Dr. Deb
01-04-2001, 10:35 AM
Well Aunt Lisa H. and others, we did successfully adopt "Danny Boy" from the Yolo County SPCA. He came home yesterday at 11:10 and it went SO WELL I can hardly stand it. Danny was quite scared when I picked him up--understandable for someone who was abandoned in a back yard for 1 week, required 4 animal control officers 4 hours to catch, spent 20 days on death row at the shelter, ant: www.illegal-per (http://www.illegal-per) care with the wonderful people at the SPCA. However, he kissed me on the nose and cuddled up quite close.
Our introduction plan was that we would drive to Lucy's beloved Aunt Jill's house (home for all wayward animals in the area) around the corner, and Jill would walk and get Lucy, then bring him to meet Danny. Lucy bounded towards him, giving me a cursory kiss, before thoroughly sniffing her new brother. Danny was afraid of Jill's husband, and would only let him touch him if Danny was in my arms. After a few minutes of sniffing, we walked home together.
The two dachsies entered the yard, sniffed all over, did their business, and bounded into the house. Danny followed (and still is following) Lucy around a lot, which was a great help in teaching Danny the whereabouts and uses of the cat door. We weren't sure if he were housebroken, but had no accidents yesterday or today. He seems to understand that going outdoors is the thing.
I gave them both some food in separate bowls to break the ice and let Danny know where his next meal is coming from. DAnny is painfully thin, and they both ate happily from Lucy's bowl, then switched over to Danny's bowl. Seeing two dachshund heads in a single bowl eating quite happily made my heart sing. At dinner I convinced them to eat out of their own bowls, and they did so this morning, too.
Then the fun began. Danny initiated playing by walking over to his sister, standing on his head, and then giving her the dachsund "bum thwack". They were off! They paid no attention to me for an hour, happily alternated humping each other to see who was dominant (odds are slightly in Lucy's favor). There was no mean-ness, no yapping, no crying, no aggression. It was as if they had known each other forever.
Since then, they've slept together on the couch, both between mom's legs. They slept happily in bed with me (my partner's away for a few days). Danny even got under the covers! When I woke up they had migrated towards each other and were lying nose to nose.
I just can't believe this is going so well. I am still braced for some unpleasantness, but as I type they are both asleep at my side: Danny on top of a comforter, and Lucy in her dog bed. They played after breakfast both inside and out in the front yard.
Just goes to show you that even when you bring a new dog into the home of a complete princess (and Lucy is a COMPLETE princess) it can work out.
Any words of encouragement and/or warning will be appreciated. I'm off to the health board to ask what to do about his whip tail.
Dr. Deb
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Our introduction plan was that we would drive to Lucy's beloved Aunt Jill's house (home for all wayward animals in the area) around the corner, and Jill would walk and get Lucy, then bring him to meet Danny. Lucy bounded towards him, giving me a cursory kiss, before thoroughly sniffing her new brother. Danny was afraid of Jill's husband, and would only let him touch him if Danny was in my arms. After a few minutes of sniffing, we walked home together.
The two dachsies entered the yard, sniffed all over, did their business, and bounded into the house. Danny followed (and still is following) Lucy around a lot, which was a great help in teaching Danny the whereabouts and uses of the cat door. We weren't sure if he were housebroken, but had no accidents yesterday or today. He seems to understand that going outdoors is the thing.
I gave them both some food in separate bowls to break the ice and let Danny know where his next meal is coming from. DAnny is painfully thin, and they both ate happily from Lucy's bowl, then switched over to Danny's bowl. Seeing two dachshund heads in a single bowl eating quite happily made my heart sing. At dinner I convinced them to eat out of their own bowls, and they did so this morning, too.
Then the fun began. Danny initiated playing by walking over to his sister, standing on his head, and then giving her the dachsund "bum thwack". They were off! They paid no attention to me for an hour, happily alternated humping each other to see who was dominant (odds are slightly in Lucy's favor). There was no mean-ness, no yapping, no crying, no aggression. It was as if they had known each other forever.
Since then, they've slept together on the couch, both between mom's legs. They slept happily in bed with me (my partner's away for a few days). Danny even got under the covers! When I woke up they had migrated towards each other and were lying nose to nose.
I just can't believe this is going so well. I am still braced for some unpleasantness, but as I type they are both asleep at my side: Danny on top of a comforter, and Lucy in her dog bed. They played after breakfast both inside and out in the front yard.
Just goes to show you that even when you bring a new dog into the home of a complete princess (and Lucy is a COMPLETE princess) it can work out.
Any words of encouragement and/or warning will be appreciated. I'm off to the health board to ask what to do about his whip tail.
Dr. Deb
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