Rusty Report

I haven’t had a chance to update you on my foster dog, Rusty.  Let me tell you this…he is a joy.  He had the story of what rescuing dogs is all about.  Previous to Rusty coming I fostered two other dogs.  Both of them were puppies, and both of them started out rough…but not the kind of rough that Rusty has had.  They were puppies…born in the summer never seeing cold temps or life lived outdoors.  Annie was only a pup and only knew life with her mother.  Izzy was a 5-month-old that needed to get out of her situation but it was nothing as bad as Rusty’s situation.

Rusty’s life has been much different.  Rusty we believe might be anywhere from five to seven years old.  Rusty really needed to be rescued.  He came to us with what is called Cherry Eyes.  It’s a condition where a gland gets out of place and swollen and can’t return to where it is supposed to be.  I’m told it is fixable and I sure hope it is.  I am told it isn’t painful but I feel it’s had humans look at him as not desirable and that could not be any further from the truth.  Rusty is so desirable.  He’s really a good dog one that anyone could quickly appreciate after getting to know him over a short period of time.

On Tuesday he passed his parasite test so he was allowed to lose the pen and hang out with my dogs.  He was so happy.

Before I tell you all the amazing things I learned about Rusty, I’m going to tell you some of the things that I’ve learned.

Rusty doesn’t have a lot of self-confidence.  I think that will come over time.  If I call him, he knows he wants to come.  He gets close to me…then at the last second backs off and then will need a second to think and then will come to me.  I am relatively certain he was abused at some point in his life.  He does come to me though and doesn’t run away.  He just needs a moment to remember that he likes me.  I feel with time, he’ll learn to trust more.

Food is odd for Rusty.  He will not eat out of a bowl.  I have trouble even getting him to eat off the floor.  The best way for him to eat is out of my hand.  When he first came, I had the worst time trying to figure him out.  When I gave him food, he would pull his blanket over it and hide it.  I’m told this is a sign they were likely in a puppy mill.  Well then he wouldn’t eat all of his food then my dogs would try to eat it.  After a week with Rusty, we’ve figured out that he is best if he eats out of my hand.

We’ve figured out potty but not poop.  I think he’s a bit of a gentleman and doesn’t want to poop while I have him on a leash and am watching him.  He doesn’t stand by the door and indicate that he needs to go out, but he will easily go four hours or more at a time without an accident.

He initially is not happy with going in a kennel.  He won’t go in on his own but if I pick him up and put him in, he’ll go.  I’m sure this has to do with previous treatment.  He does sleep in the kennel overnight here and does just fine.  I truly think down the road he’d love to sleep with his human.  Being he is only temporarily here and I haven’t had long enough for me to build that trust with him, I haven’t done that.  I think he would LOVE it…and I think he could do it.

All of these things I told you are not the fault of Rusty…it is all due to his life before he came here.  I think all of those things will get better and better as Rusty acclimates to his new home.  None of them are bad and are only an indication that he needs a family who will understand that Rusty needs to have a family that is patient and understanding to his previous life.

Here are some great things that I can tell you about Rusty…there are lots!

First off, I would tell you in a heartbeat I would adopt Rusty but I just can’t.  I want to keep fostering and having three dogs AND fostering would be way too much.  If I hadn’t already adopted Izzy, Rusty would be all mine.  He’s such a gentle soul.

Rusty sleeps all night with no interruptions to my sleep.

Rusty is the least demanding dog I have EVER seen in my entire life.  He doesn’t get underfoot.  He patiently waits for attention.

Rusty does not jump…at all…ever.  (can you tell that I am working with Izzy on that??)  I feel very comfortable that he could be very safe with an older adoptee and that he wouldn’t trip anyone.  He doesn’t jump and get overly excited when people come.  Yes, he wags his tail and is happy to see people but no jumping on them or getting in their space as they enter my house.

He was perfect to Kelli’s family when they came.

Rusty sits and holds completely still when putting on or taking off his leash.  He loves walks and is pretty good on a leash.  He’s got the basics of leash training down.  He doesn’t pull at all.  He is shy of traffic but we are working on that.  Again remember that he came from an Amish farm.  There isn’t a lot of exposure to cars, trucks, and semis.

Rusty loves kids and it is great with them.  Here Georgia was “playing dress up with him”.

He loved the attention!!  He is so patient.

I just want to love up on him for how good he is with the kids.

If you wanted to take the time, Rusty would sit still and let you brush him for hours.  He loves getting brushed and being petted.  If you are a person who loves petting a dog, Rusty is the guy for you.

He is so good that I feel like he has the potential to be a therapy dog.  He could do so much good and bring so much comfort to whoever adopts him.  He doesn’t put demands on anyone.

Rusty is completely and totally non-food aggressive.  He does not react to spilled food at all.  We had Kelli’s kids here and Kalissa’s kids here.  Six kids total.  Just look at the food on the floor.  Can you see all the spilled food by Emmett?

Where were the dogs?  Izzy and Rosie were kenneled because they can’t control themselves over spilled food at all or kids eating.  Where was Rusty, laying on the floor about four feet away from the kids.

Before we ate, I put Rosie and Izzy in their kennels.  Rusty could sense that we were going to eat.  He took himself over near Rosie’s kennel, he laid down and stayed down.  We ate.  Never once did Rusty ever come near the table.  He didn’t even move.  He is so unobtrusive.

Sadly, this might be because of past bad treatment but I do appreciate being able to eat in peace without a dog jumping up.

Rusty loves people.  I’m always tootling around here and he does not get underfoot.  When I am working at the computer, he will pull his blanket out of his kennel.  He will pull it so he’s about five feet away from me and lay down.  He’ll nap or watch me.  He wants me to be close but is totally not intrusive to my space.

So far Rusty prefers his blanket over a dog bed.  He doesn’t like toys.  He is fine with my other dogs but doesn’t romp with them at all.  He’s likely not been played with and pampered being he’s lived his life, not in a home.

If any of the kids sit on the floor, he quietly walks over, sits down, and just waits.  Of course, the kids pet him.  That’s why I think he’d make sure a good therapy dog.

I am so hopeful that Rusty’s Cherry Eyes will get fixed tomorrow when he has surgery…most people don’t want a dog with eyes that look like Rusty’s.  Even our daughter Kelli’s twin boys Eli and Emmett notice his eyes.  They point to him and say “eyes, eyes”.  They know his eyes are different.

Most people don’t want a dog that is 5-7 years old.  Most people want a puppy.  I get that.  I’ve been that person…and then I got Rosie.  Oh my.  After fostering, I will NEVER pick an 8-week-old puppy again.  There are so many good dogs out there.

Admittedly part of me worries that his eye surgery will not work.  Part of me worries that people will pass this great dog by if the surgery doesn’t work.

Part of me worries that even if it does work, people won’t want a dog that is 5-7 years old.  Oh my.

Another part of me worries that Rusty will be here for a long time.  He’ll become attached to all of us only to be taken away and have to readjust yet again.

As I said, I’d keep him in a heartbeat but…I think Rusty has someone out there that needs him.  I want that for that person or family and I want that for Rusty…and I need to keep fostering.  If you read earlier in the week, we took in four moms and four pups this week, which took a lot of fosters.  We need some fosters to be open for when we get the next dog/dogs/pups in.

I want to do a HUGE shout-out to some of you blog readers.  When I initially told you about Rusty, several of you stepped up and donated towards Rusty’s vet bill.  That is so awesome!!  Everyone at the HEART Animal Rescue that I work with was so thankful and impressed by your generosity.  I was too.  WOW!!  Thanks so much.  The rescue is always in need of donations.  HERE is the link if you’d like to donate.

With a clean vet report, Rusty will likely be available for adoption next week.  Feel free to fill out papers so you have a pre-approved adoption on file so when he does become available, you can quickly contact the rescue and let them know you’re interested in Rusty.  HERE is the link to adopt.

Send good vibes Rusty’s way as he goes to the vet tomorrow.  I’ll let you know if they can fix his Cherry Eyes and let you know the official vet report.  Fingers crossed for this guy that it all works as he makes the step toward his next home.