Coping
We’ve noticed a weird behavior of Shorty’s: every day around 5:00 p.m, he’ll start shivering. It doesn’t matter if he’s in his crate, or walking around the house, or, as was the case last weekend, outside with me (when, after I told him it was time to go back inside, he sprinted for our wood pile and attempted to jump our fence. I literally caught him by the collar mid-jump.) At 5:00 p.m., he turns into a scared, skittish, shivering puppy who tries to hide under the bed and clings to your leg with his tail uncurled and slung under his belly.
We don’t know what happened to him before we adopted him. We don’t know if that time of day brought him heartache. We don’t know if he was abused.
All we know is that he barks at strangers (men, especially) and practically crawls into your lap (even if you’re not sitting and no lap exists) so you can wrap your arms around him and comfort him while he shivers and shivers, looking anxious.
By 5:15, he’s back to himself, like nothing ever happened, free to be a useful nap buddy who thoughtfully blocks the light from your eyes.
I wish I knew what happened to him before he was ours.
Oh, poor Shorty. I feel the same way about Montana, except I also am not sure I could take finding out. It would be too painful. I just wish I could get into her head and know what was going on in there and what the hell she was thinking, you know?
Comment by Jess — December 8, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Ugh, poor Shorty. I’m so glad he has you guys now.
That picture is so cute!
Comment by nonsoccermom — December 8, 2009 @ 11:49 am
Poor baby. Maybe they have doggie psychologists that can give insight. We’ve thought the same thing about Tuxie, wondered what life on the streets did to her before she came to our house, and why she walks the way she does. I wish the talking collars from Up really existed
Comment by parkingathome — December 8, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
Oh poor guy. Sounds like that was maybe the time someone came home from work or something like that. Anyway, maybe someday he will relax and outgrow it. Fingers crossed!
Comment by Shelly — December 8, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
Ugh abused animals just break my heart. I can’t imagine how anyone could ever be so cruel to someone so sweet. Luckily he is with a loving family now and will eventually realize he’s safe. And its wonderful he trusts you enough to actually run TO you when he’s freaked out instead of away from you.
Comment by sarah — December 8, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
We have a dog that we believe was abused before we got her from the shelter. She used to sit as far from us as she could and she would smash her body up against the wall, seemingly trying to disappear. To this day, she sometimes still shies away from me and she was very scared of women for the longest time, showing the whites of her eyes, bowing her head and becoming suddenly docile if I even looked in her direction.
You could not touch her feet at all because it seemed to cause her great pain and if you picked her up the wrong way she screamed in pain – we believe she was kicked in the side, repeatedly. She was only maybe 9 months old when we got her and she was picked up on the side of the road out in the country, supposedly.
My heart still breaks to think of someone, especially a woman, beating sweet Lucy so badly that she was profoundly changed by that experience. She is a sweet dog and is much better on all counts but still there are moments, especially after the babies each came where she would cower and pee herself. I felt horrible for making her feel that way. She treats both kids like gold and is so dainty when she takes treats from their hands. UGH. Smarty is in such amazingly great hands now!
Comment by Christina — December 8, 2009 @ 1:06 pm
The thought of what happened to Tally before I got her nearly stops me dead sometimes. I mean someone cut her EARS off!!!! What??? Each and every time I get frustrated with her I just think of what she has been through in her life and how lucky I am to have her.
Hopefully Shorty will be able to move on from his past the longer he’s with you guys. I mean he already seems pretty comfortable, as does Jason, in that pic!
Comment by Emily — December 8, 2009 @ 1:27 pm
Oh! I would damn near cry every day at 5:00 p.m. Poor baby!
Regardless of what happened to him before, he has the best parents ever now.
Comment by Artemisia — December 8, 2009 @ 4:00 pm
That must be so hard to see. Poor baby.
I often wonder about what happened to Miri before I got her. I can tell that whatever it was, it was done by someone walking, because she’s fine if I’m sitting down but still gets startled by me walking by, eleven months later.
In a way I do want to know what happened to her, but I’m not sure I could handle knowing.
Comment by ccr in MA — December 8, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
That’s so sad to think that the time of day when his former owner might have come home was scary for him. I’m sure eventually your steady kindness will wear away those fearful instints.
Comment by Sarah — December 8, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
…I’ve always said that I wish pets could talk. I need to know our Tobie’s story too. Plus, the window tapping cardinal and I need to have a serious conversation. I’m glad Shorty’s situation only lasts 15 minutes. He’s got the best parents….ever!
Comment by Becky — December 9, 2009 @ 5:08 am
Poor Shorty
I’m so glad he has a good family and a good home now <3
Comment by velocibadgergirl — December 9, 2009 @ 9:14 pm
That just hurts, doesn’t it? I’m just so glad he has you guys. The fact that he comes to you for comfort when he’s scared clearly show just how much he loves and trusts you.
Comment by Whimsy — December 10, 2009 @ 12:38 am
Oh poor guy. But look. Look at his life now. Ya done good.
Comment by Ellie — December 10, 2009 @ 8:10 am