One year!

How time flies! This weekend was the one year anniversary of Jax arriving in our lives.  Looking back, I can't believe that the notion of giving him up for adoption ever crossed my mind.  I can't imagine our lives without him now.  He is the sweetest dog.  He loves everyone he meets, human and canine alike.  He is extremely sensitive and has such a tender heart.  I may be a little bias, but I'm pretty sure he is also one of the cutest dogs ever.  I can't say enough good about him.  He means so much to me.

Then...

Last year, day one...can you see the sad in his eyes?

And now...

I'm gonna be a diamond someday!

(Hit play on the song above, it's Lincoln's song )

After knowing Lincoln for only the weekend, it's no surprise that he was doing so poorly in the clinic kennel.  He is an absolute sweetheart who completely thrives on human contact.  The lack of attention and companionship was really holding him back.  He has made himself at home very quickly and it's honestly hard to imagine him being so depressed.  Moving him here was definitely the right choice!  

He is sick, yes, but I honestly think he will be just fine.  A little TLC (and a few daily medications) is all he needs. His mange has cleared up a lot in the last month.  He still has some edema in his front feet, making them red and swollen.  His skin is extremely hot to the touch.  We know he is uncomfortable and itchy, but his spirits are high.  He only has fur left on about half of his body.  He has none on his legs, chest or belly, and very little on his face, but I'm hoping most of it grows back.  I assume he will have some scarred areas, but hopefully they will be minimal.  He is about 10lbs underweight, but is happily eating everything we give him.  You can see that he will be a very handsome boy when he is all better.  I can't wait to see him.

He was by far the easiest dog to introduce into the pack.  Dixie has had her issues with strange dogs, but she always accepts the fosters as if she understands why they are here and it was no different with Lincoln.  A quick walk through the neighborhood (I'm always a little bit expecting the police to show up at my door when I walk the fosters when they first arrive!)  and they were fine.  He doesn't, or should I say didn't, know how to play, but is learning quickly.  Saturday and Sunday, Jax gave him (and me!) a bit of the cold shoulder.  My Jaxy is a total moma's boy and was a little jealous.  I guess he is over it now because they played all evening and slept curled up together on the ottoman afterward. When Lincoln gets healthy, he may be the first dog ever to be able to keep up with Jax and play every waking minute. 

We think that he is younger than we were told.  It's hard to tell the age of a dog in such bad physical condition.  Calista first got called "about seven" and as she improved, our vets agreed that she was closer to three.  Although the vet in Texas guessed him to be around three, Jonathon and I think Lincoln is actually only about a year old.  He has some very juvenile behaviors.

This is another great, great dog that I am so happy to have in our home.  It's such a shame that he suffered for so long.  No more.

Meet Lincoln

A new dog will be joining our household this coming weekend.  We have been totally consumed by work for the last few weeks, hence the delay in getting a new foster dog.  Still, when one like Lincoln comes along, I can't resist helping him.

Lincoln is in dire condition.  He was actually pulled from a shelter in Irving, Texas, by our rescue on the date of his scheduled euthanasia.  That was about a month ago.  He was a stray, clearly living on his own for a very long time.  He has been staying at a veterinary clinic down in Texarkana, getting constant medical care.  Unfortunately, he just isn't responding the way everyone had hoped.  He is just too depressed there.  He curls up in the drain of the kennel floor and sleeps there all day.  The vet has decided that he may do better in a home environment.  Sometimes, mental health needs to improve before physical health can.  In other words, Lincoln needs the will to live.  I am hoping that we can give that to him. 

He has a severe case of demodectic mange (totally non-contagious to humans and other animals).  He is also extremely underweight and has an injured back leg.  This is what becomes of abandon dogs.  People that think that they can "set them free" when they don't want them anymore are so very wrong.  Dogs are not wild animals and have very little chance of survival on their own.