Lenny, a study in contrasts

This is Lenny peaking around the
open door at me as he entered the
terminal building at the airport.

My second new foster arrived today. His name is Lenny. He's some sort of lab/hound mix. Actually he's probably a bit of many things, but mostly he's a shy and scared boy at the moment.

He hopped into the crate in my van
and pressed himself up against the
far side, but he's looking at me as
I turned around to take this picture.

He arrived via a private pilot who flew down to South Carolina, picked him up, and brought him to meet me at the Charlottesville airport. He was crated for the flight and he didn't mind it at all, but when they got him out his tail was tucked tightly under his body. He had two leashes on him, one attached to a harness and a second attached to a martingale collar. I added a third slip leash around his neck and walked him to the van. I didn't have to drag him or carry him, he actually walked along pretty well, and he was happy to jump into a crate in the van. He clearly finds comfort in the security of a crate.

Lenny meeting Jackie. She was most
curious and interested in meeting him.

I had Maya along for the drive, and Tennessee, both crated, because I didn't want to leave him home alone either in the dog yard or a crate indoors with no one around. I think the presence of other dogs made Lenny feel more comfortable. He's not the most scared and shy dog I've seen. He will make eye contact, but he is also pretty free with the submissive urination, so we clearly have a ways to go.

Lenny with Maya and TJ. Maya didn't
even bother putting her fur up for him.

I've left the harness and one leash attached to him for now, but he is really pretty good about going into a crate in the house and following other dogs out to the A/C yard without using the leash. He went into the big Dane crate in the kitchen and laid there and watched while I made kimchi this afternoon. I think that's what he needs to do, watch from a place that he feels secure until he gets used to me and all the activity in our household. I think Jackie may also play a key role. She was once about as scared as he is now, but she has really gotten into the swing of things around here and she follows me everywhere. (It's like having a small, senior, black bear shadow.)

Even TJ was nice, mostly because
Lenny is already neutered.

Lenny peaking out from behind Jackie,
along with Trooper, who is always good
with the new scared dogs.

All the dogs have been nice to him and he certainly understands being crated and I think enjoys and prefers it for now, so things are going well. But what a contrast he is to Tennessee Blue who came in yesterday. Tenny B is big, boisterous, and full of confidence. His tail is up, J-shaped, and carried high at all times, and it has been since the beginning. Lenny has had a much sketchier life experience with humans, I suspect, and his behavior reflects it. He's been in a good home for some time before coming here, however, so I expect he will come around pretty quickly.

I think he will come along pretty quickly.