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I was supposed to post a lot about my dog from time to time and keep a record of how things are progressing with her. And here I am even though I am a bit late 🙂

Rithu is doing well but there have been so many adjustments and changes and such. It was a pity that we had a holiday booked even before we adopted her. We did check with the rescue centre if it would be ok for her to be with them for a week after being at our place for a couple of weeks and they assured us that she will adapt well and not to worry. Can one really know if the dogs are ok with it? We dropped her off at the sanctuary this rescue centre has for animals which cannot be left back in the streets and which need care forever and they had a boarding place in there. It was heartbreaking to leave her there. She literally hugged us with her three paws and had this look in her eyes that she didn’t want to be there with all those boisterous and loud dogs and there were too many of them. But the folks over there assured us that she will be well taken care of and we came home with a very heavy heart.

After our holiday, when we went to pick her up, they told us that she was skittish and was quiet on her own and as usual was very picky with food. She was so happy to see us and couldn’t wait to get out of that place fast enough 😆 And there was a marked change in her after she was back. Mr M thought it was like she was grateful for the peace and quiet and the pampering she gets at home after being in that boarding place.

Slowly and steadily she started getting to her own nature. When she was in the rescue centre everyone adored her and she was quiet and on her own, all she used to do was sit under a table in the office and let people pet her and be happy. She had a safe place and she was happy, maybe (again, I am only assuming what she might have felt). But now that she is in a new place and is getting accustomed to totally different types of people around, animals and birds (there are a few stray cats in our society and they keep growing in leaps and bounds… ), a lot of different noises (drilling, hammering, thunders, firecrackers etc.) she is finding it a little bit difficult to adjust to all these. I am sure it takes a lot of time. She loses her head when she hears a bang… If she is outside she just runs blindly around the house shivering from top to bottom. All she wants then is to be hugged and held closely. When at home, it is the same, she needs to be on someone’s lap. She will claw her way on top of us. She wants to go in the car with us out for a drive, but after a few minutes starts to puke out of anxiety or car sickness (we don’t know which) and we are yet to find a way around it. She has her good days and her bad days. She ends up in a fight with Mr M for peeing on the sofa when she is afraid of something (mostly if she hears a bang and we aren’t nearby for her to jump on us). She is very good with potty training, she never does her business inside the house, she will wait for us to let her out or take her for a walk. It’s only on these occasions when she gets scared she ends up peeing on the sofa or the floor and Mr M gets in a tiff with her 😆

For the past month and a half, due to my ill health (will update you later about it) I have not been there for her and Mr M had to take care of her and they have grown quite close to each other. Although I am a teensy bit jealous, I am glad they have each other. He even successfully bathed her recently. It’s a pity she had a bit of a skin problem recently and Mr M was successful in getting her to the vet on his own in the car. They have given her some meds which she is taking very well (surprisingly because she spit the worming tablet back when we tried to give her 🙂 ) and hopefully is on the mend. She is good with the syrup they have given her and hopefully, the scabs will heal in time. We have also started to leave her on her own inside the house when we have to go elsewhere as she is more comfortable in her safe place rather than being outside where the environmental sounds cause her anxiety. When we come home, we can see her coming from the first floor to greet us and we would know that there was some sound that had spooked her. But we are all learning and getting used to what is good for everyone.

She is very camera shy, so it is a lot of effort to take a good photograph of her. I have to be very sneaky. When I am on the call with Mr M and try to talk to her she responds but doesn’t really see the phone to know where it is coming from. But she has got her own fan club in the society. There are a few kids (two sisters especially) who are very fond of her and they drop in every now and then to sit and play with her. She isn’t very great at playing but she lets them pet her to their heart’s content. I hope I am able to get back home soon and enjoy her company.