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 Northeast
Shiba Rescue Adoption Success Stories: Maximus |
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For a rescue volunteer, time, or lack of time, is always the biggest enemy. There's never enough time in a day, week, or month to meet the demands of family, career, and a 24/7 commitment to rescue. Volunteers are forced to make choices, many times canceling daily schedules to put all of their efforts into helping a Shiba in emergency need. Every Shiba rescue, whether in our foster care, one of our courtesy listings, or held in a shelter until we can find a forever home, becomes part of our Northeast Rescue family. Staying in touch with new owners is always our goal, but due to time constraints, we don't always accomplish that goal, which takes away some of the joy of "another Shiba saved". Then, there are days when a message pops up first thing in the morning, in the middle of a frustrating afternoon, or at the end of an overwhelming day that energizes our resolve to continue making a difference, one Shiba at a time. This is one of those messages, a Success Story about one of our Shibas, who found his forever home.
Maximus
Recently my wife and I adopted a Shiba named Maximus that you had posted as a Courtesy Listing for a co-worker of hers. When you added the success stories link I thought we should contribute. After completing the original orientation phase, best described as being like walking through a mine field in the dark while patting your head, and rubbing your tummy hopping on one foot, we have finally found all of the buttons to push or not with max (short for a much longer name that should end with consumer of insects and destroyer of squeaky toys), and have settled in as a family. Since he has such an endearing personage, he makes a wonderful contribution. He has a wonderful vocabulary, a lot of unique mannerisms and habits, and has even managed to come to a truceful relationship with our other older, bigger but not faster or smarter mixed breed female.
Amber was a little miffed at first over her apparent eviction from the living room, Max's new "crate", and the three foot baby gate at the entrance, and still grumbles a little, but the confrontations have dwindled down to something that reminds you of the time clock in the Looney Tunes cartoon, where the adversaries punch in and out and greet each other on the way by. I would say the relationship is like Walter Matthau and Jack Lemon in the "Grumpy Old Men" series of comedies. Given their mature personalities and ages, he will be three in December and she will be approximately nine at her next estimated birthday, it seems that would be the best that can be hoped for. She is a rescue dog from the Humane Society, about seventy pounds and is apparently Shepherd/Chow/Lab mix. She has some of the best and worst qualities of each, including being food oriented, possessive and escape capable, but has accepted the "little guy" as part of the deal.
The advice and information on your site and the linked sites you list has been invaluable in making these transitions work, along with a lot of great advice from Max's previous owner. The column about biting was especially helpful since it explained the status of the breed as a primitive one and with Max that was a real revelation, since he has a real spontaneous aspect. So thanks for all the help and information, and if you can use any of this feel free to post with the earlier adorable photo if you still have it. Since a Shiba is seldom stationary for long enough for a shutter to capture it, that picture was an achievement in itself.
~^..^~
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Unless otherwise indicated, all text and images were created by Laura Paquette.
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