I say “ours” because I feel like Daisy was my dog already….but Wheaton is our dog.
He joined our family.

After the rescue lady, Brenda, left the house it was just just the three of us left to get to know each other. Wheaton was scared of me but he loved Daisy right away. I figured that my best strategy was to respectfully ignore him and give him the personal space he needed. Let him and Daisy sniff around and get aquainted.
The first 24 hours was interesting. I had all the extras, a sweater for him and an extra harness and leash to walk him. He had no idea how to walk on a leash. That freaked him out. I don’t like those extension leashes but in this case it was the perfect tool….it gave Wheaton his space and the freedom to explore and get used to going for a walk without feeling threatened by me being too close to him. My yard is not completely fenced and Daisy has always been a walking dog so there is no other option….we go for walks. If he was going to be ours…he was going to need to get familiar with our routine.
And then it was time to go back to work. I did this test trial over Rememberance Day, which landed on a Tuesday last year. I took the Monday off so I would have extra days off. Ok. Work. I bring Daisy to work usually. The first day I left Wheaton quarantined in my dining room and took Daisy to work. I worried about him all day. I got home and he had jumped over his gate and while having the house to himself he had several bathroom breaks in the living room, he pulled my clothes off the bed and he peed in Daisy’s empty food dish. Well, THAT didn’t work. Next day I used baby gates to quarantine him to the kitchen & dining room. I figured more room would be better. I still wasn’t sure about leaving him and Daisy alone together, so again, she came to work with me. Yup…he still didn’t like that….he didn’t jump the gate this time but he peed on everything in the kitchen. And he ripped up the linoleum in the corner by the baby gate. Still not working.  Next day, Friday, let’s take a chance and leave Daisy at home with him.  Bingo! That was the secret formula. I came home and everything was fine. He was no longer anxious as long as Daisy stayed with him. Totally understandable. He may not have had the best first 4 years of life…but it was a life with tons of other dogs around.
So, although I missed having my Daisy girl at work with me, they were getting along at home. That made me feel better. We took it one day at a time.
And then it happened. The best part….it was at about the 2 week mark….I came home on the Friday and there they were…my babies….curled up in the dog bed together.

Buddies

I have been the go to dog sitter for many a dog companion of family members or of friends. Daisy has accommodated dogs she likes and some she didn’t care much for and never….EVER….has she curled up in a dog bed with one!

My girl has accepted our boy!!!