@ayk, thank you for your reply! I think that he is just so overwhelmed and he sees me as his 'everything is ok in my world when she's near'. He doesn't yet show signs of full-blown separation anxiety. He is fearful of unfamiliar things (in a holy crap what the hell is going on kind of way)- and barking seems to be his way of saying 'hey, something isn't right here' or 'I'm a little scared'. The good thing is although he is fearful he handles that really well. He is such a gentle guy.
I found the cause of the constant barking and he has settled down a lot. The fish tank filter was making a noise that I couldn't hear over the barking but Kuma was later standing facing the tank looking at it strangely and she never does that so once I cleared the room I could hear that it was in fact making an obnoxious noise! I fixed that and Go-Ji was noticeably calmer and the barking is less.
He now goes through doors in the house with no hesitation! Huge progress! He rides fantastically in the car- with or without crate, he walks well on a leash, he LOVES to be brushed, he is very tolerant of me touching him all over, he does not show any signs of food aggression or resource guarding (he couldn't care less about toys, bones, chews, etc) he is not food motivated but as @ayk said he is brush motivated lol, and, so far, he seems like a wonderful boy who will do well in a normal household once we get him physically ready for a home, of course. He really is pretty amazing and so loving and forgiving!
@Kuma123 Regarding food aggression and resource guarding, Yoshi showed no signs of that at all until our neighbor's dog went after his food. So just be aware that. Also, Go-Ji may not be motivated by food yet, hut that could change in time as my boy was the same. Now, he's just a straight food whore. LOL
@WhiteGC8, yes, I know that his responses and behavior could change as he becomes more comfortable but at this point everything is going great and he has a wonderful personality/temperament. We've done some simple food tests and he is not protective of his food towards humans or other dogs
My sweet foster boy will need a permanent home at some point so everyone please keep him in mind and spread the word about him.
@Crispy, Go-Ji is doing good! Thank you for checking in
He loves to be around people, even new people! We had family come in from out of town this weekend and he was really social and loving. I was told he was shy with new people but he really doesn't act shy here. Maybe it is because he is comfortable here and has found a place he fits. He doesn't just live in the back yard like he did at his previous home and he seems to have gained confidence and coping skills in the short time he has been here. Thursday will be 2 weeks and I am impressed with him. He is house trained, easy to handle, enjoys grooming, eats well (isn't too picky).
After he figured out the boundaries and do's/don'ts he really has seemed to change. It is a totally different dog from the day I picked him up to now. He had no confidence, he had no idea what was going on,he was fearful, etc. Now he is vocal, funny, loving, and just a fun guy to be around.
His only bad habit thus far is barking. He only does it outside now and only if I take him out and then come inside to get another dog or grab a drink or something. It is getting better, though. He just wants to be near me. He does great in his crate now, too!
I am sorry I have been away from the forum for so long. It has been a chaotic and busy few weeks around here!
Go-Ji is doing wonderfully. I must say he is as close to the perfect dog as you can get lol He is well mannered, biddable (for the most part) responsive, loving, easy to work with, and just overall a fabulous companion. I am so impressed with him and I just hate the idea of adopting him out.... but I must. The more I keep the less I can foster
The back end weakness is actually back leg weakness. It appears he had an injury that went untreated. With exercise and a good diet and meds he has improved immensely. The only time the leg 'acts up' is after a lot of chipmunk hunting in the back yard when he zooms endlessly from one end to the other He loves to torment the chipmunks! He is improving greatly as time passes and he no longer seems to have any pain or discomfort. His mobility nor his spirit are affected by it any longer! The vet has been wonderful and is optimistic that his issues will not worsen and only improve with proper care.
He's blowing his coat now. Man it was a mess when he came home! It took a long time to get his coat headed in the right direction. He is looking so much better and I can't wait to see what he will look like when his healthy coat fills in!
I love this dog! Plain and simple. Please spread the word and help me find him a wonderful home.
Without further delay..... pictures!
"I'm coming, Mom!" (He actually has really good recall)
He's after a chipmunk!
Getting some luv!
And I saved the best for last... I love this picture!!
He's really looking good! Thank you for working with him and caring for him!
If you have nice pictures of his head and body or a description of his temperament/blurb for a posting, I can post him up on the Nihon Ken Rescue page. I can post him with the current pictures, but clear shots seem to have more impact.
If you get nice pictures, I can also ask my rescue (Big Fluffy Dog Rescue) if they'll to a courtesy post for him, if you'd like. We have a coordinator in Alabama and adopters all up the east coast with transportation from Virginia to Maine.
the way his fur fits around his face is really interesting. Haven't read the entire thread so I hope that this hasn't already been mentioned. Just now catching up and I am super happy to hear his back legs have improved a lot. Thanks for helping him
Thanks everyone He is such a happy boy and I am fortunate to have the chance to know him! He brightens my day... every day!
@Crispy, I will work on getting better pictures... he is hard to photograph lol I will also type up a little something to go with the pictures. Thank you for your offer to help!! Do you want me to just post it on the rescue facebook page and then you can repost it? Or do you want me to email or message it to you? (When I get some good pictures, of course!)
It's no problem at all. I still need to ask my rescue. I'm awful and haven't done that yet. Since he's already in foster care, I don't think they'd mind, but we took on a bunch of hoarding cases lately so I have to check.
If they cannot help network him at this time, that's ok! We can use the NK fb page and word of mouth, etc. I am grateful for any help finding him a fur-tabulous home
UPDATE: Go-Ji is such a great boy. He really has the sweetest disposition and we just love him. He looks so good now and he doesn't look like the same dog that we picked up in August! His coat was a mess back then! He loves loves loves to be groomed.
Here are a few recent pictures. He really enjoyed playing in the snow
@zandrame, thank you! He does look sooo much better now! He will never be 100% in the back leg but he has improved so much and he's able to maneuver a lot better. He also has learned how to compensate for the weak leg by depending more on the front legs. He has days where you can tell it bothers him a little (the 8 degree weather... those were the days I noticed he would 'rest' more than normal) but overall he is doing really well. He is a special needs boy with a huge heart. He will always need his Glucosamine and his supplements. His sweet disposition and overall loving and biddable personality is so amazing and totally compensates for his physical limitations.
@BearMom, thank you! I love him and he deserves to live the good life so we try to give him that He has had such a rough life so we try to make up for it with lots of love and care!
@sunyata, thank you, he is doing great and we are so happy that he is feeling so much better! And you made me laugh.... a lot "So... I take it that the search for a forever home has ended?" LOL
If the perfect family for him is found, I would still let him be adopted. The problem is... we haven't found a family/home that would work for him. My husband and I adore him so if he ends up being permanent, we are ok with that.... so failed foster? I guess so haha
He would probably be happier in a household with less pets and chaos but he loves us and he makes the best of it. If anyone here knows someone that would be a great person for him, please do let me know.
Things to consider: He will never be a running/jogging buddy He will never be a able to go on strenuous hikes He has to take supplements every day He doesn't need to go up and down numerous stairs regularly He will chase a chipmunk all the way to China if given the opportunity lol He is a sweet and loving dog that adores his people and is extremely eager to please He loves hot dog buns and will steal them if you aren't watching closely We have learned to keep them on top of the fridge!
@Kuma123 LOL on the hot dog buns. Yoshi knows to leave food alone unless he's given permission to eat it. But something like raw meat is just too much for him and he'll sneak a few bites if left unsupervised. You know he's up to something when he's in the kitchen being super quiet. LOL
@WhiteGC8, I know exactly what you mean LOL We know something is going on when all goes quiet here, too hahaha I know someone is up to something really bad if Zabu starts howling.... he is my hall monitor hahahaha
Comments
I found the cause of the constant barking and he has settled down a lot. The fish tank filter was making a noise that I couldn't hear over the barking but Kuma was later standing facing the tank looking at it strangely and she never does that so once I cleared the room I could hear that it was in fact making an obnoxious noise! I fixed that and Go-Ji was noticeably calmer and the barking is less.
He now goes through doors in the house with no hesitation! Huge progress! He rides fantastically in the car- with or without crate, he walks well on a leash, he LOVES to be brushed, he is very tolerant of me touching him all over, he does not show any signs of food aggression or resource guarding (he couldn't care less about toys, bones, chews, etc) he is not food motivated but as @ayk said he is brush motivated lol, and, so far, he seems like a wonderful boy who will do well in a normal household once we get him physically ready for a home, of course. He really is pretty amazing and so loving and forgiving!
My sweet foster boy will need a permanent home at some point so everyone please keep him in mind and spread the word about him.
He loves to be around people, even new people! We had family come in from out of town this weekend and he was really social and loving. I was told he was shy with new people but he really doesn't act shy here. Maybe it is because he is comfortable here and has found a place he fits. He doesn't just live in the back yard like he did at his previous home and he seems to have gained confidence and coping skills in the short time he has been here. Thursday will be 2 weeks and I am impressed with him. He is house trained, easy to handle, enjoys grooming, eats well (isn't too picky).
After he figured out the boundaries and do's/don'ts he really has seemed to change. It is a totally different dog from the day I picked him up to now. He had no confidence, he had no idea what was going on,he was fearful, etc. Now he is vocal, funny, loving, and just a fun guy to be around.
His only bad habit thus far is barking. He only does it outside now and only if I take him out and then come inside to get another dog or grab a drink or something. It is getting better, though. He just wants to be near me. He does great in his crate now, too!
Go-Ji is doing wonderfully. I must say he is as close to the perfect dog as you can get lol He is well mannered, biddable (for the most part) responsive, loving, easy to work with, and just overall a fabulous companion. I am so impressed with him and I just hate the idea of adopting him out.... but I must. The more I keep the less I can foster
The back end weakness is actually back leg weakness. It appears he had an injury that went untreated. With exercise and a good diet and meds he has improved immensely. The only time the leg 'acts up' is after a lot of chipmunk hunting in the back yard when he zooms endlessly from one end to the other
He's blowing his coat now. Man it was a mess when he came home! It took a long time to get his coat headed in the right direction. He is looking so much better and I can't wait to see what he will look like when his healthy coat fills in!
I love this dog! Plain and simple. Please spread the word and help me find him a wonderful home.
Without further delay..... pictures!
"I'm coming, Mom!" (He actually has really good recall)
He's after a chipmunk!
Getting some luv!
And I saved the best for last... I love this picture!!
If you have nice pictures of his head and body or a description of his temperament/blurb for a posting, I can post him up on the Nihon Ken Rescue page. I can post him with the current pictures, but clear shots seem to have more impact.
@Crispy, I will work on getting better pictures... he is hard to photograph lol I will also type up a little something to go with the pictures. Thank you for your offer to help!!
Do you want me to just post it on the rescue facebook page and then you can repost it? Or do you want me to email or message it to you? (When I get some good pictures, of course!)
It's no problem at all.
I still need to ask my rescue. I'm awful and haven't done that yet. Since he's already in foster care, I don't think they'd mind, but we took on a bunch of hoarding cases lately so I have to check.
If they cannot help network him at this time, that's ok! We can use the NK fb page and word of mouth, etc. I am grateful for any help finding him a fur-tabulous home
Go-Ji is such a great boy. He really has the sweetest disposition and we just love him. He looks so good now and he doesn't look like the same dog that we picked up in August! His coat was a mess back then! He loves loves loves to be groomed.
Here are a few recent pictures. He really enjoyed playing in the snow
He looks so happy and healthy! I had to scroll to the top and look at the before pics.
I also forgot about his leg weakness. How is that doing?
@zandrame, thank you! He does look sooo much better now! He will never be 100% in the back leg but he has improved so much and he's able to maneuver a lot better. He also has learned how to compensate for the weak leg by depending more on the front legs. He has days where you can tell it bothers him a little (the 8 degree weather... those were the days I noticed he would 'rest' more than normal) but overall he is doing really well. He is a special needs boy with a huge heart. He will always need his Glucosamine and his supplements. His sweet disposition and overall loving and biddable personality is so amazing and totally compensates for his physical limitations.
And you made me laugh.... a lot
If the perfect family for him is found, I would still let him be adopted. The problem is... we haven't found a family/home that would work for him. My husband and I adore him so if he ends up being permanent, we are ok with that.... so failed foster? I guess so haha
He would probably be happier in a household with less pets and chaos but he loves us and he makes the best of it. If anyone here knows someone that would be a great person for him, please do let me know.
Things to consider:
He will never be a running/jogging buddy
He will never be a able to go on strenuous hikes
He has to take supplements every day
He doesn't need to go up and down numerous stairs regularly
He will chase a chipmunk all the way to China if given the opportunity lol
He is a sweet and loving dog that adores his people and is extremely eager to please
He loves hot dog buns and will steal them if you aren't watching closely
I know someone is up to something really bad if Zabu starts howling.... he is my hall monitor hahahaha