My latest guest star: Toby the Bodeguero

It's been a wild couple days with Señor Toby. I've had to realise that progress is incremental and not always linear, if that makes sense. Overall he has made huge strides in the two weeks I've had him, but the last two days were full of back or side steps. The crate is back in the house because he's just not been calming down and I finally plunked him back into it for 30 minutes just so I wouldn't strangle him. Oddly enough, he didn't cry at all, just went in without a huff and settled right down. He now also goes into it on his own to curl up, so maybe it's become his "calm place". If so, that's progress.

On the other hand, he's now showing aggression around his food. This behaviour is actually logical given his background, but interesting that it's only showing up now. This is one thing that does really scare me in dogs, so it will be a learning experience for me to try to work with him on this.

He's also really escalated his "I will kill anything that moves by barking it to death" behaviour in the last two days. The strategies I used with Brogan's on-leash aggression are totally useless on Toby, so I need to refresh my LAT training and find a higher value reward/distraction. Now the only thing that somewhat works is to stick his nose into my legs so he literally can no longer see the thing making him nuts. You would think that the more comfortable he got with me, the LESS things would set him off, but the opposite seems to be true: as he has attached to me, things that are scary seem to need to be killed on my behalf, and there are more and more scary things every day. Or maybe he's gaining in confidence and this is the true Toby - big and macho? Sigh - I just don't know. Again, learning experience for me!

Case in point, we visited big black monster dog Tiger today and Toby felt the need to protect me (from Tiger who was simply wanting to give me kisses). It wasn't pretty... but maybe I'll try to get some time to let Toby tell that story on his own.

He's a good little guy and somehow he'll find a forever home that fits his energy level, but I'm just dead on my feet and for whatever reason missing Brogan really horribly today. I've not sat down and had a good cry about Brogan in a few weeks, but today with Toby biting me on the squishy bits, nearly being eaten alive by Tiger and simply barking his fool head off at everything that moved, I just ended up sticking him in the car in his crate, taking the long way home and having a good sob in the car. I sure do miss my big comforting goof ball of a teddy bear.

 

I just got a message from my rescue contact for Toby that the group in the UK has a potential family for him who sounds really good - everyone start thinking some REALLY good thoughts for Señor Toby!!!

 

Good thoughts on their way for Toby but a huge hugs and kind thoughts for you too.they ache never quite goes does it.

 

I doubt it very much. Big, macho dogs don't feel the need to bark at things - dogs do that to get the thing to go away. He's only been with you for a short time, and the guys on here who have rescued dogs always say it takes a while for the true character to come out - and, really, only then can you start to deal with it. So the fact you're making some backwards steps now is probably a perversely good thing; he's settling down with you and so you can start tackling his real behaviours.
Everything crossed that his future looks bright, but also that you have some time to start woking through his issues.

 

Oh Emily, you're great with Señor Toby, he's blossoming with you. I hope his UK home works out for him. Doesn't hurt to shed some tears for dear Brogan. Hugs x

 

Yes, I agree - for adult dogs I'd say it takes a good 3-4 weeks before you start seeing the "real" dog. The affectionate yet feisty scaredy-cat I'm seeing now is probably closer to the real Toby. Not the potential real Toby who will learn NOT to be a scaredy-cat, but the one he is now with all the good and bad of his past rolled into it.

And you are right - I shouldn't have said he IS big and macho but rather that he is trying to APPEAR big and macho. A rather large difference.

 

Good grief - the evening wasn't over after all. I was settling in for a movie and a cuddle and noticed FLEAS on poor Toby's belly. He's got a Scalibor collar on for Leishmaniosis, but apparently it's not doing the job for fleas. Ugh. So I dumped him in the bathtub immediately, but then forgot the shampoo so turned around and "Pop" out he comes of the tub and the chase is on. I've had dogs for 20 years, I really do know better...or SHOULD at any rate.

Clearly this was not Toby's first bath-of-death rodeo because he immediately scuddled under the bed, which he's never done before with me. "Come on, Tobes, come on Tobes" and then....scoot...he shoots into his crate huddling into the very back. Poor thing. But...hey!...he really DOES think of his crate as a safe haven now...win!

I did finally coax him out (ah, the addictive power of roast chicken) and after a lot of rinsing and sudsing, I wrapped him up in a fluffy towel and he is FINALLY snoozing next to me in bed.
I was going to put him in his crate tonight but I just don't have the heart. Poor little guy has been through the wars today!

 

Sounds like BOTH of you been in the wars.
Hugs

 

Just catching up on Toby's exploits, Emily. It's got the day off to a good start! I hope he snoozed all night after his bath and that you've defeated the fleas too!

 

Toby really likes hanging on the couch for a suspenseful Netflix evening in.



At least for the first three minutes...then...zzzzzzz.


I love me some spotty Bodeguero belleh!

 

Ohhhhhh I love love love him!

 

He's just the perfect size for couch cuddles.

 

Oh yikes! Well, you've done a wonderful thing preparing him for a new life with a hopefully loving family as patient as you!

Yep.

I'm not sure dogs are 'big and macho' - I think that's a human thing. Charlie isn't macho, but he is mostly hugely confident. He can't be bothered to bark - he just can not be bothered. Betsy seems to me to be much more nervous than Charlie, and she'll bark at all sorts of things. Charlie just LOOKS at her with a 'what ARE you doing?!?!' expression on his face.

 

My heart breaks, thinking of this and how it might feel to lose Charlie. I imagine I understand.

 

Love his spotty tummy, I would always be turning him over for tummy rubs

 

He is a rather nice size, even though I'm partial to huge dogs. He's very pickable-upable, yet nice and sturdy too - unlike my friend's tiny chihuahua, who I love but always feel as if I must protect. Not that I would want him to try, but it seems to me that Toby could take on any threat just by the force of her personality alone - nothing gets by the little dude!

 

Agreed - as I said to @snowbunny , I should have said that Toby barks a lot to APPEAR big and macho. I think a lot of it is bluster to make up for the fact that he is a bit afraid of whatever he's blustering at. I've never had a terrier, but maybe it's a terrier thing?

 

And he would love you for it, as that's he favourite position!

 

I just got news that Toby is now scheduled to go to Malaga on 7 May and then on to UK and his new home with a group transport of other rescue dogs on 10 May. He's been driving me positively batty the last few days and now I'm sitting here crying thinking about him going and how worried I'm going to be until I hear he's gotten to the UK safely. I'm a crazy woman!

He still has to pass a cat test and get his bloodwork done to make sure his Leishmaniosis count is low enough, but I really think he'll do ok. He's a tough little dude.

If this all works - and everyone think positive thoughts that is does - he will have made the long journey from tied up and starving to death row to foster dog to loved and coddled permanent family member. As he should.

Oh, the onions in here....STOPPPPP CUTTING THEM!

 

Good luck little Toby!