Four months.
As of this Tuesday, Election Day, Lexi has been sharing our home for 4 whole months.
This is a long time to spend with someone and it’s amazing, looking back, just how far we’ve come. Thinking back to that skinny, itchy and walled-off pup who installed herself on our futon back in July, it’s difficult to reconcile that little dog with the lazy, crazy gallump who has slowly taken over our home.
Lexi and Bula, sharing a nap with me.
You can’t help but enter an arrangement like fostering without having some preconceived notions about how it will work, about what life will be like together. Despite my best efforts, despite trying to keep an open mind, I am guilty of making assumptions too soon, of figuring that certain things were just the way it would be. The biggest surprise has been how well Lex has integrated into our animal-filled household. While interactions are still supervised and we still strictly crate when out of the house, any separation while home has become almost more about keeping that distance that is so much a part of fostering, rather than a safety precaution. Lexi could care less about the rabbits; she has made it her mission to get Bula the cat to not just approve of her, but to really like her (jury is still out, by the way); and Lexi has gone above and beyond to win over our crotchety hound Sadie. I strongly believe that, in this regard, she has done us a real favor. While Sadie still has an air of mere tolerance rather than affection (as with her last foster sister), that tolerance is amazing. After a rocky few days, Lexi has shown an amazing ability to work with what Sadie gives her, and to be happy with it. I have never seen Sadie so, well, tolerant of a dog, particularly one she still so clearly doesn’t like too much. She’s gaining social skills I never thought she’d have, and I never thought we’d have Lexi to thank for that.
When Lexi first came home, it struck me how little I felt I could see of her, how turned inward she seemed to be. That, too, has changed drastically. What I feel I’ve learned the most about Lexi is her desperate need to know how things stand, where she fits in to a situation, what is expected of her. Much like me in some ways, Lexi needs rules. She is visibly uncomfortable in situations that she doesn’t understand, and often looks for guidance anywhere it may be available. Don’t get me wrong, she is not misbehaved or out of control or any of that – quite the contrary, the majority of her default behavior is perfectly polite, in fact. I think of her a bit like a social sponge – she observes reactions and behavior around her, and responds accordingly. She is incredibly smart, has great focus, and if you give her time she will work things out. She’s a big thinker – that is, when she remembers to think (we all forget sometimes). Training with Lexi has been both a challenge and a joy – a challenge in that she is a much more outgoing, more energized and focused dog than I usually work with, and a joy often for those same reasons.
Digging for exactly the right toy
These thoughts (and so many others) bring us to today, as I hear running throughout my head the oft-repeated query “why hasn’t she been adopted yet?” And I don’t really have an answer to that. Not a complete one, anyway. As with any adoption, there is an element of luck to having the right person stumble upon the right dog at the right time. There are also more obvious hurdles between dogs like Lexi and a forever home; hurdles like her breed type (elephant in the room). We all understand the issues facing our beloved blockheads, but fortunately for Lexi she is positioned in exactly the right place to catch the eye of fans of her ilk – Handsome Dan’s Rescue for (those oh-so-awesome) Pit Bull Type Dogs. So, you’d think that shouldn’t be so much of an issue, right?
Our gorgeous girl…
Well, there’s also the (not so) small matter of her allergy issues, which I’m under no delusions about. I’m sure some people have considered her, only to change their mind because of that word: Allergies. In fact, I know it to be true. And I wouldn’t want someone to commit to Lexi without fully considering her care needs. Dogs with allergies can be expensive – medication, special diets and supplements – and their care can take more time – cleaning, medicating, monitoring – than other dogs. They can also, however, give just as much (or more) love in return and lead full, healthy and happy lives with much less fuss than I think many imagine. Yes, we have had ups and downs with Lex, sure. We’ve had to trial-and-error this a bit, and thanks to generous supporters of HDR, we’ve had the wiggle room to do so – which means Lexi’s future family won’t need to. The luxury of being able to tackle Lexi’s allergies while in foster care means that she is now on a drug and diet routine that works for her, and that should make daily life for her nearly indistinguishable from a dog without allergies. Her miracle drug, Cyclosporine, can be costly, but generics and the reduced maintenance dose she is heading for will make the ultimate cost more within reach – about $30-60 per month (vs. hundreds of dollars that some fear). With this medication functioning in her system, Lexi’s family will likely not need to worry nearly so much about environmental irritants and food. Lexi will also head to her future home with a complete file of all of her medical care to date, eliminating much of the testing and work many families have to go through with their pet upon diagnosis of allergies. A good point raised by a handful of people is that, with Lexi, her issue is a known quantity. Any dog can have health issues or allergies – with Lexi, we already know about them and have taken (many) steps to alleviate them. As her primary caregiver for the last four months I can say that, yes, Lexi has been more work than some other dogs, but then she has been less than some, too. We have adjusted smoothly to her care, and are confident that her new family will, too. We do want anyone considering taking Lexi home to know what they are getting into, but we also know that there is a family out there that will be able to see past the big ugly label Allergies and see the whole picture. Could Lexi cost more? Sure. Will she take more time and work? Possibly. Is she worth it? Absolutely. And the person who sees that is the person who is right for this girl.
The Gallump is always game for a good cuddle.
We know that person is out there. Maybe we haven’t met them yet, or maybe we just haven’t realized it , but they’re there, and we can’t wait for them to figure out what they have been missing this whole time. The stolen hugs and love attacks, the crazy fits, the quirks and silly habits, the complete and utter devotion that our Lexi delivers in a manner quite unlike any other. Someone is missing all of this, but we are happy to enjoy it in the interim. After all, a Gallump certainly is a terrible thing to waste.
Lexi is waiting…
Defining Lexi 