We knew at some point there would be a foster that wouldn't work for us. Dog relationships are similar to those we have with people. Some people are your best friends, some are your acquaintances, and some you'd rather just not deal with. Never thought our 'bad' experience would come with our 2nd ever foster. Especially after the sweetie Meaty!
Georgia was a year old, orange & black brindle, female petite pittie mix. When I picked her up, I was surpised at how petite she was. The little girl wasn't much bigger than Bella. Maybe around 30 lbs & looked more like a whippet. On the car ride home, she seemed sweet. Boy was I wrong!
I had to do the introduction solo. Georgia was very high energy, played a little too aggressive & tried to dominate the beagles. There were a few brawls that day. Walking the 3 dogs together was the only reprieve where everyone co-existed peacefully.
And then she bit me...
Georgia had a dominance issue. And she easily dominated me, for some reason (I don't believe I am a pushover, but her behavior dictated differently). I would just be walking & she would run up & bite my calf. Or I was sitting on the couch & she would come up & bit my thigh. She wasn't trying to hurt me, she was only trying to get my attention. And she sure got it! She never ONCE even attempted to bite my husband. She was the devil spawn in her crate, thrashing, barking & crying. The rescue sent out a trainer to help us. Emily was amazing! She is just one of those people that is natural at what she does. Georgia was able to co-mingle with Emily's laid back, female, yellow lab without a problem. I learned how to redirect & deal with Geogia's obsession with biting me, but I just wasn't good at it. Instead of 'not' reacting when she bit me so that she would release & walk away... I would instead freak out, which caused her grip to tighten! I ended up putting a soft muzzle on her just to make it through the day. Georgia had one goal in life- to get that muzzle off & come bite me again!
I noticed the beagles at the farthest corner of the room, or on the highest stair, to avoid even making eye contact with this dominant intruder. I could take the biting (okay, for a little while anyway), but I couldn't have our beagles so terrified & uncomfortable in their own home.
The rescue came & picked up Georgia a week from the day I brought her home. I felt pretty bad, almost like a failure, but also exhausted by the stressful week it had been. I was worried she wouldn't get adopted or even euthanized. But I am happy to report that Georgia DID get into an intense training program & has found her forever home with a tolerant doggie sibling & human parents...with a mother than doesn't allow her to dominate.
I thought that may be our last fostering experience, we were not interested in ever remotely repeating that kind of week. But of course, there have been more fosters & each sweeter than the one before. Georgia may have broken some skin (in a few spots), but she didn't break my spirit!
Our little Lexi is being spayed today. I can't wait to pick her up at 5 o'clock. We are meeting a family interested in her on Thursday.
This weekend I read the book Oogy in about 2 hours flat. Recommended read for all dog lovers; bully breeds especially! I have it if anyone wants to borrow it :-)
'Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative'.
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