Trixie’s Happy Tail
Trixie Has Us in Her Corner.
Trixie playing at the Adoption Center.
Trixie came to us with her sister in March 2020. To all of the staff at the Adoption Center, she seemed like a friendly and happy pup. With her being such as nice size and so friendly, we were sure she would be a quick adoption.
She was eventually adopted but unfortunately it didn’t end up being a great fit. When Trixie came back to us, staff saw the same friendly little dog we knew before. Trixie had some applications come in and when we went to introduce her to her potential adopters, we were shocked to see a dog that was so afraid of meeting new people that she would bark at them and run away. She would not come within 10 feet of new people. We tried a couple more times to introduce her to potential adopters with no success.
Staff knew that Trixie needed a special plan to find her new family. The majority of adopters want to meet a dog before they adopt them, and it was clear that wasn’t going to happen. The Adoption Center is a very stressful place for many dogs and often we see behaviors that we would not see in a home environment. It is also important for a dog to heal emotionally that they are in a quiet calm place. We knew we needed a foster home for Trixie. Luckily, fosters Jess and Scott stepped up for Trixie. We wanted to place her with a family with another dog to see if it would help her relax and Jess and Scott’s dog a BRHS alum named Brooks is always ready to help out.
Trixie in her foster home.
Later, Jess and Scott met with local Certified Professional Dog Trainer Jennifer King to get tips on getting her more comfortable with Scott. BRHS Behavior Manager Crystal made a behavior plan for counseling potential adopters. We knew any new family would have to be willing to adopt Trixie without meeting her first which is definitely a leap of faith and a big ask.
In July, we received an application from David and Donna who had recently lost their beloved dog and were looking for a companion for themselves and their dog Snickz. Snickz is also afraid of new people so that it didn’t bother them that Trixie is as well. They understood it would just take time and patience to help her trust them. They said they wanted to adopt her and we made plans to deliver Trixie to her new home and family.
Crystal and Trixie hit the road to South Carolina. Trixie was, of course, very nervous upon meeting her new family but Donna gave her space and let her choose how she wanted to interact with her. Later that night, Donna introduced Trixie to her new dad, David and she amazingly walked right up to him with her tail wagging and let him pet her! She has since been proclaimed Daddy’s girl.
Trixie’s mom Donna regularly sends us updates which never fail to put smiles on our faces. Here is a recent update:
Trixie and her new dad.
Donna says, “Although she came to us scared of people in general and especially men, she took to us very fast. Her Daddy is her very favorite human. That sweet, gorgeous girl dances in circles when she is excited. This includes seeing either one of us if we have been gone. She runs to us and jumps with her legs around our waists in the sweetest hugs and you can see the love for us shining in her eyes. Oh my gosh, we love her so much.”.
We at Blue Ridge Humane Society are so grateful for all of the people that give their hearts and time to animals in need. From all of the staff and volunteers that cared for her at the Adoption Center, to her fosters that helped her heal, the trainers that helped prepare her fosters and new family and most of all to Donna and David for trusting us to find their new family member and for giving her the life she deserves. It truly does take a village to care for these animals.
