Grooming 101 on Rescue Dogs...

STORM DAY..

Okay, let's get this straight. The number one rule is to NOT leave things down for the dog, who has the interest of a puppy but the ability to reach much higher zones. Point of fact, I did leave his new grooming brush on a tray up on the end table. The brush is NO longer in this realm. I think he mailed it off to some 3rd world dog in need. He loved to steal it and chew on the handle.. I thought it was cute. Yeah, right!!

Today was storming and I think Beckett was much more open to the idea of sticking close to me rather than being swept away in the wind and snow. The good thing is, this boy is now going down all steps and out the front door, albeit with a great sense of nervousness, but he is doing it.

The most important steps taken may not be the most obvious when working with Beckett in my opinion. This is a dog who is very afraid. He's afraid of noise, he's afraid of his surroundings, he's afraid of us, he is afraid of being alone... he is just ... afraid.
Here is a picture that just made me well up when I spotted Beckett taking another step to being less afraid. Notice that he is coming over to Darrin who is just reading his magazine, he is stepping out but not quite offering to 'snuggle' for the gentle hand to scratch his neck. This started yesterday morning and then today it has increased in his reaching out to us.

This was also his day of getting some grooming for the first time. At first I had to corner him on the sofa and stay lower than him. I even got the no-more-tangles for dogs. The pet shop loved me... NOT. I showed up as they were shutting the gate to go home because of the storm. I begged them to let me buy a new brush for Beckett. We ended up chatting for about 15 minutes on the Paws R Us "kennel" and Beckett's travels to our home. It cost me 35 for the brush and the liquid but it was great later on.

I've started brushing Beckett and removing the clumps of matted fur near his back end that obviously was not possible before. He stands still for a spell before moving on. I'll have him cleaned up within a week but then I hope his new fur grows back well... and soon.

There is one aspect of Beckett's walk that hadn't occurred to me until Darrin brought it up. While having him out on his lead, Beckett is always cowering when you try to reach down and comfort him along the way. Darrin has the need to explain that the cowering is the result of his past and not because we beat him. I didn't even think to feel that way, but it is a reality. I look at him as progressing along at a fantastic pace from where he was only a few days ago and Darrin has recognized that others may be looking at him as 'damaged' goods. Something to be aware of I guess when working through the reconditioning