Gary the Foster Dog

Gary is a Dog. Bark, Gary. Bark, bark, bark. Funny Gary. See Gary and Paula. Bark, Gary, Bark!

Okay, I’m done with the Dick and Jane type storybook. Please don’t go!

After our dog Taylor died in February, we gave almost everything to our friend Pegg from the Bull Terrier Rescue. Crate, dog beds, treats, toys, bones, harness, bowls; really everything we could find.

We didn’t want to get another dog that we would have to move to Portugal. Though it is possible, it is just an extra complication, especially for the medium sized dogs we tend to like, that can’t travel in the cabin.

And truly, we needed some time to grieve Taylor. Which I did! I cried, I talked about Taylor and reminisced about our previous two dogs. Talked about possibly not getting a dog in Portugal.

Then we started making little comments about the dogs on the Bull Terrier calendar that hangs on our fridge. “Aren’t you a cute dog. Just look at that tongue!” And naming them: she looks like a Daisy. And he’s a Baxter.

So… I talked with Paula and she agreed we could foster a Bull Terrier. I contacted the rescue, and after some back and forth we got a message: “Gary needs you!”. He had just gotten his second heart worm treatment and needed a place to stay and be quiet for a month while he recovered. Pegg supplied a crate, a blanket, and food. We were set.

How wonderful it was to have a dog in the house again. As you can see, he is just a cutie. Gary was good on the leash (in the backyard only) and was fairly quiet. Just a little bit of barking in his crate at night for the first few nights.

And then, after two weeks, he started feeling better. He was bored so he wanted lots of attention and would bark if we didn’t give it to him. We gave him various chew treats to keep him occupied. But it wasn’t enough. Gary was restless. He was really wanting to chase those squirrels and he is strong!

And the barking. Oh, the barking. He was not happy to be in his crate at night and he let us know! We followed the instructions to help him learn barking was not going to get him anything. We tried to train him on the “Quiet” command.

Having Gary for a month was a mixed bag. Such a sweetie, a little love bug that wanted to be near you. Smart as the dickens, too. And it confirmed that not getting another dog is the right decision.

But the real lesson was how important focus is. I can only keep my attention on a small number of areas (regardless of whether I write them down or not!). I’m working in the office several days a week even though there is a surge of the delta variant in my city. I’m often exhausted on the days I work at the office, although it is getting better. So with my anxiety, work, the foster dog, and everyday responsibilities, my decluttering ground to a halt.

After Gary moved on, I started working on some sentimental papers. But that is a story for another day!