Chewie: A Rescue Story

We recently added another member to our family. Meet Chewie!

Chewie is from Ohio. He is a 3-year-old Lhasa Apso. Lhasa Apsos are a long-haired breed who require regular grooming. Sadly, Chewie was not getting the care and attention that was required for him. By the time he came to our home, he was in horrible shape. The hair around his face was so long and matted that he couldn't see. His coat was thick and matted and he smelled awful.

I'm still trying to let go of the anger I feel for Chewie's former owner. It's hard for me to understand how someone could do this to a dog, especially a dog that had been in the household for several years and up until recently, was well cared for. But Chewie's human mom passed away and the husband didn't take the time to take care of Chewie. I have no idea why. Again, it's hard not to be angry, but I'm trying to forgive and move on. The important thing is that Chewie is safe and sound now.

He arrived home with my husband last Friday and we spent the weekend just letting him acclimate to his new home. Our two other dogs, Kali and Luna, seemed quite excited to have a new dog in the house, but Chewie was just too frightened to interact with them. After a while, Luna started to show some aggressive tendencies towards Chewie, and I started to worry that perhaps we'd made a mistake and the dogs weren't going to get along. However, we kept a close eye on them and things stayed calm for the most part all weekend.

On Monday I took Chewie to the vet so that he could get a grooming and a check-up and get whatever vaccinations he needed. As we expected, most of his hair had to be shaved, and at one point, the vet had to give him some light sedation so that his face could be done. She said that at that point, he was in quite a bit of pain and the sedation helped so that they could finish the grooming process.

Let me just take a moment to explain to people who don't seem to understand what happens when you don't groom your dog on a regular basis: mats are painful. They pull on a dog's skin and cause pain and irritation. They can develop horrible skin conditions, not to mention that it can affect their mobility due to being weighed down and not being able to see. This isn't just an aesthetic issue to make your dog look good; grooming your dog regularly is necessary for good health. So when you don't groom your dog and let him get to a point where Chewie was at it's cruelty and neglect. Plain and simple.

Okay, rant over. When I picked up Chewie several hours later, I didn't even recognize him. He looked adorable and I can't imagine how much better he must have felt, but he looked like a completely different dog. I almost cried in relief. He was finally on his way to a better quality of life. Here is the dramatic before/after picture:

Since his grooming, I've noticed that he shivers more, like he's cold and his body is adjusting to not having all of the hair. I ordered him a fleece sweater, so hopefully that will help him feel warmer. We've also noticed a huge difference in Kali and Luna's behavior. Although they are curious, they are very gentle and approach carefully. Luna, especially, has been dramatically different. We no longer see any sort of aggressive behavior or show of dominance. Chewie, however, is still really frightened of them. They are so much bigger than him. He spends a lot of time hiding in his kennel. It is his safe space right now.

My hope is that with time, he will realize that the dogs won't harm him and that they can even become playmates. But if that is too much to hope for, I hope that they can all live together peacefully.

Chewie is still unsure about me and will keep his distance for the most part. I'm giving him his space, as hard as it is. Our dogs have always bonded with me quickly, so it's been hard for me, but I know I just have to be patient and give it time. He'll come around and I hope to be able to smother him with lots of hugs and kisses soon. In the meantime, I make sure that I'm the one to feed him and give him treats so that he hopefully associates me with something good.

Chewie does, however, LOVE my husband. I don't know if it's because David is the one who drove to Ohio and brought him home, but he is attached to David. He follows him everywhere and will sit on his lap. I'll admit, I'm a bit jealous, but I'm also really happy that Chewie has a person that he feels safe and comfortable with.

Did we need or want another dog? No. Our two dogs have been a great addition to our family and we had established a daily routine, the dogs are happy and well-adjusted and we have made a great home here in our little house. But this little dog tugged at my heart and I just knew that we needed to rescue him. Could someone else have possibly gave him a good home? Possibly, and even probably. But I just couldn't take that chance. My heart wouldn't let me look away.

So now our lives are a bit crazy trying to navigate a life with three dogs. We have to work with Chewie on potty training, as I think he spent a lot of long hours by himself at his previous home and just got used to going on the floor because no one was letting him outside. He also can be destructive with anything made out of paper, so we have to keep a close eye on him. We kennel him at night when we sleep and when we have to leave the house and he is doing great with that. It's like having a puppy again! But Chewie is three, so we hope that he will adjust and learn quickly. My hope is that he will learn to love his new family and home.

Welcome home, Chewie!