Normalizing and socializing

Lola's first couple days were kind of rough for her.  She had been in the home with her former family for her entire life.  They dumped her at the vet's office and then a complete stranger picked her up and drove her hundreds of miles to a new state.  Yet another stranger pulled her out of the transport crate and brought her to a chaotic home already chock-full of dogs.  She didn't know what had happened, who to listen to, or even where to poop and pee.

After being awakened during the second night by a mournful howl coming from her crate, I brought her upstairs, displaced Vince from his bed, and put her next to mine with a leash attached to both her and me.  She began to trust me and the next morning I took her out to the dog yard and then to the pasture, with a long line attached that she could drag around so I would stand a chance of catching her if necessary.  The first thing she did in the pasture was made a big loop around the entire space, checking the perimeter fence.  After that, however, she hung out with me and some of the boys while we played ball.  She didn't join in the play but she had a good time.

Maya and Trooper and I had a long hike on Saturday, so I decided to risk leaving Maya at home and took Lola to the brewery instead.  She met a lot of people who were all strangers to her, some of them stranger than others.  I brought along a small blanket and laid it on the floor near my bar stool and she made herself comfortable.  She was friendly and took treats, but she didn't hustle them from the bar like Maya does.

Saturday night she again slept next to my side of the bed, much to the dismay of the tolerant but long-suffering Vince.  Sunday morning she acted like one of the pack, pooping in the small yard with the others.  It's really amazing that a dog can adjust to major life changes like this in just a couple days.  Even when she was confused and uncertain, she was cooperative and friendly, just trying to figure things out.

The trip to the brewery was not without consequences.
The wrath of Maya was visited upon a kitchen cabinet while
we were away.