Momentous Weekend

Well, it was a rather momentous weekend last weekend.

Flyball practice was cancelled (mud), so I took Benniedoodle to an adoption event in Rio Rancho. It was my first one, and I'm afraid I rather hate them. So many people, and I am not a people person, and so many dogs, huddled in a small tent. The dogs cower and shut down or their eyes get that glazed over look. So many people, as well, and they looked pretty glazed also.

It was hard for me to figure out the balance. I wanted to hover by Bennie's cage and pounce on any show of interest, but it seemed better to step back. People seemed more comfortable checking the dogs out if I gave them space, so I lurked in the corner and spied on them. There was a beautiful husky. Everyone's eyes would light up when they saw that dog. I saw so many children's eyes light up and they would zero in on that dog.

Bennie was a sweetie, and I saw several people, usually older people, stop, reach down and scratch his ears. Then, they moved on. Finally, a few hours into it, a couple stopped, and visited his cage. They started asking all sorts of questions and I told them they could take him out and walk around with him to get to know him. They did, and were gone a long time. I was a little concerned that they decided to just, well, leave. However, they came back and asked more questions. Then left on another walk about with him, then came back and asked about adoption forms.

They took him away for a two week trial, and last I heard, he was doing splendidly with him. My first foster doggie was adopted! It's was sort of a surprise.

That happened on Saturday, so Sunday I was a bit at loose ends - I had been spending so much time working with Bennie, that I wasn't sure what to do with myself. So I took Weasel dock diving. She did very well, considering she had never seen a swimming pool or dock before. Her main issue seemed to be that she couldn't figure out how to get back out and would swim little panicked circuits of the perimeter of the pool, while I crawled down the ramp and called her. After a couple of those episodes, she seemed reluctant to jump off the dock again, but I encouraged her and she did. It helped when I taught her where the ramp was by throwing the toy off of it and letting her run down it into the water. I think I'll try it again with Spoiled One, though I rather expect he'll refuse to jump.