Savannah's Paw Tracks

What Challenges Face Adult Rescue Dogs?: Update on Cash the Siberian Husky

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

I thought it was time to share some truly heart warming and encouraging news about a woofie rescue we helped in September this year.

Remember Cash?

He has been having one heck of a great adjustment to living INSIDE and looking OUTSIDE…

Great to be inside and comfy

…instead of being forced to live outside, rain or shine with no protection…hence his black fur became sun burnt and red; no to mention so matted and flea infested he had to be shaved.

First…let me tell you all that Cash is doing well…and he has a permanent home forever.  Second, you all know that there are CHALLENGES, as with any adult dog rescue, bringing Cash into a home where there are resident dogs…Samantha is a 7 yr old female Siberian Husky, and Foster, a male Shiba Inu, brought into this home about 2 years ago now age 5.

I have kept in touch with Cash…’cuz I know you all want to know how he is adjusting…(bet you all want find out what he looks like when his FUR grows back!!) as well as how the other woofies are managing to accept him.  He has now gone on a first shopping trip complete with car ride with open window!!

Arwooo!! What fun!

BUT…yes, that great big word…BUT…as with all of us adult woofie and cat rescues…we bring some unknown baggage.  Our human guardians are the ones who we depend on to help us unpack that baggage.

Which is just what Cash’s human guardians are doing…and oh my cat!! What a difference even ONE session with a competent animal behaviorist can make.

Miss Liz, Cash’s new HuMom sent this update to Mom L…

“He (behaviorist trainer) was amazed how laid back and easy going Cash was while interacting with the other dogs in the house, which is true of Cash, to be a husky and a puppy, he certainly is quite calmer than most.

We worked on:

• feeding schedule
• bed issues (my bed) and a few other (hierarchy) issues

Foster and Cash were fighting for the same place in the family and I wasn’t making Foster the “2^nd in command” after Samantha so there was tension.

Keeping Cash off my bed was the big one. Foster”s biggest resentment was me allowing Cash on the bed when Cash had not “earned” it.

The first night not allowing Cash on the bed, Cash paced most of the night, got me up twice to take him out, which is not like him.  So the next day I purchased a new bed for him to have in my room.  I laid with him on it and gave him a great treat and made him eat it on his bed.

That night and every night after, he sleeps all night on his bed and doesn’t even try and come up on the bed.  If I allow him up it’s because I invited him and he has not automatically jumped up.  Even with Samantha and Foster on the bed in the morning while I get ready, Cash lays on his bed..

Feeding Cash last, when I always fed him first because I had to pen him up, has been another big change. I now feed Samantha, then Foster and then Cash, without anyone being penned up.  Cash eats his own food, doesn’t try and get to the other bowls unless the others walk away.  I automatically pick up the bowls so he is not allowed to eat out of them.  He allows the others to drink from the same water bowl as himself without even flinching.

Just by implementing a few ground rules on Cash, there is no longer any tension in the house between Foster and Cash”

And yes, Cash remains the typical Sibe, honing his escape skills…

Escape through the feeding door on inside crate

Thankfully, ONLY two sponges suffered injuries when Cash escaped and went on his walk about inside the house. Now, he is not penned up at all.  No further sponges have been to emergency, only a roll of paper towels!

And then the toll Cash takes on the aerobic heath of his Sibe sister…she is 7 years old and this year old pup is making sure she never has to go on the evil d-i-e-t!!

Oh My Dog!! This kid is wearing me out!

Cash must always sleep with one eye open should anyone attempt to capture his fave bone…(notice his furs are already coming back!!!)

I can SEE you…looking at MY bone!

And of course…he always has his place on that couch…

ahhhh…chilling in my home is just fine, fine, fine

A Paw It Forward project that just keeps on giving back!  So much joy to see Cash safe and so cared for.  Hope you enjoyed learning how Cash is progressing…I promise to bring you a photo once he has his full Siberian coat back. Bet he is drop over gorgeous!

You do know, don’t you, that Siberians are actually CATS!…trapped in a woofie body.  Anyone who knows the grooming habits of Sibes and who knows their warm, loving…yet very independent…nature…should see some of the truth in that…arwooo and play bows to my woofie pals.

Paw Pats, Savannah