Farewell to Shadow

[jesse_the_k]

One hundred eighty-eight days after we brought him home, we surrendered Shadow back to Underdog Pet Rescue. It’s been a journey. Comments off because I can’t cope with responding.

After my mid-June post, all progress stopped. We tried many things. We consulted two behaviorists, including one who came to our house, observed our interactions, and said “You are truly amazing guardians—this situation is so unusual. There are many dogs who would be so happy in your home.”

With us, Shadow was always tense, yawning and lip-licking, avoiding our eyes. We never once saw him let his jaw down or his tongue out—the canine version of a smile.

The only time Shadow seemed comfortable was in the presence of another dog. We can’t handle more than one pet. When a human (who’d transported him from Tennessee and fostered him for the first month) came to visit with her dog, Shadow happily began to explore the edges of our yard on his own for the first time. He gently jostled the other dog when the human was dispensing treats.

We did provide him a safe place to recover from the heartworm treatment, and did learn that he’s a dog who needs to be with other dogs. I know someone is out there with room for a low-energy, polite little pup with silky silky fur.