Well another foster dog blog starts...
I’m going to try different format with this one and keep it as brief as possible. The reason being that I’m hoping to include it in my book ‘The Foster Carer’s Handbook’ when I eventually publish it!
I’m going to try different format with this one and keep it as brief as possible. The reason being that I’m hoping to include it in my book ‘The Foster Carer’s Handbook’ when I eventually publish it!
Vincent is a 3yr neutered male Neapolitan Mastiff (Mastino) who has been returned to welfare because of recurring skin, ear and eye infections (common for this breed) and the associated prolonged costs of treatment, often costing upto £5 per day.
Wed 16 June – 15:15
Met owners at the vet, handed the dog over with signed paperwork. Took dog for veterinary visit. He was wary but did not show any aggression or strong avoidance.
15:45
Got home and allowed him to potter throughout his ‘area’ of the yard, kitchen and office. He drank freely and allowed me to dry his face and chin gently. Other than this, I didn’t make a fuss of him at all, just sat down at my desk and started to work quietly. (My own dogs were away in the other half of the house out of sight) Within 5 minutes Vincent had laid down behind me and had fallen asleep.
16:45
Got up and without any fuss, just left him behind the gate in the office while I did some housework in the kitchen, making a point of disappearing and appearing frequently for at least 20 minutes (putting away the washing up, sweeping floor, cleaning worktops etc). Radio is on (classical music). He sat watching me at the gate for about 5 minutes then went back down to sleep.
17:15
Left the kitchen and went into the living room (next door but out of sight) to watch some TV, spend some time with my own dogs and have some dinner. Every 10 minutes came into the kitchen without speaking to or looking at Vincent. He was still resting and calm.
18:00 – 20:00
Came back into the kitchen to check on Vincent and without speaking to him, quietly opened the gate to allow him to potter about outside in the yard. He seemed affectionate and pleased to see me but did not follow me around. During this time I gave his eyes a clean and merely looked in his ears (I’m looking in his ears whenever we have contact to get him used to having his ear flaps lifted but deliberately not doing anything else to worry him).
During this time I put him behind his gate in the office again and let my own dogs out for 10 minutes in the yard to smell where Vincent had been and to give them some food. They showed no interest in him nor he them. I also gave Vincent a handful of food in his bowl in the office.
The first few hours have been very calm, very quiet, very peaceful. As little interaction as possible – I am merely ‘a presence’ which comes and goes and he seems to be happy to spend time on his own.
