Monkey See, Monkey Do

We all know the phrase, "Monkey see, monkey do." Most dogs can learn by watching other dogs. Chloe is no exception.

She intently watches her foster brother and sisters interact with me. They love attention and affection.  Chloe has started soliciting attention and affection from me also. She has even licked my hand a couple of times. That's a big step for a shy dog who has only been in her foster home for little over a week.

Chloe's foster brother and sisters and I play together with toys each day. It's just part of our routine. Chloe watches our playtime. In the last couple of days, Chloe has even started picking up discarded toys after the most recent play session. She will typically carry them to her bed. She has not actually started playing with them yet, but I am encouraged by her picking toys up and carrying them around.

Chloe has willingly mastered all the routines of the household from meal time to bed time to outside play time. In our fenced back yard, when called, she has started running over to me. Not just walking casually but actually running and wagging her tail.

This weekend we start working on meeting people in her own environment (her foster home) and then next week visiting her new people friends in their homes.

It's so wonderful to see Chloe start to build comfort and confidence. Time and patience will be our best friends.

Likes and Dislikes

It's interesting and fun as you start to get to know your foster greyhound. You discover their likes and dislikes. In the 5 days that Chloe has been in my household as a foster, I have learned many things about what she likes and what she dislikes.

Chloe is a bit of a dichotomy. Being a shy dog, there are things you expect her to nervous around. What makes Chloe so interesting is that some things that you expect her to be shy or nervous around, she is not. For example, I had a spot steam cleaner out and cleaning a muddy pawprint in the carpet. My dogs were afraid to walk next to it while it was operating. Not Chloe. She walked right next to it and could have cared less.

Chloe likes crates. She obviously feels very safe and secure in a crate. In fact she seeks out an open crate. She likes to eat her meals in a crate.

Chloe loves car rides. She enjoys going for a ride.

Chloe likes food. So far she has not been picky about when it comes to eating.

Chloe likes being part of a "pack." She enjoys the companionship of other dogs, yet she also is people focused after you have won her over.

Chloe enjoys going outside and is even very agreeable to wearing a coat in the very cold weather that we have had lately. She also seems to like to explore.

Chloe likes to take her time getting to know people. She also feels more comfortable getting to know someone in a familiar surrounding.

Some of the things that Chloe does not like are quick movements. She is much more comfortable with slower movements.

Chloe does not like loud or firm voices. She likes calm, gentle voices.

Chloe likes her space while she eats. She doesn't show any food guarding but rather stops eating is she thinks you are a little to close to her while she eats.

Chloe is not comfortable meeting people in unfamiliar surroundings yet.

Chloe had her first little outing this evening. We went to Petsmart since I knew it would be not very busy the Monday evening after Christmas.

Chloe was excited to go. She enjoyed the ride. She had a coat and harness on. She was a little nervous to get out of my truck when we got there. Once there she was a little nervous going into Petsmart. Once in side, she was interested in looking and sniffing around. She was not too interested in meeting anyone tonight though. She got very nervous if people got to close to her, but she did not panic or try to bolt. Baby steps, but I'll take them!

Chloe's White Christmas

Chloe enjoyed "opening" presents this morning. She got 2 stuffies, a tag holder, and her own blankie.

She went outside with her foster siblings this morning and wanted to play so bad. Even though my yard is fenced, I had been walking her on a leash in the backyard. I didn't want her to get scared and me have to chase her around the yard to get her back inside. I told her maybe in the afternoon, she could be in the fenced yard unleashed.

She has been listening to me so well so this afternoon, I gave her her wish and let her be in the fenced yard with my dogs unleashed with me close by. She was quite happy. She ran a little (even with her baggie protecting her last remaining foot bandage). She did her business and when I called her to me, she came right away. So she has earned her first privilege--at least for today. She's such a good girl.

She's had a big day and is sound asleep--maybe with sugar plums (or more likely squirrels) dancing in her head.

Next week we'll try some short outings and meeting some new people. So far she's proving to be a resilient little dog. Shy, yes, but definitely resilient.

Here's Winking at You Kid!

Chloe is "in the House"

Chloe went into foster today. She eagerly jumped into the front seat of my truck while I was loading her stuff. She was obviously ready to leave the kennel. I easily coaxed her into the backseat and off we went. She laid down and relaxed while the truck was moving. Anytime we stopped, she jumped up as if to say, "Are we there yet?"

Once home, she met her foster sisters (Rio and Cori) and brother (Blaze). She also met PJ (cat) and Reggie (most likely the first parrot she's ever met). She was a little nervous but didn't seem overly stressed. She found a dog bed she liked and settled in for a nap.

After her nap, we told her she's been enrolled in the "Life is Great" program. Once she's settled in, she's going to go to lots of places, do lots of things and meet lots of people. Her foster siblings, Rio and Blaze, told her they have graduated from the program ages ago and Cori graduates very soon. All three have said they'll be happy to tutor her.

We all told her to rest up over the next couple of weeks so she'll be ready to start the program.

Watch her blog to read about her experiences and see her progress. Today is the first day of the rest her life and it promises to be grand!