11/10/03
First I would like to thank Wamal for offering us the opportunity to provide Tug with a home. He has been an excellent addition to our family. He is very lovable and easy going. Our daughter Rebecca loves Tug, she follows him everywhere he goes. Finally someone to wear her out for us. He loves to drag me around the neighborhood on our walks. He has a basic understanding of commands, but still cannot resist trying to go after a squirrel. He is also an excellent watchdog. Tug gets along with his two Akita cousins, a feisty young female and an 8-year male. He loves all kids and his family. We could not be more please with Tug if he had been made to order.
Have a Great Day! :O)

06/29/05
    I am pleased to say that things are progressing very positively here. Tug seemed to enjoy the ride home. Our kennel is a cage type, so he got to smell and see, and he was calmer than I expected. He Ran the yard, and marked the edges. Stayed away from us for a while, though you could tell he wanted to make contact. Poor honey was so shy. By the time he had been here three hours, he ate some food from my hand and then scarfed the rest in his bowl. The Polley's had told us he probably wouldn't eat for days! He had a good night outside. No barking or whining or any worrisome behaviors. I checked on him a couple of times after bathroom trips, and he was sleeping all laid out on his side in the middle of the yard.
   This morning he was chasing a crow, and looking very free and easy. He was leery of me at first, but it didn't take long for him to come for a pet. He loves it when I massage his rump. It was off and on all day. He would be friendly without hesitation, and the next time I went out, he would stay out of reach. Doug was away getting a sleep study done for apnea, so I have had the most contact. He let me groom on him this afternoon for over an hour. He let me work on his rear area without a quibble. As a matter of fact he napped through most of it!
  Other than the first few minutes he was here, and all our neighborhood kids showed up to greet him, He has not been doing any urinating when he is touched. The one 10 yr. old boy was getting his face kissed before the end of the evening last night. And he ran to greet him this morning when he returned to visit Tug
   Cindy, I am so thrilled with the changes Tug has made since we took him out of the Polley's. Most of the things they warned us about have not happened. He is not pining for them. We haven't brought him in the house yet. The kitties are not entirely thrilled yet, and we are letting them adjust to his presence at the slider. There was a couple of tousles when he bumped the screen trying to sniff at them. They are the ones who were aggressive. Not Tug. He had been whining to them earlier the same as he does to the dogs next door that he can visit with through the fence. I felt he wanted to be pals. He did lunge at the screen after Poof attacked, and Paddy joined in. But he didn't look vicious, more like he was playing. Nick, the ten yr. old, called him away, and he did without any hesitation.
  He was leery of Doug when he came home, but with a little coaxing, he let him pet him. So now that I've written the novel of Tug's first day in his new life. You can rest easy, that things are going very well indeed. He seems to be adjusting very well for the insecure mess we first met. The Polleys were amazed we got near him, let alone how well it went. I feel a strong connection with him, and since I will be spending the most time with him, it’s a thrill. I will be happy to keep you updated every few days if you like. The big test will be when he is ready to come in the house, which he was showing signs this evening that he would like to. If the boys don't get with the program, we will put them in a room when Tug is in. I really think that they will adapt, Paddy showed a lot of interest, and only fluffed if Poof did. So there are more adventures to come.
   Thanks to you and all the volunteers who made this possible. We are delighted with Tug.

07/16/05
   Sorry its been so long. The "Bug" has been awful. We continue to make progress. The only person Tuck is still nervous with is Doug's Mom. We are not sure why, but he has his own timing, and we cont. to be patient. Everything else is good. He is successfully visiting in the house the past three days. No major upsets with the boys. Poof slapped him in the face the first time, but all he did was jerk his head back and then came to me. Paddy seems to really like him. He snuffled him good, and lets Tucker nose him and snuffle without any fluffing. I think Poof would like to play, he's just sooo big. They are both mischievous characters, so I won't be surprised if they develop a game or two. As Tuck gets more comfy, there have been a few naughty behaviors. A little chewing on a lawn chair after a reprimand, Ran over to the neighbors yard when I was putting the van in the yard to unload groceries. He doesn't bother when Doug does it. I'm the buddy, He's the Boss. He did come to me after I got his leash, and went after him. There really hasn't been anything significant that he has done wrong. Adjustments of the magnitude he is going through are not easy. But he is doing splendidly, all things considered. I cont. to make progress with his grooming. He can be testy, but nothing scary. He has snapped, but not with intent to bite, only letting me know that wasn't comfortable. It can be anywhere, on any given day. I Just reassure him, pet a little, and go back to it. He sighs, and relaxes again. So just a little perseverance, and he will go along with it. I feel very safe with him. Just need to work on discipline. He is very smart, and we hope, with time, will cont. to relax and feel better and more confident. That time in is the key. As you can tell, we are very happy with Tucker, and again, thank you for making all of this possible. Are their any more formalities to go through to finalize the adoption? Monday will be the beginning of the third week, and I can't see any reason to make any changes. We love our Tucker! I hope to have new pics. again soon, if you would like me to cont. sharing.

07/18/05
Talk about success stories, this is it. We heard about Tucker and the unhappiness he and his owners were experiencing from a WAMAL volunteer. Something about his story moved us to give him a chance for a new and happier life. He was so shy when we met him that he would urinate when you touched him. Within hours of arriving home, that ceased. He has really relaxed and is coming out of his shell. We are delighted with his progress. Our two cats, Paddy and Poof have accepted him as part of the family as well. So now he comes in for visits with "the boys". He has really done well adapting to being an outside dog. Our big yard has become his comfort zone. He is curious, mischievous, loves to tease, and with time and training, will be another special friend in our lives. We are grateful to all the WAMAL people who made this possible.