Sara Rosinsky • Shiny Red Copy
  • home
  • about sara
  • speaking
  • blog
  • portfolio
    • social media
    • articles
    • dandy candy
    • freezer treats
    • money matters
    • online ordering
    • raise a glass
    • fundraising
    • hair we go
    • education
    • branding
    • thinq smart
    • how entertaining
    • spread the word
    • a few faves
    • sears screed
  • kudos
  • unflubbify
  • freebies
    • resources
    • word search
  • store
  • contact sara
  • home
  • about sara
  • speaking
  • blog
  • portfolio
    • social media
    • articles
    • dandy candy
    • freezer treats
    • money matters
    • online ordering
    • raise a glass
    • fundraising
    • hair we go
    • education
    • branding
    • thinq smart
    • how entertaining
    • spread the word
    • a few faves
    • sears screed
  • kudos
  • unflubbify
  • freebies
    • resources
    • word search
  • store
  • contact sara
  Sara Rosinsky • Shiny Red Copy

sara's Shiny red blog

Meet Not-Nolan.

7/26/2020

18 Comments

 
Picture
Like just about everything else "in the time of COVID," adopting a dog is tricky. No more casually visiting shelters and interacting with a multitude of pups in person. You have to search online and make appointments. You have to meet dogs with half of your face covered and the smell of sanitizer on your hands.

And because everyone is stuck at home, a lot of people—particularly in Colorado—are adopting dogs right now. Inventory is tight. Dogs are flying off the proverbial shelves.

For example, a month or two ago, my husband (Bob) and I found a dog we liked down in Denver. Right before we got in the car for the long drive down (which would prove particularly trafficky and unpleasant that day), we called to make sure the dog was still available. He was. But by the time we arrived at the shelter, the dog was gone.
So. A couple of weeks ago, I saw this photo of "Nolan" on Petfinder, and I was smitten. I immediately began filling out the shelter's application. It took longer than I anticipated. (What will you do if your dog is destructive when left alone? What is your estimate of the routine yearly expense of owning a dog? etc.) My husband got a little irritated because I insisted on filling out the form RIGHT THEN on a Friday night. But I wasn't going to let this pup get away if I could help it.
Picture
There were technical troubles with the application. There were emails and phone calls. But before too long ... success! We were deemed fit dog-parents. Before we could even meet this 14-pound creature (he was still in New Mexico), I paid $509.66, signed a contract, and began counting the minutes until we could pick him up.

We knew he'd be exhausted when we went to get him from Farfel's Farm & Rescue in Boulder. He would be coming straight from the vehicle transporting him and other dogs from Texas and New Mexico.

But things were worse than we'd anticipated.

"There's been a little incident," the woman behind the desk at Farfel's let us know when we arrived for our pickup appointment. The "incident" involved a frightened Nolan and a well-intentioned human trying to pick him up. And, well, a bite. (Dog-on-human, if you're wondering.)

OK. So now we were picking up a "dog that bites." But whatever— we were OK with that. (Just look at his picture.) It was decided that Nolan would stay in his dog crate so we could spare him the stress of taking him out. (And maybe spare ourselves from snapping jaws.)

The next few days were rough. The only way we could take Nolan outside for toileting was to carry him in the crate he stayed in all the time. He was very reluctant to leave it. Here he is on his second day with us: standing with three legs out, one leg in. He stayed in this position for a loooong time.
Picture
He developed a hardcore case of "stress colitis." That's fancy talk for explosive, unremitting, horrid-smelling diarrhea. So much of it. So often. Day after day. I've done so much carpet cleaning. (You know, I've never made a penny from affiliate links, but I will happily plant one right here for Nature's Miracle.)

This dog was such a basket case, in fact, I had to check with Farfel's Rescue about his backstory. They had described him as "a bit shy at first," but this he was beyond shy. He was a wreck. I texted the lovely woman from Farfel's and got the whole story.
Picture
When Bob learned this, he began indicating that he might not want to adopt this dog, after all. Nolan's brain probably isn't wired for human companionship, Bob conjectured.

But I knew we had a full two weeks to "try out" this dog. And I hoped that with enough affection, safety, peace, and consistency, he might begin to settle.

I wanted more than anything to avoid taking him to the vet for his gastrointestinal issues, because I knew it would only traumatize him more. Could strings be pulled with the Farfel's vets? Could we just give them a "sample" from Nolan (what a euphemism!) and get a prescription?

Nope.

​My sage friend Sara Webster told me what I didn't want to hear about the vet:
Picture
Sigh.

I bit that bullet and made an appointment.

By this point, Nolan was starting to make some progress. He'd graduated from his opaque Farfel's crate (see above) to a wire one that let him see out and get used to his surroundings. He'd even ventured out loose in the house a little. I hoped that the trauma of a car trip and vet visit wouldn't take him right back to square one.

On his sixth day with us, we took Nolan to the vet.

He survived.

He got meds.

​He got better.

And Bob's been won over. Nolan is a keeper! 🎉

I'm writing this on day ten. Nolan's belly is all better. He has an appetite. He has energy. He has a personality! Now all he needs is a new name.​ (Opinions of the following and suggestions welcome.)
Picture
18 Comments
Karen Kim
7/26/2020 12:24:50 pm

Farfel, Roscoe, Tupelo, Shafer, Pomeroy...you see where I’m going with this...

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/26/2020 01:01:10 pm

I do see! 😁 Maybe not Clapp, though.

Reply
Gillian Whitney link
7/27/2020 12:38:52 am

I just love him... he's adorable. Congrats. Below are my suggestions:

1. I like Domino because he looks like one. But I think it might be hard to call him that... so you'd probably end up shortening it to "Dom."

2. I also like "Blackjack" and would call him "Jack" for short.

3. Oreo... because he makes me think of an Oreo cookie.

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/28/2020 10:39:33 am

Thanks, Gillian!

Jane
7/26/2020 12:27:15 pm

Sprocket, he is beauty. Lucky to have you.

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/26/2020 01:01:37 pm

Thank you!

Reply
Marilyn R Tobin
7/26/2020 01:13:36 pm

Sara, a doll and how lucky he is! I am sure you know this but takes months for them to settle in. I think literature says 3 months.. I would say you still see their personality come out 6 months. We adopted a senior lab almost a year ago and she is the sweetest thing ever, but we still see new parts of her personality emerging. Enjoy!

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/26/2020 03:17:20 pm

Thank you so much!

Reply
Anne-Marie
7/26/2020 01:35:20 pm

Such a great story!

For a name, I’d suggest Oreo. The black and white thing. :-) also easy to to remember, and call out loud in a park if he wanders off. (People’s names don’t work well for this.)

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/26/2020 03:18:54 pm

Yes, Bob's suggestion of "Cary Grant" really has the potential for awkwardness.

Reply
Jenn
7/26/2020 02:09:53 pm

I am a big fan of the two syllable dog names. I found it's easier to call them (with positive or negative energy). Elwood stood out to me on the list with a nickname of Woody.

I have also chosen dog names that have negative rhyming words (not on purpose). So I had grody Rhody (who would live up to her name sometimes) and now I have a messy Bessie (who loves to take all her toys from the toy box and spread them out on the rug).

Our neighbors named their dog Burt. They had a long list of names and just kept trying them out. Burt was sort of a joke but then he kept responding to it. He is totally a Burt now. :)

I enjoyed reading or your adoption adventures. And great advice from Sara!

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/26/2020 03:20:08 pm

Good thinking. And thank you!

Reply
Kira
7/28/2020 08:50:54 am

He looks like an Arlo or Mo to me! I'm glad that he's doing much better (and that his stomach is happier).

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/28/2020 10:40:35 am

Thank you. :)

Reply
Robert
7/28/2020 10:24:32 am

Hi Sara,
Congrats on the journey beginning and it will (mostly) be wonderful. Yes, as others have mentioned, patience and building trust.
I think Sid - cause hes not vicious!
Cheers
Robert

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
7/28/2020 10:42:16 am

You're right. Even though he's bitten both me and my husband, it was never out of viciousness—he was just completely freaked out. And now he's getting mellower by the day.

Reply
Nancy
4/4/2021 02:41:04 pm

Hi
I love that you gave this sweet looking puppy a chance. I work in rescue and I always tell people to try to imagine how you might feel in your new dog's position.
I like several names you've listed and you probably have one already but I'm thinking Django.
Good luck with all you have an adorable new family member

Reply
Sara Rosinsky link
4/4/2021 04:23:38 pm

Oh, thank you. I wrote this back at the end of July. His name is now Freddy, and he's made HUGE progress. I still wouldn't say he's exactly *normal*, but he's mellowing out more and more every day.

In fact, it's time for his walk, something that would have been unTHINKable for the first five or six months. He's still a little reluctant to go, but not terrified anymore.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    May 2024
    December 2023
    September 2023
    March 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017

    Categories

    All
    Advertising & Marketing
    Books
    Boston
    Colorado
    Comedy
    Creativity
    Design
    Dogs
    Etymology
    Florida
    Freelancing
    Language
    My Life
    Other
    Podcasts & Audiobooks
    Punctuation
    Skepticism
    Travel
    Typography
    Words
    Writing

    RSS Feed


​Copyright © 2024