The saga of Chocy does not end. Why would it?
Beautiful Chocy
I have been debating sending out this update, which explains why there has been a distinct lack of blogging lately. As changes happened in Chocy’s life, I thought I’d wait for the Happy Ending portion of this tale. As each day continued with a roller-coaster of absurd events, I continued the wait.
After much deliberation, I have decided to post this, although the ending is far from the sought after outcome. Although I try to keep this blog up-beat and humorous, I find there is no way of making light of this subject.
After reflection, the Shelter Owner changed her mind, deciding that Chocy could be homed with “Son”. He, for his part, was ecstatic. Mom and Son collected Chocy on Friday afternoon and I awaited their promised feedback. The call came, far earlier than expected. A frantic Mom informed me that Chocy had bitten one of the house mates. I rushed over immediately.
The Shelter had feared Chocy might be aggressive towards the other dog. However, she behaved perfectly, wanting nothing other than to play. No-one had expected a problem with people. The House Mate (offended party on receiving end of bite) turns out to have grown up with parents who breed Dalmations and his behaviour and training ability with dogs is superb. On arrival, he was calm and getting on famously with Chocy. He had arrived home soon after Chocy’s arrival, whilst the excitement levels were high. He believed that this, coupled with the fact that she was somewhat cornered, may have led her to “fear bite”. No skin was broken, it had been one nip and then she had backed down.
In order to release some of the excited tension, we played fetch with Chocy, a game at which she is superb. The house mate started some training exercises, which went perfectly. He then put her on the lead and within 5 minutes had her trained not to go out of the gate. Chocy is clever. She wants to please but something has happened in her dubious past.
By now, it was clear that the House Mate had fallen completely in love, bite or no bite. Chocy’s beautiful nature was coming out and I was beginning to think that, between the Son and House Mate, this was going to be her perfect home. Both were fabulous with her. Both were dying to get her to the park for a run and play. Both were excited to take her on their daily jog. I had the perfect blog – the happy ending.
Then the next house mate arrived home. Chocy rushed up to greet him. She tends to jump up (an easy behaviour to stop in time). Being a very big dog, the guys’ instinct was to push her down. Something has happened in Chocy’s past that has her fearful of that particular action. As she came down, out of fear, she bit. It was an instinct, with no follow through.
She moved away instantly and was, once again, absolutely fine with me, Son, House Mate and Mom. However, with multiple people living in the house and frequent visits from all their friends, we could not risk leaving her there. What if it were to happen again, with a friend? What would Chocy’s future be then? For Chocy’s safety, it was imperative to take her back.
If it were only the Son and House Mate, she would have found her Perfect home. I’m afraid that this is a sad ending, to what could have been something beautiful for the truly sweet, loving and fantastic Chocy. Please don’t judge her on her reactions to fear. She simply needs a quieter home, with a knowledgeable owner, to be the perfect pet. Our job is just a little bit harder now.
My heart breaks and I could not bring myself to write this update earlier. However, we will keep looking for that perfect home. It will come!
Long Life Cats and Dogs 
Dogs and cats, like people and, for that matter, all mammals, carry with them baggage from earlier times. Sad that Chocy’s previous years have taught her such fear, and sad that that fear will probably have a negative affect on the rest of her life
SO many animals respond in this manner to their past traumas — of which we’ll never know the details. And why wouldn’t they? Like you said, it only takes a bit of knowledge and patience on the part of a loving owner to work with these guys — as we’ve done with formerly abused cats, dogs, and horses, now very gentle and loving critters. MUCH luck + love to you and Chocy. ♥
Thanks so much for the love and luck wishes. My dog, Litchi, was way worse and far more aggressive when I first took her in. I now use her in training sessions at schools, teaching kids about Safety around Dogs. I trust her completely and she handles 30+ kids crowding and touching her with nothing but a calm tail wag. Chocy needs help and confidence building. With that and a whole lot of love, she really will be the perfect pet. I cannot begin to tell you how sweet she really is.
Exactly…. It takes patience and devoted training to help them, which I don’t think people 1) thoroughly understand or 2) are willing to participate in. I’ve known golden retrievers and labs…the quintessential “good dogs”…that experienced trauma / abuse in their lives, and reacted accordingly with snapping and biting. It takes time, work, and love. But it works.
It really is sad, because the issues she has are fairly easily overcome. In the right home, she will be brilliant. it will take some good people, to undo the damage done by bad people before.
We are all works in progress, Chocy deserves (and will find) the person/family that can work on those issues. There is absolutely someone for everyone! Hang tight Chocy, that person is coming!
Too right. The perfect person awaits Chocy – I just need to find them now. Boy, if you think of the issues us humans carry around, Chocy is just a perfect delight
The right home will come along one day soon and Chocy will thrive with people who understand her issues and will “love” her right through them happily!
Pam and Sammy
It will and she will be such a great pet. So sad that things had to happen in her past that makes her fearful. Sometimes I do wonder about people – not you, of course, you’re a cat, which means you are just Great! PS – thanks for my award! Really, thank you soooo very much. Tomorrow is going to be a fun and happy day because of that – you’re on fire, my dear cat (in the best possible way).
Puddles mum here…we have the same situation with our Whitney. Whitney came here and she was already 8 years old. She has a lot of fear and anxiety. But we love her regardless of her issues and we are aware of them and work with her.When I was reading this post I was thinking Chocy needed a home a bit more quiet and less traffic but you learn from these things and she will find the perfect home soon.
Okays, Puddles heres now…sorry you hads to listen to my mum cuz her s soooooooooo borin’….OMD, you has no idea. Anyways, I just knows Chocy will find a perfect home cuz I knows everything…hehehehe.
Puddles…and mum
Well Puddles, I am really glad to hear you know everything, so, if you know she’ll find a good home, then it will be! PS – your Mom really isn’t boring, just giving some much needed encouragement. Chocy’s perfect home awaits!
Disappointing but their love for Chocky in a not so ideal setting shows she’s gorgeous. A calmer environment to begin with sounds better and then she can work up to full-blown fun and games 🙂
Too true – it really does show how wonderful she is. She will come right, with some confidence building and a whole lot of love. The house was just too busy with people coming and going when the owner himself is not necessarily there. A slightly quieter home and someone is going to be the proud slave to the best possible pet.
Poor Choccy and how sad for her hoped for new home but clearly not the ideal situation and at least you found out before any serious (as in major broken skin/child bite-children being much faster and squealier etc etc in general) occurred. Sounds like she’ll do just fine in a less hectic environment and with perhaps one to one with an understanding owner who has some knowledge of dog behaviour/issues. Take heart, she will find a beautiful home with the right person/people just as soon as the time is right. Wolfie hugs! 😉
You are so right Wolfie, timing is everything. Luckily, Chocy is really happy at the Shelter, so we have time to find her the perfect home. I would hate to think what might happen to her if there was a child involved – just too horrible to process. 2 of the guys at the house would have been perfect but the place is just too busy with other people. As you say, when the time is right, the right home will come along.
And when it does, it’ll be the best home in the world for Choccy thanks to you 🙂
Various household in my family had a similar problem with a black male Dachshund attaching the throats of our other male dogs. We have cuddled and exercised and nourished him out of this habit after about six months. Instinctive reactions from fear out of old events really is the bug-a-boo here with these guys! Praying for a perfect home for Chocy!
Good on you for continuing work with the Dachshund. It takes time and patience. Once their confidence is built, it’s amazing how they can overcome past fears. Thanks for your Prayers for Chocy – I’m sure they will bring her the right home when the time is right.
I’m glad you did post this. There’s no shame here, but I think we need to be more forthright about the issues that some rescue dogs face. I have all the respect in the world for rescuers, but I don’t like it that some rescuers hide the problems their dogs face. You’re not doing that, and that means these animals will have a much better shot at having a stable, forever home.
Thank you Rumpy, your input really means a lot. The truth is that it is more important to know the issues, so the correct home can be found, rather than having Chocy go to the wrong place and either get sent back or, worse still, having someone badly injured, at which point her chances would be zero. It is the reason I work specifically with the No-Kill shelters, so there is always time to work on issues and find the right home.
Finally catching up after a vacation. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hopefully Chocy finds the right home. I think you are right about her needing a quieter place. She might do fine in the right environment with the proper training. Best of luck.
I know the “catch-up” feeling. My internet was down for a couple of days and I still haven’t got to everything. Good luck with that. Chocy will definitely find the right home. We just need to find that perfect person, in the right environment – it will all happen! Thanks for the good wishes – really appreciated.
I feel your disappointment and sadness. Sounds like Chocy needs a quieter place, with less goings on. All rescue dogs have their foibles and not every dog is right for every home. You were patient and kind and realized she was not acting out of aggression but out of fear. Hopefully Chocy will be just as lucky with her fur-ever home.
If only everyone could realise that, most times, so called aggression is really fear and, once you work out what is causing it, you can help them through their “foibles”. Imagine if people wrote each other off as quickly as they do a previously abused animal. We will find her the perfect home in time. We certainly will never give up.
(((((hugs))))) poor sweet Chocy…she just needs an understanding person that knows that she had a troubled past. My heart breaks but I am certain there is a good owner out there somewhere!!!! Even humans come with baggage as we all know!
Thank you for your incredibly kind comment on my blog today!
Barks and licks and love, Dakota
Thanks for the hugs – I’ll pass them on to Chocy who, by the way, is really happy at the shelter. This is good, as it means that we have time to work on her issues and find the perfect home. Regarding human baggage, us lot come with so much that it makes any animal related problem look like a little mole hill in comparison. I wish people could adjust as well as animals manage to.
We’re sorry that Chocy has yet to find a forever home. We believe she will. Hopefully, it was a bit therapeutic to post this. Unfortunately, it seems like a common problem. Hang in there! *Hugs*
Thanks Bella and Didi, your hugs and thoughts help. You are right, it was somewhat therapeutic to right about it. Chocy is, however, doing just fine back at the shelter and we know we will find her the right home and environment.
We know the perfect loving home for sweet Chocy is out there and we hope very soon it will be found. We leave you abd Chocy lots of extra hugs and nose kisses
Thanks Chancy, Chocy loves nose kisses – I’ll be sure to pass them on to her. We are confident that we will find the right home, it just might take a little longer than we had hoped. She really is the sweetest thing. She just needs a slightly quieter household.
I’ve set it on my wish list for my upcoming birtday that Chocy will find a perfect home. I’m very sorry for Chocy. I’ll hold my paws for her.
Wow, I think that’s the first time Chocy has had anything to do with a Birthday. That is really sweet of you to add her to your list. What a very generous dog you are. Your paw holding will definitely help us to find her the perfect home. Thanks so much.
I hope Chocy finds the right home soon.
Thank you Clowie, I am sure she will. She really is a beautiful and sweet dog. We just need to work a little bit harder to help her over her past and find a slightly quieter home with an owner who has experience and can help her grow into the superb pet that she is.
Thank you for stopping by my blog and following! I am always so excited when I get new readers.
It is sad that situation did not work out but I think Chocy is very lucky to have you in her life. She is a beautiful girl and I know the right home will come along for her.
You have quite an amazing blog and I am looking forward to following you and to that post one day that says Chocy has found her forever home!
Thanks so much Misty Shores. You have a fantastic blog as well and I am looking forward to all the updates. It really is exciting to get new readers, isn’t it. Glad to hear I’m not the only one who get excited about that. From my point of view, of course, it all helps to raise awareness for the Pro-Life Shelters, so each one means just a little bit more to me. Thanks.
PS – Chocy will definitely find her perfect home and, in the mean time, she is really happy at the shelter.
Chin up, you are all doing the best you can in a really tough situation, Chocy included. The adoption process is complicated and frustrating at times (I have had to take back a few dogs too after I had thought they were in great places… and it’s always heartbreaking for everyone involved) but you really will find the perfect forever home for Chocy… one where you will never have to worry about “what if?”.
Sending you and Chocy much love and good wishes on this journey.
Kathryn & The Lonely Dogs
Thanks so much Kathryn. I know we will find the perfect place. It was just so weird, finding a problem we didn’t know she had and seeing her behaving fantastically with the other dog, where we thought there would be a problem. Oh well, it’ll just take a little longer than we had hoped but it will happen!
Poor Chocy! It’s too bad she didn’t find a house full of people who would be patient with her. I hope she finds someone special who will love her unconditionally soon…
She certainly found a house with 2 guys who would have given her anything. Just a pity there is so much additional coming and going in the household. Fear not, we will find Chocy her perfect home. At least she is very happy at the shelter.
If we lived closer, we would have Chocy. We don’t have a really busy household. I think all the introductions was just a bit much. You’ve got to take it really slow. Our Mollie, who you’ve read about ( Please excuse me if I start talking dog lingo, I’m not use to having adult conversations Bol, I mean Lol ) when she’s affraid she barks at people, looks quite furrocous ( sorry it’s late and my brains not in order, so can’t spell that word!) she wouldn’t hurt them, like Choy, he dose a nip but no blood drawn but you can’t take the chance. Like if a small child turned up to visit the family. (God I’m waffling 🙂
He needs to be introduced slowly to people, other animals then he will be fine. Puppy step’s, he needds guidance.
Wow, I’ve nearly written a book, better go before I bore you to tears!!!
Hugs and have a good evening, I’m gonna go to bed thinking of Chocy !
Stella x
Hi Stella and Mollie, thanks for all your kind thoughts and I love your “nearly a book”. You couldn’t possibly bore me to tears. All the comments for Chocy are just so wonderful and we will definitely find her the right home (just like Mollie found yours). A bit of time and a bit of work and all things will come together. That’s precisely why I work with the Pro-Life shelters, where there is time to do what’s necessary.
We really appreciate your comments and well done Mollie on having such an adult conversation – good for the brain though, having to push it that further step. Very impressive:)
How heartbreaking! However, the right home will come…. 🙂 We are praying up a storm… hang in there… GOD BLESS YOU! 🙂
Thank you Chuck, the prayers are greatly appreciated. Don’t feel too bad though, because Chocy is extremely happy at the shelter. She has bonded with everyone there and gets tons of attention and walks. Life could be worse – she could be back on the street scavenging for meals. Her perfect home will come.
I am very sorry to hear this. Chocy sounds like a very lovely dog and I am sure the right home will be found soon.
Thanks Bassa. The right home will definitely come along – just takes time and patience – with a little bit of work around Chocy. We never give up!
I am so sorry to hear about this. I have no doubt Chocy will sound a loving home soon!
Hi Kelli and thank you for your good wishes. She certainly will find a good home and, in the mean time, she really is very happy at the shelter, so no need to feel too sorry for her. Sometimes it just takes a little more time and effort.
Thank you so much for posting this…like children, dogs shouldn’t have to adapt to their environments. It, in fact, should be the other way around: their environments should be adaptable to THEIR needs so they can thrive. That’s why I can totally understand the decision that was made, as difficult as it was to make.
Hi Jessica, I couldn’t agree more. Imagine if someone adopted a previously abused, orphaned teenager and expected them to come with no problems or issues? People can be really hard on animals – expecting perfection no matter what the circumstances. Unfortunately, in Chocy’s case, the two guys would have been perfect but there was just too much additional traffic through the house and we could not risk an incident which could have cost her her life.
maybe Chocy needs some intensive training to get rid of the bite reflex. I know my dog has some annoying habits – he bails up strangers, on occasion, and snarls though not bites. But I guess with targeted training (and gloves) you might be able to ‘cure’ Chocy.
The bites are not bad. They are a pure fear instinct. Something seems to have happened to her in the past, whereby the movement downwards of someones hand pushing her away, makes her fearful. It shouldn’t be a difficult one help her with. She is certainly not at the stage where gloves, etc are needed in order to work with her. She really is a sweetie. Previous abuse has simply caused a fear of a specific movement.
Poor baby and how difficult for everyone. Hugs to you for all the good you are doing!
It was sad but Chocy is actually very happy at the shelter. He gets lots of attention, regular walks and seems to be fine there. It may not sound ideal to us but it’s where he’s chosen to be. He feels comfortable and safe.