A Golden Fostering Moment

Yesterday little Nutmeg reminded me why I foster rescue dogs.

Since arriving Monday morning Nutmeg has not really let me out of her sight. She seemed somewhat listless and spent most of her time sleeping, but as soon as I would leave the room she'd jump up in panic and follow me. She didn't seem to be in pain, but walked strangely, with her back legs spread wide and kept stiff. She has obviously had puppies recently and her paws are a mess – pads are deeply cracked and worn flat in areas. She's just one of those dogs who breaks your heart when you think of what she must have been through.

For most of Monday and Tuesday morning she sat in an armchair and snarled at the other dogs when they got close to her. She showed no interest in toys or playing. Around noon I took the dogs into the back yard and sat on the deck to watch them. As expected, Nutmeg sat, pressed close to my side, watching the dogs play and making no move to leave the deck. After a few minutes though she walked down the steps and lay down on the grass. Then she rolled over on her back, closed her eyes and just blissed out rolling in the cool grass. It was great to watch.

In the afternoon when I took them outside, again she sat next to me, watching the wild antics of Frodo and Mango. They were wrestling and all of a sudden Nutmeg went flying off the deck. My first thought was "oh God, dog fight." I figured she was trying to stop the wrestling match. She lunged at Frodo and both Frodo and Mango paused in surprise, trying to figure out what this lump of a dog thought she was doing. Then their wrestling ensued and a chase started. Nutmeg chased along behind them and when the wrestling started again she barked and snapped at Frodo and Mango's necks. I was frozen on the deck, trying to figure out whether this was good or bad. Was it a fight? Was she just trying to mother them and break up their roughhousing? Then, to everyone's surprise, she awkwardly lowered herself into a play position and I could almost hear Frodo and Mango thinking, "OHHHH, so that's what she's doing!!"

I realized I had been holding my breath and I had tears in my eyes. This poor broken dog who has likely spent most of her life having puppies in a metal crate, was learning how to play. It was one of those golden fostering moments that make all the barking and dog pee and trips to the vet worthwhile.