Everyone needs a little help from time to time. Quite often that help comes from an older sibling – a big brother or a big sister. Those big brothers and sisters are usually a bit protective of their younger siblings and show them the ins and outs of the world. Well, this month’s Pup or rather I should say Pups of the Month put their own spin on this familiar idea of big brother helping little brother out.
This month’s adoption story starts with a pup named Tucker – a medium sized hound mix. Tucker was adopted by the Hein family about 4 ½ years ago when he was a 4-month-old pup. The Hein family felt it was time to adopt another dog after losing their red heeler mix a few years earlier and the timing worked out just perfect for 4-month-old Tucker. Tucker was a transplant from Tennessee and had just been put in the kennels at the Humane Society of West Michigan for adoption when the Hein family arrived looking for a dog. The family wasn’t really looking for a puppy. The idea of starting from the beginning again with crate training and house training seemed a bit over the top at the time, but it was love at first sight when they saw Tucker and they just knew he was the ‘one’. So, they met with an adoption counselor, filled out the paperwork and brought him home after he was neutered.
Naomi, Tucker’s Mom, said that Tucker has always been very much on the shy side – as a puppy and as an adult. He was very timid when meeting houseguests that came to their home, or just strangers he met on walks. Once he got to know someone he was very affectionate and just wanted to be close to that person, but getting him through the transition from stranger to friend was difficult. This shyness was what brought the family back to the HSWM to adopt another pup. They wanted to find Tucker a brother that he could hang out and play with, but that also might help Tucker get over his shyness.
The family started looking for a brother for Tucker earlier this year. They knew they wanted a dog that was smaller than Tucker, so that Tucker would not be intimidated by him, as well as a dog that would not try and dominate him. They spent a lot of time talking with HSWM staff about the adoptable dogs they saw in their kennels that they were interested in, as well as discussing what their intention was in regard to finding a pup that would work well with Tucker. They made several trips to the HSWM over the course of a couple of months and finally found a medium-sized black mixed breed that was an older puppy (9 or 10 months old) named Bucky. Bucky had a friendly, outgoing and playful personality that appealed to the Hein family.
It was suggested by the HSWM staff that they not have the regular ‘meet and greet’ at the HSWM that is usually required when adopting a dog into a household that already has a dog. Instead they recommended the introduction take place somewhere that Tucker felt he had ownership of. The Hein family were given detailed instructions of how to do the introductions outside of their house with both dogs on leashes and progressively let the dog have more contact with each other and then eventually, if everything worked out well, take them into the house and let them off their leashes. Needless to say – everything went according to plan and by the end of the weekend it was all familiar and routine!
Bucky has been part of the Hein family for about two and a half months now and everyone is getting along wonderful. Naomi says they are, “getting to be two peas in a pod”. They play together, egg each other on to play and just enjoy each other’s companionship. Naomi also says Tucker is coming out of his shell a little in regard to strangers and is more receptive to the pets of strangers and she believes it is because of Bucky’s influence. Hey – what are little brothers for, right? Most of everything important in life comes down to family and friends…why should dogs be any different?
Big congratulations to the Hein Family – especially new brothers, Tucker and Bucky! Pup of the Month Club is a partnership of Tailwagger Dog Photography and the Humane Society of West Michigan. It is a celebration of dogs, dog adoptions and the human/dog bond. If you have an adopted HSWM pup and would like to nominate him or her for the Pup of the Month Club, you can find more information and the entry form on Tailwagger Dog Photography’s website.
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