Bailey was adopted 12/11/06 by the Ziener family (New York). Bonnie was adopted 3/2/07 by the Foster family (Oregon).
September 14, 20061 - 16 of 16 Images3605 visitsAlbum by TerryPhotos by Terry
1 Bonnie and Bailey are Rat Terrier mixes who need a break and a new start on life.
2 They were originally seized from a hoarder, spent months in a shelter, then brought to rescue. But their original fosterhome failed them and did not give them the care, attention, and training they required. They are about 6-8 years old.
3 Bailey, the male, is very reserved and cautious in new situations. But give him a day or two to learn to trust you and he becomes a very affectionate fellow.
4 He came to us in horrible condition... emaciated, anemic, infected, wormy, flea-infested, filthy, and with scabs and open scrapes and contusions.
5 This poor fellow should weigh 20-25 lbs. But he weighed only 14-1/2 lbs. on a 16" tall, 16" long frame. He has a good appetite, though, so we are hoping to bulk him up quickly.
6 Bailey crates wonderfully. He actually prefers being in his crate, where he finds safety. Bailey is said to do well with children but to be a cat chaser. We have no confirmation of either of those things.
7 He doesn't know any obedience commands. He does seem to understand that he is supposed to potty when outdoors, but hasn't demonstrated the ability to "hold it" inside unless he is in his crate or a very small pen area.
8 Bonnie, the female, is a lot more outgoing of the two. It takes her a much shorter time to trust someone new, then will come right up for pats and attention.
9 She weighs 19-1/2 lbs. and stands about 15" tall. She also came flea-infested with scabs and horribly filthy condition, but otherwise in good health.
10 She is alert and very watchful. We were told that she will get aggressive and fight other smaller dogs, but so far this has not been the case here. Nevertheless, we are taking introductions to the smaller members of our pack very slowly and cautiously, letting everyone establish a good comfort level.
11 She is usually very alert and on her guard. But once or twice we have caught a glimmer of an exhuberent spirit and a willingness to let down her defenses. We think that will come with time. So far, we have not seen Bonnie show play behavior (and she is not the least bit interested in toys, chewies, balls, ropes, etc.).
12 Both she and Bailey let me bathe them and tolerated it well, though a tad anxiously. Bonnie will not yet, however, go up or down stairs on her own.
13 Both have been VERY quiet dogs here, except when they first arrived and Bonnie was taken out of her travel crate first and removed from Bailey's view. Then he set up an incredible racket. But when he saw her again, he quieted down.
14 Bonnie is usually quite protective of Bailey. Since they both came from the same hoarder, have a lot of similarities in appearance, and are so bonded, we assume they are related. But we don't know if they are siblings or parent/child.
15 Bonnie seeking attention.
16 Since Bonnie has paved the way, Bailey gets the courage to come up and get some pats, too.
