How Luke Came Home

SUMMARY: Poor neglected puppy.

Here's the description of Luke from his rescue home, posted April 29. Boost had just died 5 days before and I streaked past any dog-available posts on Facebook, so didn't even read it then.

 

Luke is an 11 month old McNab boy (possibly a cross) who gets along well with dogs of all sizes and personalities. He is willing to concede to a more assertive dog without any contention. He's very good at independent play with a toy but loves to tug and fetch for you.

Luke is a small guy (16") who weighs about 22 pounds. He has good basic skills, crates, hearty appetite, food motivated. Busy body. Very interested in exploring his surroundings. Luke is very athletic, agile and quick. Luke does well with cats; sniffs and curious without any aggression but will chase if they run. It's a youngster thing!

Luke loves to cuddle and wants to please. He's a quick learner and would make an amazing agility dog. He is neutered and ready for a new home.

Sorry about the airplane ears...this was a quick photo when he arrived...he's a happy boy who adores people and wants to interact and play. Ears are always erect (except when you point a camera at thim). Better photo tomorrow.

The better photo didn't arrive until May 7 -- and Bam! he just hit me hard.

New photo of Luke our McNab cross boy. Yes...those ears are that big. He's about 20 pounds...25 max. 16" boy. Good skills and crates, reliable off lead and eager to please. Clicker trained. Ready to rock and roll.

I wasn't sure at all that I was ready for another dog. But I was ready for a playmate for Chip, if that was possible, and also one who'd have the enthusiasm to play with me (like Amber or Jake or Tika or Boost) for more than a few minutes (like Chip does; like Remington did).  But, still, grieving hard.

BUT I kept looking and looking and looking and looking at this dog's photo and description and photo.  For four days, I examined my own motives and ability to incorporate a young, active dog into my life and into Chip's life--which had become rather sedate--BUT I kept looking and looking and looking.

On May 11 I called about him. She said, oh, he went to his new home this morning; a couple who want a dog to run with and be their companion.  I felt...  a little relieved, a little more disappointed.

We talked for a bit about what I might want in a dog (or not want). And, at her request, I sent her a rambling list of my thoughts at that moment.

On the afternoon of the very next day, May 12, I got this email:

The family has decided he’s too much of a puppy for them right now. So he’s coming back. Are you still interested in him?

I said "Yes!" and we were off and running!

Schedules didn't mesh--I left messages and finally spoke to her on May 15--the night before my week-long trip to DisneyWorld.  She said that she had a couple of other good performance homes interested in him, too, but she'd wait for me. I felt great relief!

Schedules and my health aligned 3 weeks after that, and I drove the 3-4 hours to Somerset and, on June 6 I met him in the evening; on June 7 Chip met him; finally, I decided for sure to take him home (with her making it clear that, if it didn't work out with Chip or any other reason, he always had a place to go back to).

His brief backstory is: First owner (not sure where he came from before that) mostly worked and left him at home and would send him off to The Trainer periodically to be trained, then mostly neglect him at home again. Eventually he just landed at The Trainer's place, and from there into the rescue home with a dozen other dogs.  So he knows some things, but not very well. Poor guy.

Rescue says that some of his issues and his training were much worse when he arrived, and of course she had him for over a month to work on some things.

Anyway, here we are on June 9, his second morning here with me, and boy oh boy are we really off and running!