out on twice daily walks since he was said to be so energetic. Turns out he has never actually been on a walk and I almost lost him as he slipped through his collar to get away from a charging Labrador. Our next trip was to the pet supply store to get him a harness. I had to carry him inside as his collar was obviously too loose and I had no idea how he would react. He did fine in the store and I used their training room to try the harness on him so he could not get away from me.
We took several walks after that. He was afraid of barking dogs, passing vehicles and people. But as time went on, he learned to not be so afraid. It was clear that he had never been properly introduced to different things and that he really didn't know how he was supposed to react. I discovered that he had a very mean sounding bark when the doorbell rang and that he was definitely afraid of our two hunting Labs. The good thing is that he was house trained and he only had one accident on the carpet and that was my fault for not taking him outside sooner.
I was interested to see how my little Chihuahua was going to react to having another dog in the house and he seemed happy right off the bat. He would jump onto Black Jack off the couch. He would chase him around the house and all the sudden toys that he hadn't touched in a year where exactly what he wanted when Black Jack had them. At one point I thought I had two spoiled children in the house with me as Black Jack became more and more relaxed and my Chihuahua became more and more like a big brother. Black Jack started playing as rough with Leon as Leon was playing with him and that made 5 pound Leon mad. So I had to referee every play session until Black Jack learned not to play so hard and Leon learned not to ask for it.
When that was settled, Leon decided that the Kong I had bought him two years ago and that he never played with was all the sudden his favorite toy when Black Jack started showing some interest in it. Leon would wait until Black Jack would be distracted and he would steal the Kong away from him. So, Black Jack started growling at Leon when he had Leon's Kong so it wouldn't be stolen away from him. Again, I had to step in a ensure that Black Jack understood that growling was not alright and Leon learned that all toys are actually MINE and can be taken away from both of them.
While trying to teach Black Jack not to bark at every noise her heard, Leon seemed to egg him on and would bark just as much. At one point both of them were placed in their kennels to "think about what they did." I do not know if it worked, but at least I had some peace and quiet for a half hour.
After two weeks, Black Jack is getting less fearful and more socialized. He is barking less and playing with Leon as if they always knew each other. I know that someday soon, he will be adopted by a family that will love him and nurture him. They will take him on long walks every day and will help him deal with his insecurities. I know that adoption by a good family is the ultimate happy ending for him. But I can't help wondering if they will really love him like I do. I have to believe they will.
Because when he is off to his forever home, our house will be blessed with another foster plagued with their own problems and quirks. And we will love them and teach them how to be a good dog so that someone will adopt a happy, well adjusted forever dog.
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