Diary of a Foster Carer – Part 2

Bek continues the story of fostering Jasper, a beautiful but deaf 11-month-old pup who was saved from death row and needed a safe place to stay until he found his ‘forever home’…

It hasn’t even been a week since we picked Jasper up from his rescuers, but it feels as though he’s been here forever.  Not knowing what to expect from a dog that had been abandoned and mistreated, we were nervous and excited when we arrived to pick Jasper up. I’m not sure what image I had in mind, but it certainly wasn’t the inquisitive, excited creature I saw pestering the rescuer’s old cattle dog for attention.

Obligingly, the old cattle dog would occasionally engage in a bit of good-hearted wrestling with Jasper, who would respond by showering his companion with kisses, nuzzles and excited snorting. Yes, snorting. Jasper is snowy white with one brown patch and big blue puppy eyes. As soon as he noticed us watching, Jasper immediately sprang forth for cuddles, showing none of the reserve or mistrust that I would have expected from a dog who had learned early on that humans don’t always treat you right.

First night fun!
The first night we had him home we tried to make him as comfortable as possible with a cushy bed, some treats and a lot of affection. Out of the company of his older four-legged friend, he became slightly shy and a little overwhelmed by the new surroundings. Not wanting him to sleep alone on his first night, we set up his doggy cushion on the floor right by our bed. Apparently this was not close enough for Jasper. When we woke up the next morning, he’d firmly wedged himself between me and my fiancé, lying with his face nuzzled in my neck, on his back, legs akimbo.

We’ve been trying to break him of this habit of sleeping in our bed, but our hearts really aren’t in it… he just looks so sheepish every morning when he realises we’ve busted him in the bed again! Having Jasper with us so far has been wonderful. He’s still very much a puppy, but learns so quickly. He recognises the signs for ‘sit’, ‘good boy’ and ‘no’ (which we had to pull out a few times when he found out the earphones for my iPod made a really fun chewing toy… and again when we found him sitting on a chair at the kitchen table eating bananas from the fruit bowl.)

I’ve never met a more adaptable dog, although I suppose he’s had to become one. When we take him to the beach or for a walk, he’s so full of energy his feet hardly touch the ground – and yet he’s just as happy to snuggle on my lap in front of the TV at night. I believe he thinks he’s a lapdog! There’s definitely something about Jasper that draws people in. I can’t take him two paces without someone wanting to touch him or commenting on his unusual eyes and snowy coat. For his part, Jasper laps up the attention and prances like a show dog.

It’s hard to imagine how someone could want to give him up. I know when the time comes for him to be adopted, it’s going to be torture saying goodbye…

Images by AggieHiker and zingpix