I posted before about Paco the Pug who needed a new home and then on the day we were supposed to pick him up, his guardian changed her mind. Well today was a completely different scenario and I'm so glad that we chanced by on dog walk this morning (I think).
To start at the beginning.... Nellie and I were on our let's-get-our-walk-in-before-the-heat outing and decided to swing by Paco's place to check in on him and do the handing out treats ritual. We heard strange sounds coming from the house, and then a toddler came out the door and I assumed she was making the noises. Paco was no where in sight, so Nellie and I started to head home. Then behind us came a cacophony of yips and crying. We turned around to see the toddler on the ground, Grandma and Dad picking her up, and Paco running toward the fence. We went back to say hi and give Paco his treat when Grandma came over in a fury and told me not to give him a treat because he was a bad dog. Apparently he jumped on the little girl and nipped her hand. Grandma was about to take a swing at Paco (I'm not sure she would've actually hit him in all fairness), but you could tell she was furious and wanted him to know he was in trouble. I said it was too late to punish him because he wouldn't understand why. She turned to me and said, "Would you take him? I don't want him anymore!" Knowing that this family was not the best informed when it comes to dogs and their care, I immediately said yes, pulled out the slip lead from my bag, and walked home with a dog who clearly has never been on a leash or been walked before. To say it was a wild walk home is an understatement.
Home at last, adding Paco to the mix created pure pandemonium. Rascal, who always liked him when they met through the fence, decided he was an intruder and told him multiple times they weren't going to be friends, especially if Paco tried to make nice with Rascal's Dad. Nellie was a bit more blasé, but feeling jealous that a new dog might be supplanting her position. Paco was just confused why he was in this strange place, overheated from the walk, and unsure how he was supposed to make friends with other dogs as he's had no experience with that custom. He wanted to do zoomies in the house, didn't know how to get through the mosquito screen across the door to the backyard (even managing to pull it down), and generally was at a loss. Finally he was exploring the yard and, alas, came upon Misty, who immediately decamped in a huff. That adds another wrinkle.
Side note: Finally got Misty to allow me to stand only a couple of steps away while she ate last night. Paco may put the kibosh on that relationship though I'm hoping we can work that out.
For the grand finale of this whole mess, Paco also decided that the house was the perfect place to dump three piles of diarrhea instead of going outside. Oh, and he's apparently not over his puppy chewing phase even though he's over one year old and has had ZERO training, which is why he jumped on the granddaughter and gave her a puppy nip on the hand. He's been allowed to do that with all the adults in the family. Good times.
Soooo, you are asking yourself why I would take on this dog, how long he will be with us, and should I have my sanity checked. I took the dog because he needed to get out of a neglectful situation (not outright abuse, but more ignorance of what is involved and lack of caring when he would get out). This a foster situation only (yes - that's a promise). We already have a vet appointment for a checkup and vaccinations and I'll be calling the Humane Society to schedule his neuter surgery as soon as possible. And yes, I definitely should have a sanity check because I am INSANE for doing this. But you gotta admit, he is sooooo cute:
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