Brownie !
A note from Brownie's foster Mom:
Approximately four months ago, Brownie (age 2) was abandoned after her owners decided they no longer wanted her. She had just had a litter of puppies (see Maverick & Leia elsewhere on the BHR site!) and when they were all given away, she sought shelter at a nearby residence. The homeowner of that house requested we *dispose* of her as they didn't want her around; we refused. Over the next couple of months, we kept an eye on her, fed her, and eventually, we were able to get close enough to pet her.
Recently, Brownie, who is not spayed, went into another heat cycle. She was surrounded day and night by a pack of 6-10 dogs who would fight among themselves in their attempts to get her. It was a scary and disturbing scene to watch.
On April 11th, she was rescued from the streets and placed in a new foster home in Bella Bella. Once there, she spent almost two full days sleeping, waking only for meals and bathroom breaks. It is taking a long time to establish trust with her as this is a whole new world for her and she is very unsure of things. Loud noises frighten her and she will try to run, so slow introductions to new things are a must (keeping her on a leash is also recommended when outside). She is cautious of people and is unsure of what to expect from us, so a calm voice is also a necessity - if I raise my voice, she will run and hide. I am seeing progress with her and I actually got a "wag" today and she came to me!
I allow her full run of my house and have no hesitation in doing so. She is a very calm dog, is not a chewer nor a barker, and does not get into any trouble. When I come home from work, she is curled up with my dogs and cats. She is very gentle and I am seeing a sweetheart of a dog slowly evolve.
Housetraining is there, but unfortunately, I have been forced to keep her inside and use puppy pads (which are hit & miss). She did not want to "go" inside, but some of the male dogs discovered Brownie's new address and have maintained a vigil outside of my house just waiting for her...fences do not stop them, nor does a barricaded porch - they just come over it and I can't risk traumatizing her again! I believe it will just be a matter of getting her away from the situation here and she will be housebroken within a couple of days.
She has had a rough few months and a very rough week and I can't think of a dog who is more deserving of a safe and loving environment than Brownie.
Please note that Brownie is in Bella Bella and awaiting her flight down to the lower mainland where she will be spayed, microchipped, vaccinated, de-wormed and de-flead.
Update: May 1st
Brownie's foster Mom has officially failed fostering 101 and has adopted her sweet girl! Congratulations to all of you as you begin a new life together as a family of three.
