Last February, Cowie arrived at Dakin Humane Society in need of a new home and a new direction in life. He was just over a year old, a handsome black hound dog with brown markings who had come from challenging circumstances, and he did not know the comforts of home life. Cowie was underweight and his flaky skin was dirty. Despite this, he had an unwavering affection for people, especially those who approached him gently and allowed him to initiate a request for petting.
Like any canine arrival at Dakin, Cowie underwent a behavioral evaluation to gauge his comfort level with many aspects of a typical dog life, like being petted and being around other dogs. We needed to get a snapshot of his personality, and set him up for a successful stay at Dakin, and ultimately a well-matched adoption. If he was struggling to relax, we wanted to tap into what could make him adapt better to his environment, so that he would present his best, most genuine self when prospective adopters would meet him.
We knew that Cowie enjoyed other dogs, and would initiate gentle play with them. He loved squeak toys, and a video on his online profile showed him joyfully bouncing around, tossing a toy into the air and catching it seconds later. Cowie had no experience being around kids, so we wanted him placed in an adult-only home to be safe. While we knew he’d enjoy the company of a friendly dog in his new home, his feedings would always have to be conducted separately, due to his past. Because he was frequently nervous, we wanted him to go to a home with a fenced-in yard, as neighborhood walks could – at least initially – be too overwhelming for him. Of course, the more criteria we list for adopters of pets, the smaller the pool of candidates becomes, but we remained optimistic that someone would meet and feel connected to this special dog with the warm, soft eyes.
Nearly six weeks passed, and Cowie remained at Dakin, waiting. Staff and volunteers eagerly interacted with him in an effort to ward off the kennel boredom and depression that sometimes sets in when dogs enter a shelter. This happens because they lose a sense of control in their lives. They’re in a kennel until they’re walked, they’re hungry until they’re fed, and they lose the ability to make choices, which is stressful for many of them. We were racing against time to keep Cowie in good spirits.
Fortunately, a foster caregiver took Cowie into their home for a brief stay. Dogs relax more in a home environment. Their true personalities emerge, and we were eager to know more about this sweet-natured pup.
Cowie’s foster Meghan raved about him. “He loves attention and being petted. He’ll follow me around from room to room and sit next to me on the couch, but he also respects personal space,” she noted. “He is very sweet and quiet, and does a really cute happy dance when he sees me get the leash.” Cowie blended very well with Meghan’s dog Elvis, and took a lot of cues from him about who was safe to interact with, and how to deal with noise and activity in the neighborhood.
At Dakin, we worked hard to get the word out about Cowie’s availability for adoption, and increased his visibility in every way possible. On April 15, the Springfield Thunderbirds were kind enough to feature Cowie on the jumbotron during a hockey game to benefit Dakin; a first for one of our pets!
Three days later, Cowie’s wait was over when a Hampden County resident came to meet and adopt him. Since there were already dogs in the residence, we asked that the adopter return to Dakin with his dogs so they could meet Cowie and we could see if they would blend well, which they did.
Cowie is settled in his new home, and beginning a new chapter. Any pet who arrives at Dakin begins a journey, and there are usually several helping hands guiding them along their way, some literally, and some figuratively, by providing care through their support of Dakin. Cowie’s journey required lots of love, patience, strategy and care…and we’re pleased to see how far it has taken him.
Lee Chambers is media relations and development specialist of the Dakin Humane Society. Dakin delivers effective, innovative services to animals in need and the people who care about them.
