Ah, now that's a heart vs head dilemma I hope you manage to have a civilised weekend, and that the team settles down.
Paul is currently howling like a banshee crossed with a leaky balloon. He does not like his crate despite it being filled with soft blanket and a delicious Kong. But he will eat my pillows, computer cables, duvet and possibly my face if I let him out while I sleep. Carbon, my angel, went right into his crate, curled up and went to sleep. I think he must have smuggled in a pair of doggie earplugs. Crated separately right next to me in the bedroom. Both can see me from their crates. I actually think that Carbon is ready to join me on the bed and I probably would have done that tonight if Paul wasn't here. He already comes up when I wake up at 5am and then we have a cuddle until a civilised hour.
Yes, Carbon has understood very quickly what in the house is "edible/chewable/his" and what is not. Of course it would be silly to trust him completely as it is very early days and he's bound to have some learning stumbles, but he is (knock on wood) not a destructo dog. He is also very happy to go into his crate and did fab when I had to leave him for a doctor's appointment Thursday. The doctor was late and I ended up being gone for over two hours so I was very worried. I came back to the house fearing the worst, but not a peep as I opened the door and even when I came up the stairs to the bedroom, all I could hear was his tail thumping on the side of the plastic crate. He was very chilled out, didn't seem stressed at all and all was well in his little world. I do not understand why he has such a solid temperament considering that he was literally raised by other dogs in the most high-stress environment possible for a dog, but mine is not to question why...I'll just reap the benefits (as will his eventual forever family).
He's kind of in a luxe kitty prison (my spare bedroom). He gets the access to the full house (except my bedroom where the dogs are) at night, but otherwise he's just in the one room. It's a nice room, with three windows and a glass door out to a small patio so he can see out, but he's still on his own. My goal was to try to hold him once a day but I've not been able to even touch him after the day he arrived and he let me hold him for an hour. Miry is coming this evening to visit him and says she's bringing him some new toys and homeopathic stuff to help him. I'm sure just seeing her will at least make him happier. He loves her to bits.
Who do you think is taking up the other half of the bed? After Miry's visit tonight, it's going to be a furry orgy of bed cuddles. There's nothing cuddlier than a tired Bodeguero, and that's saying a lot considering what a cuddle monster Carbon is. No photos as it's going to be me covered with about 70 lbs of snoring dog and blissfully unable to move!
When your weekend sleepover adventure with your best buddy tires you out so much you pass out on top of the sofa...
As Carbón is officially no longer part of "Spanish Shelter Walkies", I've started a new thread for him with guest stars Paul and Garfield: https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/carbóns-big-adventure-aka-labratour-part-iv.23621/ I'll also post more about our Saturday and Sunday adventures that left the boys so tired out in the photos above.
I'm thinking a lot about beautiful Messi from ADANA as today his last day in the shelter before he goes to his new home tomorrow in Copenhagen. I'm very happy for him but feeling very sad that I've not gotten to see him these last two weeks and won't ever see him again. I wonder how he's been doing and what he thought (if anything) when I stopped coming. I don't regret bringing Carbon home with me to foster, but this is the consequence... not being able to see the others that I fell in love with. I know Messi wasn't 'my dog' but I initially went to ADANA thinking he might be and spent a very intense first week visiting him every day and trying to figure out what was the right thing to do. It was a very hard decision but I think the best decision for Messi as it would have been a very long shot that he would have been happy living my nomadic life. I know it's irrational, but I'm very down about it all today. This is the downside to all the happy photos and walkies - eventually you have to say goodbye and it's just so darn heartbreaking. I miss all of them, but Messi and Charlotte are particularly hard. Have a wonderful life, my big friend. You are loved and you'll be a bright star among the dogs of Copenhagen. Live long and be happy.
Knowing that Messi's been matched with a family must help though? And you're helping the dogs that you can, one dog at a time. You've fostered so many dogs over your lifetime, you've done more than most of us ever will, so don't ever doubt yourself
Oh @Emily_BabbelHund, I feel your pain. You are doing an amazing job with Carbon, Paul and Garfield. You can’t do it all but it must be so hard when you have made an attachment.
Big hugs and sympathies to you. And big hugs and bon voyage to lovely Messi. Have a great life, big boy, and remember who set you on the road.
Have a very well deserved, wonderful, funfilled long life that's full of love and cuddles with your forever family Messi. xx Hope you're OK Emily x
