Tidbits of Goofiness

The biggest smile of today was when Jerrad decided to get Alvin comfortable on the stairs. Each one is giant hurdle to him, and although we've tried the 'tough love' approach of leaving him at the bottom of the stairs until he manages them himself (for the record, there are only 5-6 stairs). But, he'll stand there ALL NIGHT LONG. So, some work. But, the sweetest part of the process was that Allie came out and walked the stairs up and down and up and down and up and down for about half an hour with Jerrad and Alvin. She got a little tangled sometimes, and once ran away when Jerrad got to close when entangling her, but she returned to finish the process. Enough distance to make her feel safe, but a smile, and a willingness to follow -a willingness to help Alvin through the process-. Not quite a tear jerker, but I really smiled inside seeing her happy. Showing us 'I can do that'.

I think Jerrad might have what I don't. The ability to keep moving and stop analyzing. If she wants to walk the stairs, let her walk the stairs. If she wants to hang out in the corner for awhile, whatever. If she gets curious and wants to go explore the house, there's really nothing to hurt her. We've got all hardwood, so if per chance there's an accident (somehow she seems housetrained, as she's never had an accident here) its not a big deal to clean up. The worst she could do is get into the garbage.

For now, I'm going on the premise that the more she moves around the better. That if I leave her to her own devices she'll eventually figure it out.

She's also a smart cookie. We have a babygate in place so that I can keep the dogs in about half the house -just to keep an eye on them. If I'm in the other half of the house, I keep the babygate open. Either way, it's not all that stuck on the wall, and Allie's figured out how to push it open (unfortunately when it swings back its a bit harder to open). So now she's booking it around the house in exploring mode. I've taken away her two main hiding spots, but set up the two comfiest blankets right beside them, just slightly more in the 'open'. She seems to be okay with that.

We had another small breakthrough. She's beginning to understand that when I get up from the computer -or the couch, or my big comfy chair- that there's a a good chance I'll take her outside for a walk/pee. So instead of booking her back into her crate and hiding out, she books it a bit further away -about 5-8 feet-, and then follows me towards the door, making sure she keeps her distance. This last time when I got up to the bathroom she followed me, stood in the doorway and gave me a look like 'what, no walk!?'. She comtemplated this awhile as I you know, did my 'business'. Eventually she flopped her leash around a bit until it stuck into the bathroom. Still her usual 5-8 feet away. Far enough away so that if she feels the least bit frightened she feels she has a 'getaway' it seems. So, I grabbed the end of her leash, and took her outside. A clear sign she's not comfortable being close, but that she knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for it. I can work with this.

Slow and steady. This is her rehab, it'll be on her schedule.

In other tidbits of news, I've given into soft food with Alphie and Allie. Although Alvin is a little chow-hound, Allie and Alphie have eaten very little since they've come. They're peeing and pooping on schedule, so I know their systems are okay but Alphie is already quite thin, -I can feel his ribs quite well :(- and I think Allie could starve herself to death on dry food. So, break out the can-food. I'm pretty sure Alphie remembers canned food because he came storming into the kitchen for the sound of the can-opener. SLURRRRP. Down the hatch. One down, one to go.

I can hear Allie slowly taking hers down as well. I seem to need to cover her for her to eat at all. I would try free-feeding her, but Lemon and Alvin would just turn into butterballs. Alvin ate 4!!! meals a couple of days ago. Because I fed him supper and breakfast, and so did Jerrad. PIG! Though Lemon did too, she's also piglet supreme. There's been the time here and there though that someone thinks the other person has fed the dogs breakfast, and it turns out they didn't. Extra scoop at supper, but you think you'd hear some rumbling tummies, or some complaining for supper. Nope. A missed meal around here no one seems to care about.

Pictures soon. They're a pretty lazy bunch, so it'll probably just be a pile more of Alphie on the couch, Alvin in the blankets, and Allie slowly inching closer. As long as no more small/medium males come into the foster front ---Alphie thinks he's king shit with Alvin, but is fine with Beckett, even if Beckett squashes him sometimes--- we're slowly sailing along.

Oh, and whoever adopts Alphie will have really lucked out. He's such an awesome cuddler, but doesn't mind having his own space too. Super easy-going dude. I won't mind if he sticks around awhile, but he's so good, I doubt it'll take long to find him his forever home.

For being so, so close to death, he's a lucky guy. But I'm lucky to have gotten to know him too. I think he'll be one to remember for awhile :)