[Dailydrool] To Snoopy

[Pamela McQuade]

Dear Snoopy:
When LuLu does these strange things, she is telling you something about her past. Mom says that if you have a foster long enough, especially if you adopt it, it will tell you about its past.
 
Holly came to us as a very sweet hound--overly sweet. She never did anything that would upset a human--even long after the time that most fosters start feeling at home and acting up. Mom thinks Holly's original people demanded constant obedience; so mom actually started encouraging Holly to be herself. She knew this wasn't real bassetness, and mom wanted Holly to be all she should be as a basset.

Now mom's not too happy that this bassetness has taken the form of eating poop and staying in the kitchen when mom wants her out, but at least Holly doesn't act as if she was under mom's thumb (a place no dog has ever been). Holly can also be locked in a kitchen without complaining. Mom thinks she spent a lot of time in the crate that she came with and didn't seem to like. Mom sent the crate away to a new home, because she doesn't believe dogs should spend too much time in crates, especially when they don't like them. Holly is also hand shy when a human tries to grab ahold of her to move her out of the kitchen, so mom suspects she was pulled about a bit by her original humans. (Mom has a much gentler approach. She just gets in back of Holly and walks her out of the kitchen, using her body as a motivator.)
 
Dexter came here with very few problems. But if mom tries to move him in the bed, especially if he's asleep, he will yelp as if someone were murdering him. He also does this if Holly threatens him. Mom doesn't think anyone abused Dex, but he can be nervous about being touched. Maybe when he's been here longer, he will tell mom more about his past.
 
I have been training the fosters for almost eleven years now. Though I was never in rescue, I know a lot about rescues, 'cause we've had fosters coming in and out--and a few stayed forever. You can take my mom's word on it when she tells you that LuLu will calm down once she feels secure--maybe after she's adopted (we assume that you are adopting her) or when she's been with you for a long time.
Lady Jane, senior hound of the Dashing Bassets
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