Fosters fitting in - Axel

Fostering is always interesting and every dog is a new experience. When a new dog comes in there's always an adjustment, a shift in arrangements and relationships. Our newest foster, Axel, is no exception. The day I picked him up I brought him home, did some quick introductions and then put him in a crate in my office because I had to go out again. Della and Serena were in crates on the other side of the room and Maya was at large in the house. I figured he'd have some time to settle in a safe place but be able to observe and get to know some of the other dogs.

I came back a couple hours later to find Axel running around the front yard, out of his crate and out of the house. I thought to myself that this boy is determined to make himself memorable. That had never happened before. He came when I called him, seemed happy to see me, and was relieved to get back inside. Maya often has a lot to say when I get home but she was uncharacteristically tight lipped about what had transpired. He had managed to get out of a crate, fine, that's not a first. But he had also managed to discover that we had cardboard covering a missing sidelight window at our front door. There were two pieces covering the 8x10 opening, one stapled on the inside and one on the outside. I suspect Maya had a hand in this because she has occasionally torn off the cardboard in the past when I've been gone, and there's no way he would have known that was a way out without being told or shown. 

Anyway, he was happy to be back inside and he's really been a pretty easy foster since that first night. He fusses a bit when crated at night, but it doesn't last too long and I expect it will stop. He clearly wants to be with me, or someone, all the time and probably suffers from some separation anxiety although it's not the worst I've ever seen. He hasn't even tried to get out of a crate since that first day. He comes when I call him and is a very sweet and friendly dog. He plays with Zippy, which is good for both of them, although her play can be a little overbearing. When things got too rough out in the pasture this afternoon, he just came over and attached himself to me. Good boy.

Maya took charge of Zippy out in the pasture today.

Zippy seems to view Axel as her personal chew toy.

This may look concerning, but you can see that Maya isn't concerned so neither am I.

River really enjoys the pasture now and mostly does his own thing, along with Della.

Zippy trying to suck up to Della.

Maya is very tolerant of him. 

I reminded her how much she pestered Trooper when she was new around here.