My name is Kaleb!

Kaleb has such a success story! Its hard to imagine but he came to us on August 22, 2018 when a North Carolina department of Transportation Supervisor found him in a ditch off the highway. Kaleb had been hit by a car, was in the ditch and could not walk. We were contacted, met up with the supervisor and took Kaleb immediately to our vet. Along with being extremely emaciated, Kaleb had a hip that was out of socket, and the other leg was broken and had actually came through the skin, leaving a huge hole. From August until October 5th, Kaleb regained strength and building up for surgery. On October 5th, Kaleb had to have surgery, a plate placed in the leg with the breaks and surgery on the hip was done at the same time. He proceeded to have to wear a cone and cast for weeks and weeks, going for changes each week. Through it all, having to remain calm which was truly hard on this awesome pup.
Kaleb is completely well now, loves water, loves to play, gets along with small, large, any size dogs, fine with cats, chickens, and is an all around great boy. He is active and probably needs another canine sibling or a active parent. He has come so very far since the information below was written by his first foster mom! The infomation below gives you what all Kaleb has been through, but he is well past all that, does not let any of it hold him back and is ready to explore new adventures with his forever family.

Kaleb has been so fortunate to have one of the most awesome fosters ever and she has made sure his recovery has been perfect. He is now a happy, healthy boy, who is so ready to find his forever home. The following is from his foster mom, describing their journey.

Kaleb has been under my foster care since approximately the end of September 2018. Prior to that, he had extensive vet care and surgery due to injuries sustained from being hit by a car. It was only through a D.O.T. employee and another citizen from the community who saved his life by getting him out of the ditch he had been in for an indefinite period of time in agonizing pain, and then who sought help through the Clifford Army Rescue Extravaganza in Shelby, NC.
I was able to be a foster for Kaleb, because he was in a splint, and had a number of restrictions that were imperative to be followed in order for him to heal and to not lose his right hind leg. He needed to:
• Be as quiet and still as possible
• Not participate in rough play with other dogs
• Go only on short leash walks for pottie breaks
• Have his leg extended for mild daily therapy to help with range of motion

In addition to the above items, he was on pain medication and antibiotics.
My home was equipped to handle the challenges and the special recovery needs that Kaleb required.
Every two weeks, I met Deb Hardin at Blvd. Animal Hospital in Shelby, NC. She would drive Kaleb to Charlotte, NC to have his bandages changed and his splint checked.
During this period, Kaleb developed an infection (predicted as a possibility by the vet). A culture was sent to determine the best course of antibiotics for this infection. Once the results came in, we were able to focus on the exact medications that would attack the bacteria in Kaleb’s leg. He was given his medication as prescribed, and I ceased the leg extensions so as not to aggravate his infection.
On November 29, 2018, Kaleb’s splint was removed, and he was cleared by the vet for normal activity. He was scheduled for his neuter on November 30, 2018, and received more pain medication, additional antibiotics and rest.
It is worth noting that during this whole time, Kaleb wore one to two cones, to prevent chewing or licking on his surgical sites.
On December 21, 2018, once I felt secure with Kaleb’s healing, I removed the cones. I have not had to put them back on.

I had been walking Kaleb around our yard, letting him build up strength. During the holidays, I took him to a fenced in yard to let him play. He did well, until he slipped on some leaves and landed on his right side. This caused him quite a bit of pain, and he limped for a few days. An examination from the vet revealed that nothing was wrong. Apparently while the fall was very painful, Kaleb’s instinct was to hold his leg up. I let him get strength back, and then we progressed to outdoor walks, again, and introduction to the animals in our home.
Kaleb is a very smart boy. He loves all pets and all people. My little dogs do not want to play, so he is a bit timid of them. He is afraid of hissing cats. He does not try any aggressive moves. He is definitely not an alpha dog. He just wants to play and to be loved upon.
Recently, we have been going on a walking path at Lake Hollifield. This is a paved path, and he navigates it very well. He can only do one loop at this time, as he needs to build up his strength. We are taking this at his pace. He lets me know when he wants to stop and go to the car.
Kaleb does not pay much attention to the ducks and the geese at the lake. He is more interested in the people. He wants everyone to be his friend.
Due to the unique situation, I have not practiced crate training with Kaleb. He does have a crate in his downstairs enclosure, so he is familiar with it. He uses the puppy pads.
Because he is a young dog, Kaleb still has very strong chewing instincts. I keep plenty to keep him occupied, but if left alone in a new home, one would want to be mindful of this, and consider where he will stay while his family is gone. He would not know the difference between a toy and a shoe at this point, as he is still learning the house rules.
I have been working on his mouthing techniques. Kaleb loves exploring with his mouth, and I am working to break him and to teach him gentleness when he is playing with his humans. This will need to be considered and worked with, as well, because he does love all humans, especially the little ones, and we need to remind him that humans are not chew toys.
When walking Kaleb, please keep in mind that he is extremely fearful of car sounds. Even in our very large yard, he will glance around when he hears a car passing. The ideal places to walk him are trails such as the one I take him to, which are away from any busy roads, or perhaps a residential neighborhood which would not have cars going fast.
One thing to remember in working and growing with Kaleb is that he will need time to continue healing. As any of us who have had surgery know, some days are better than others, and it is vital to listen to our bodies. Let Kaleb work at his own pace to build up his muscles and his strength. It will take time, and he will need a patient family.
Lastly, what I want any future adopter(s) to know is that Kaleb has recovered from very serious injuries. I would be failing as a foster if I did not remind his future family that when he gets older, this will need to be something to watch for. He may need Glucosamine or other pain management as advised by a vet when he becomes a senior. I own a dog who had been in an accident as a puppy, and I am treating her as needed during her golden years. It just comes with the history of an injury. Pain management when Kaleb becomes older will be expected, so please remember this, and determine if you are good with this special care responsibility.
Kaleb has since graduated to a new foster who is also a trainer. Kaleb is doing so well. He has been around kids, chickens, cats, a parrot, and other dogs both large and small... he has done wonderful.
He is so ready for his forever home. If you think Kaleb is the boy for you, please fill out the on line app below
https://cliffordsarmyrescue.com/1423-2/