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I've found my furever family!

  • Chai
  • Chai
  • Chai
  • Chai
  • Chai

Chai

We're happy to tell you that Chai has a new furever home.
Please visit our Available Dogs Page to see the pups currently available.
Late in July, 2021, a certain silly dog was found wandering the streets of Toronto. She was taken to Toronto Animal Services but nobody claimed her. Awwwww. TAS asked if we could help because she wasn't doing well in the kennels. Although she was very sweet, she was timid and barking at people, anxious in the shelter environment.
 
SPIN volunteer, Leah, picked her up from TAS, named her Chai and became her first foster family. Leah spent the next 90 days working with Chai. They worked on how to be a dog that would be welcomed into someone’s home again. After 3 weeks of learning leash skills in the backyard, they ventured out on training walks - she was brilliant (thank goodness for a food motivated dog!). They worked on her comfort being groomed (still with food, and some patience on the human side). Chai also improved her play skills with less biting and mouthing, making play time more fun for everyone!
 
Finding the right home for Chai was a bit of a challenge. Dogs like Chai need the right family. One that would understand her, be willing to continue with the training we had started on, and allow her to grow and blossom into the amazing dog we all knew she could be. SPIN did adopt her out, but Chai was returned. She was still a lot of dog for anyone to manage. Unfortunately, Leah’s baby had started walking and it was becoming more and more difficult to keep dog and child separate. Chai went into the loving arms of John at BlackDog Pet Resort in Bowmanville.

Now this is interesting. In extreme cases like Chai, SPIN often recommends fluoxeten. Who knows what Chai went through before she was found and taken to TAS. Who knows why she is so anxious. We don’t need to know the why. We need to help them. And help we did.

After even a few weeks, Chai started calming. She was able to sustain the happy, alert, energetic dog that we knew she was, but was also able to start self-calming when she began to become over-excited or anxious. Fluoxetene truly helped.
 
While we were helping Chai, a new volunteer started helping SPIN. You may know SPIN’s Lauren if you follow our Instagram page. I simply didn’t have time to manage both a Facebook account and an Instagram account and so it wasn’t really until Lauren popped up that our presence on Instagram started to improve! If you haven’t been on that Instagram page, you should really go as Lauren is doing a fantastic job.
 
But back to Chai’s story. One day, when Chai was still with Leah, Chai needed food. So Lauren, her husband Matt and their standard poodle loaded up the car and took a drive out to Leah’s home. Lola and Chai met and the girls had an exuberant playdate. Matt fell in love with Chai’s "energy," and they watched her progress. They would have loved to welcome her but weren't ready for a second dog. Matt was a little heartbroken when she was adopted but wished her well. When Chai came back and landed at BlackDog, Lauren and Lola visited her on a few occasions during puppy drop-offs and mill dog socialization. Lola and Chai played like they had at Leah’s home every day. Chai finally convinced Lauren to put in a foster application! Chai was crafty. First foster and then, once they truly know how great she is, then she would convince them to adopt.
 
Once at Lauren and Matt’s home, Chai fit in right away. With each passing day she became more happy and secure leaving behind those less desirable behaviours. She's charmed her grandpawrents and now has many friends. She is a social butterfly at the dog park. With that broad thumping tail she can't hide her excitement.
Well Chai. It has been a journey. A journey with ups and downs but mostly ups. We have all learned so much. From abandoned to so many friends and a beautiful, loving family to call your own. Good on you, Chai. Good on you.
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