Teddy

Greetings Mission Viejo Animal Shelter,

I adopted Teddy on April 6th.  He is turning 11 years old this month (according to the paperwork from the Riverside County Animal Shelter where you acquired him from).   After he arrived at your shelter he had surgery to removed several small tumors and some warts and also underwent a full blood screen and teeth cleaning (with no extractions).  

I would like to tell you that he is currently thriving in his new home.  He immediately bonded with me starting from the drive home.  It is just my 92 year old mother and me at my home, since my husband passed away.  We had not heard a peep out of him on the 6th when I took off from work the entire day to spend with him. However, the next morning when I left for work he started barking and howling.  I immediately went back into the house and my mother and I commented that he finally found his voice!  Being an experienced dog owner I explained to my mother that he just needed to get into the routine and he will realize that whenever I leave him, I will return and not abandon him like he had been in the past.  (Abandonment issues).  Sure enough, that behavior stopped after about 5 days.  Now, as soon as I leave in the morning, he runs upstairs and jumps onto my mom's bed!   What's really funny is now he barks and howls when I come home every single day because he is soooo excited!!!  We know he has abandonment issues, but I think he's getting better and we've only had him for 4 weeks now.

He is just the sweetest thing.  He was completely potty/housed trained from day one - not one accident!  (That is what my concern was in taking in a pound dog.)  However, because of his age, what you say on your website is probably most accurate when hit comes to a Senior Dog.  He was obviously with someone for over 10 years and he has manners.  He knows how to sit and shake hands!

Anyway, my mother and I love him so very much.  I have a dog group that I walk with every Saturday and Sunday and he immediately just fit in with all the pooches, as well as the people.  He has not met a pooch or person he doesn't like!

My mother and I wanted write to all of you to say Thank You for everything you did for him and to tell you Senior Teddy is a wonderful addition to our household and he is getting lots and lots of love.  

Thank you again,