Lilly's Journey : Day Three

Sun 7 Jun : Lilly has a smashing day! Martin & I, Maffy, Stilts and Lilly head to East Coast Park again. This time, Lilly is less troubled by the bikes whizzing past, the runners and all the other noisy distractions as she plods happily by Martin's side. She really likes him, and feels safe and confident near him and the other dogs.

Camera ready, Lilly dips her toes in the sea but doesn't like the lapping white waves (oh, what a wuss!). So we head on to a calmer bay where Lilly immediately wades in and sits. Sadly, the confines of the leash stop her as she takes her first swim! Two strokes.

That evening we leave the dogs at home - together, unsupervised (yikes!!!!) while we feast on strawberries and Champagne with Tim & Jacq and other animal lovers who have flown in from Sydney. Got home to find peace - no ripped up rugs, no shredded curtains, all table legs intact! Good ol' Lilly.

2am Monday morning: awake to find Lilly snoozing in a ball on the cold floor. Lift her gently into the comfy crate and close the door. She stays there til 0815 (over 6 hours) and even when I open the door, she decides to go on zzzzzzing peacefully on her side.

Summary : end of Day 3
Crate training is cracked - just need to extend the period she is in the crate over night.

She invites play with me and the other dogs, often.

Around the house and on walks her tail wags happily.

She retrieves, sort of!
She believes the vacuum cleaner is a monster.

Lilly's Journey : Day Two

Sat 6 Jun, 0830 am Late to rise, sorry dogs (jet lag!!) Lilly slept soundly. Toilet duties on the lawn, no mishaps indoors. We're off to East Coast Park for a stroll and a dip in the sea... if Lilly wants.

Lilly likes the car!

She wants! Yeh, Lilly likes the water and in a calm bay where the waves aren't tossing up on the beach and making her nervous, she wades in, tail high and... sits, neck deep. Darn! Where's my camera when I need it. On one stretch of windy beach, with Stilts running excitedly in and out of the surf, Lilly actually gets frisky and bows to her inviting play. A magical moment. As normal, Stilts tells her to get lost...

Stilts trying to get into the photograph

Exhausted, wet and sandy we head home. Breakfast for Lilly (my others eat only once a day, in the evenings) and no qualms about heading into the crate with a wag to eat it.

Later that day, in the evening cool, Jolfha takes them for a stroll and feeds Lilly her second meal, locking her in and hoping to leave her for a while. Oops! Lilly soon 'asks' to be let out. Wisely, Jolfha takes no notice, but comes to sit with Lilly, who soon settles behind the bars for a snooze. Which is where I found them both when Martin and I return from the cinema. Couldn't ask for better.

In the middle of the night, huddled again on the cold floor by choice, Lilly decides there must be somewhere warmer and more comfortable. She wanders into the open crate where a soft and warm dog bed awaits her, and sleeps soundly and quietly. I don't see it happen, but at 4am she is in the crate, and she's still there at 8. Have we cracked crate training?

Summary Day Two

Diarrhoea clearing up by itself

Although she won't jump into the car by herself, she's no problem once inside and is iterested in the sights outside. Thankfully not a dog that gets car sick.

The whizzing bikes still make her a little nervous

First signs of a playful 'young' dog emerge

She's settling in the house, relaxed enough to lie down and nap frequently.

Lilly's Journey

Lilly having fun, sitting in the backseat, kissing and a-hugging with Jac

Day 1 in fostercare : Fri 5 Jun Jacqueline settles the bill at Mutts & Mittens where Lilly has been recouperating since her rescue on 1st May, and off we set on the next phase of Lilly's Journey from unwanted stray to beloved pet. Our first stop is Bedok Reservoir to give her a chance to meet Maffy & Stilts on neutral territory, two of the three dogs she'll be living alongside in fostercare, and to give me (sherry) a chance to see how she handles the leash.

Lilly's K9 'etiquette' is highly developed. Her body language conveys all the right messages to other dogs and within minutes Jac has all three strutting side by side enjoying an energetic walk together. My first impression is that Lilly will never land herself in trouble with other dogs. Having her course dictated by a leash is something new and Lilly tends to weave in front and behind, but she doesn't fight the leash at all and with a bit of practice will be quite a pro.

On the walk her tail acts as her pressure gauge! It moves from a jaunty high wag to practically invisible when she tucks it tightly between her legs. Clearly Lilly's dislikes are crowds, whizzing bikes, cars, and quick-moving kids (mine too!). She slows, crouches a little, tail vanishes and she doesn't want to take the next step until the perceived danger is over.

Back at home in Siglap, Lilly gets to meet Nancy - my elderly German Shepherd. Lilly proves again that she has all the K9 social graces, sufficient to meet a large dog on its home territory without causing a hiccup. Lilly finds her spot on the carpet underneath the dining table while Jac and I eat lunch. Everyone is at peace.

Jac who always receives a jaunty wag and a grin from Lilly, encourages Lilly into a crate for tasty morsels of chicken. That works! When Jac leaves (leaving Lilly staring desperately after her) I introduce Lilly to the other rooms in the house. She pads around the perimeter of each, looking for her escape route and jumping up the walls to glimpse freedom out of the windows. It's only day 1 remember.

5 pm. Grub is served and Lilly has no problem entering the crate unpushed (which I've placed in my bedroom) to eat her dry biscuits topped with moist chicken. I close the door and let her out immediately grub is finished.

6.30 pm. Walkies. Jolfha and I take Lilly, Maffy and Stilts down the parkway connector heading to the sea. What a pleasure it is, 3 dogs in harmony! Too many bikes and skaters though, so we'll avoid these stresses as much as we can in our early days together, and once she trusts me I can start introducing her to more sights and sounds.

11 pm. Lilly all day has successfully done her business in the right place, grass being her preferred lavvy! We head to bed in a super-chilled room. Depsite there being a variety of comfy spots to choose from, Lilly curls on the cold floor, under the air conditioner, and falls asleep. I don't drop off until around 3.30 am (jet lag I presume, having only just returned from UK). Lilly doesn't move an inch.

Day 1 Summary:

Non aggressive - flight is her preferred defence.

May try to escape until she settles.

Nervous of new people, noise and crowds.

Easily handled, whatever the situation. Can be picked up.

Great with other dogs, gives off all the right signals.

Fine on leash, just needs practice.
Toilet trained (naturally) - but this is the second day (or more) of runny diarrhoea, must get this checked.

A calm dog, destined to be a smashing family pet.

Martin and I love her already!