We knew having a rescue would be different than when we got Diesel, at 8 weeks old. I thought of it as adopting a child, not a baby. We would have to work with what we got. Having a rescue with lots of emotional issues never crossed my mind. Thinking back I am not sure why this never crossed my mind. I had no other experiences with rescues and I honestly thought it would be the same as getting a puppy, but without the potty training stage. That just wasn’t so.
Lulu settled into her new life, with lots of emotional and physical support. She began to follow Diesel and do everything he did. Diesel is really laid back. If he has a bone in his mouth you could literally walk over and take it from his mouth. He didn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. Lulu used Diesel to understand how to become a dog.
In the beginning we went outside to play with Diesel and Lulu. We would throw sticks and Diesel would run after them, bring them back and wrestle to keep them from us. He loved tug of war. Lulu would watch this all happen and look worried. Slowly, over time Lulu caught on and started to run after the sticks with Diesel. She wasn’t confident enough to actually get the stick and always let Diesel take that victory. Diesel would run around the yard and play. Lulu would watch, wondering what she should do. Lulu just didn’t know how to play and have fun. Lulu just didn’t know how to be a dog at all.
One day, we threw the stick and both dogs ran after it! Both dogs picked it up at the same time and they played tug of war with each other!!! We were so excited and proud that Lulu was actually playing like a real dog!! It didn’t last long but it started to happen more frequently. That’s when we realized that Lulu has hope. She just needed time, support and patience.
We lived on 3 acres but it wasn’t fully fenced. One side of our yard was open to our neighbors yard. Diesel would, regularly, run next door just because I told him not to. If I told him not to then there are probably better sniffs over there!! Diesel would spend the whole day in the yard. The only time Lulu went anywhere in our yard was if she was glued to me. If I let the dogs out in the morning, Diesel would take off and Lulu would do her business and immediately come back inside. She had 3 acres and she didn’t feel safe enough to use it. If I was outside doing yard work, Lulu would sit by the front door crying to be inside. She hated being outside! I couldn’t believe it! I, eventually, stopped letting her inside. She took to always being with Diesel. If he was sleeping in the shade, Lulu was on high alert sitting right beside him. If Diesel went to look for some sniffs, Lulu was right beside him. I knew she would have rather been inside and was following Diesel to feel safe but it was better than leaving her alone in the house, while we were outside. Eventually, she didn’t like being left inside, alone! Small victory for me! However, that turned into separation anxiety later on….
We started to frequent the dog park again. Lulu didn’t like getting in the vehicle or the car ride. But once we were at the dog park she did get better, with time. She had to be touching me the whole time we were at the dog park. I had to have my hand touching her, as we walked. Luckily, I didn’t have to crouch over to do this! She’s a tall girl. Although she seemed to enjoy these trips, her tail was always between her legs. She was nervous. She started to sniff other dogs, as long as they came up to her. She had to stay by her mommy.
Over time, it seemed like Lulu really started to enjoy going to the dog park. In fact, when you asked the dogs if they wanted to go, Lulu would appear the most excited!! Until she had to get into the vehicle. Then the struggle was on!
Diesel really enjoyed frozen bone marrow bones. They were his favorite treat. We bought them nearly everyday because he was spoiled, lol. It’s funny because of all the support we gave and still continue to give, bones are the thing that changed Lulu and showed us she actually does have confidence. However, this wasn’t the confidence we were searching for!
We continued to buy marrow bones with Lulu and she began to enjoy them just as much as Diesel. Actually, maybe, more than Diesel. We would usually go to the dog park and then grab bones on the way home. We did this nearly everyday. The dogs would get their bones once we were home and that would be their excitement for the day. The dogs would each get a bone, eat what they liked and then they would switch bones. It was really funny to watch. It was the same routine everyday.
Well, one day Lulu decided she wasn’t waiting for Diesel to finish his part of his bone. Lulu walked up to Diesel and took his bone right out of his mouth! Lulu walked away, tail wagging. Diesel looked at me with sad eyes, wondering what to do! At first it was funny and I was almost happy that Lulu showed some confidence. However, I didn’t realize that this was the start of a serious bone addiction!
Everything about Lulu is high maintenance. She is always on high alert! I am not sure she sleeps for more than a couple of hours a day. She jumps up, at the smallest of sounds. If you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, Lulu is there with you. Her anxiety hasn’t gone away and I am not sure it ever will. We have learned what Lulu needs and she has learned how to get it from us. However, I didn't realize that the habits we were creating with Lulu now would actually attribute to her anxiety later on in life.
Check in next week for the next post on Life with Lulu, where I will continue my story of owning a dog with anxiety.
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