Meet Wyatt
Wyatt - male/neutered - senior (approx. 8-9 years of age) - medium size, 45 pounds - long "double coat" reflecting a variety of possible mixes of long-coated dogs and he is likely a Heinz 57 mutt.
When we met Wyatt, we understood why the Humane Officers at Animal Control were so fond of this older, unlikely to be noticed, shaggy stray dog. He was gentle, inviting, and courteous. But it was the hopeful and eager expression in his eyes that tugged at our heartstrings.
Wyatt's foster care provider affectionately calls Wyatt a "shadow dog". This is because he follows her devotedly throughout the house, gladly rousing himself from a comfortable position and even a nap to offer his constant companionship. But Wyatt's life and times prior to coming into rescue were a different kind of shadowed existence.
It is unlikely that Wyatt had ever lived indoors prior to coming into rescue care. And while we see no indication that he ever suffered unkindness or overt neglect, Wyatt clearly had never enjoyed the attentions that many dogs take for granted. He had long ago accepted his lot as an actual "shadow" of a dog rather than a member of a household.
Being welcomed inside a home, let alone being valued and loved, was a wonderful and confusing experience for Wyatt. It required weeks of processing before he could accept a gift that he did not believe he had earned - or possibly did not deserve. His life had changed completely, simply because he had landed in an Animal Control facility and the humane officers there had reached out to our rescue for help.
Wyatt has been in foster care for a long time - nearly a year. In foster care he embarked on a very steep learning curve, and he has made excellent use of that time. He has demonstrated that he is capable of a deep and devout bond with humans. He has learned to settle contentedly in a crate, and to relish the consistent brushing and grooming that his thick double coat requires. He can now accept the attention, and the love.
Wyatt has embraced his new beginning. And in doing so, he has demonstrated that quality that makes dogs so remarkable - the capacity and resilience to learn and grow and accept good, no matter how unexpected the opportunity.
Wyatt greets the world with a friendly, open nature - humans of all shapes and sizes, and dogs of all shapes and sizes. He is not destructive, and has never ventured to jump up on a sofa or bed - he is abjectly grateful for his own soft dog bed on the floor, and the very large crate that serves as his personal den. Wyatt loves his spacious fenced yard, and while he gets along very well with other dogs, and enjoys car rides, he is NOT a dog who would enjoy being treated to a day in a dog park. He is very content with turn-out in his fenced yard, and a leash walk for variety.
There are two behaviors that Wyatt's adopter(s) will need to contend with.
The first behavior revolves around food. Living in a multi-dog foster home, Wyatt long ago proudly mastered the self-control to sit in a row with his fellow dogs and wait for his turn to have a treat. However, when meals are being prepared in the kitchen, Wyatt is focused on any morsel or container of food that may fall on the floor accidentally, and in this context he rushes to get it first. Whether this is an old ingrained instinct from once having had to compete for food, it is nonetheless a free-for-all potential scuffle that is avoidable by the simple management technique of putting him in his crate until the meal is finished and food put away. thus relieving stress for everyone - and importantly - for Wyatt. And for this reason, we recommend Wyatt for placement in an adult-only home.
The second behavior remains a bit of a mystery to us, which is Wyatt's marking behavior. Although Wyatt never soils his crate, and has long since learned basic house training skills, in his foster home he will occasionally come indoors and mark. Whether this is a function of living in a multi-dog household, or a function of how greatly the stakes have gone up for Wyatt since he became a household member rather than a yard ornament, we do not know. Wyatt has happily accepted wearing a dog diaper when he is not crated in the house. Honesty compels us to share this information.
Additionally, we would like to share an insight that we have learned from years of working together at Hedgesville Hounds. We believe there is a "right" context for every dog that gives rise to every dog's potential. Yes, Wyatt is older, with faint traces of cataracts and he MAY have slightly diminished hearing in some ranges, (although his alertness contradicts this, and it may be that living outdoors in all seasons has made him, blessedly, NOT sound reactive.)
Yet, Wyatt is still a vital and, we think, a remarkable dog. It is a privilege for us to "translate" him into a descriptive narrative, because he did not come to the table believing he could ask for anything.
Wyatt has proven that he is so willing to love and be loved. We are hoping that Wyatt’s courage to imagine that he is worthy of being valued will help him find that special person who will prove that he was right.
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