Introducing Teo

27/03/13: Teo is still doing really well and we have definitely bonded. I think he trusts me now to look after him. For the last 3 days we have had longer walks again late morning, and were even joined by my friend’s grand-daughter the other day. He remains nervous of most things, but stops less on his walks now, I hope because he believes I will look after him, and also because he is slowly learning that most people and animals here will do him no harm. We had a little scare the other day as there was some blood around his operation site where he had been chewing, but I am giving him antibiotics and all seems to be healing well. Another scary visit to the vet has been avoided. I think he is happy for now, and I love it when he jumps and bucks a little with joy.

As for my cats, they are still not so impressed. Kasper and Oscar are the most curious and will walk right up to Teo, but the others are very wary still and Mori and Dusky puff up and hiss. Teo is actually afraid of them, and has shown absolutely no sign of hunting them, or any real interest in them, even when Kasper and Dusky rush past him in play. Mori is back at the door to greet us when we come in, and poor Teo is now afraid to walk through the door when he is there. I hope this improves and we have a little more integration soon. I jokingly suggested that maybe we also need to foster a VERY dog friendly cat to show our lot the way! Anyway after just 2 weeks we are doing fine. Teo knows I think that he is loved and cared for and he has his very safe place on his sofa where he sleeps happily all through the night and for a lot of the day. He is well and loved and safe and that is enough for now. Enjoy the new photos from another morning on the roof. This is where everybody is still most comfortable together.

24/03/13: Teo really is a lovely, gentle and very clever dog. After 3 days of recovering from his little operation and all the stress and drugs, today he has started to get his mojo back a little. I had been finding it difficult to lift him up on his sofa without Chris’s help so yesterday I resorted to towels on the floor for most of the day. Today Teo is able to help get himself up, and even ventured back up onto the roof to lie in the sun this morning. He is eating well, not showing any signs of chasing the cats, and is already house trained, squeaking when he is desperate to pee. All amazing for a dog that I am sure had very little care before. Coming down the stairs this morning Teo got too close for Kasper’s comfort, and was spanked with a cat PAW! Poor Teo hadn’t even really noticed Kasper perched up high, and was so startled he squealed and rushed down the remaining stairs bless him. He really does seem to be a gentle giant in our midst.

He has also been walking more confidently outside today, although still not back to wanting to go further than the end of the street. This is a big improvement on yesterday, when at one point he lay down on the pavement and refused to move for about 10 minutes. I have found that if I crouch down low in front of him he will walk forward towards me. All is basically fine and our cats are slowly adjusting to him, particularly up on the roof where there is more space to watch him, but of course for now they prefer him asleep! For the next week R&R is fine for Teo, along with good food and love, but hopefully we will get him back to longer walks soon. Enjoy the new photos of him relaxing! I am hoping for some outside ones soon without his tail between his legs, to show a more confident boy. AND to so you know how soft we are, I have just given Teo supper ON the sofa so he doesn’t have to move, AND you can see Teo snuggled up to Chris, who slept with him for the 2 nights after his operation! Somebody has definitely landed on his paws!

20/03/13: Teo has now been with us for almost a week, and he is doing brilliantly. He is still quite nervous but he seems to have already learned that Chris and I will only love and care for him. Outside when he sees people or dogs he stops walking and waits and watches, and he always seems happy to be safely back home. We had been letting him explore the apartment a little, but he was still mainly on the roof, and in his pen up there at night, that is until Monday evening when he protested big time, and took up residence on the sofa in our TV room. He has now spent 2 quiet nights with no howling on this chosen bed, and for most of yesterday he slept, as if he was finally relaxed, after days of stress, and quite exhausted. It was actually lovely to see that he feels safe with us.

Today was not such a good day as he was back at the vet for ‘castration’ and X-rays on his previously injured knee. On examination he was found to have nothing left to castrate and Miguel believes his manhood had probably been sliced off with a hunting knife when he was a puppy! To be sure poor Teo did have an exploratory operation, and although this wasn’t nice for him, we at least now know that everything is fine. He is now resting and feeling a little sorry for himself. Miguel also believes he has been quite badly treated as he was VERY afraid of everything that was done to him, and fought the anaesthetic very hard. I hope he is starting to understand that his bad times are over, but I think it will take time for him to really trust in his new fortune. Meanwhile our cats are getting on with their lives around him, and are growing more confident to varying degrees. I hope they will all learn to accept and even love him too.

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16/03/13: Teo is just off for his early morning walk with Chris. He is doing brilliantly and even starting to master the scary stairs. Yesterday he had another longer walk and was happy to say hello to a little spaniel. He has also been letting Kasper cat play with his tail while he was lying in the sun on his lead. You can see from the photos I took yesterday how relaxed and gentle he is. Our boy cats seemed fairly comfortable yesterday as well, enjoying the sun as usual, and Kasper was waiting at the gate for Teo to come out this morning. He is VERY curious! Our 2 little females are less convinced for now, and will need a little more time! Overall everything is going very well, and Teo is eating well and gaining more confidence with us all the time. He is also clear that he is feeling much better in himself after just 2 days of good food. He is more energetic and starting to look like the young, playful dog he really is.

15/03/13: I am amazed at how well Teo has progressed in just 1 day, since Chris started this post. For now he is living on our roof, where we have a dog pen, and we spent most of yesterday afternoon sitting up there with him, and giving him the run of the whole roof terrace. After only a short time he was coming over to greet us, and seemed relaxed being stroked. Early evening we then took him for his first walk on the lead, and he did brilliantly. He does seem to be afraid of other dogs and people for now, (and stairs!) but he is comfortable with us which is the first big step. Meanwhile we have let our cats see him through the mesh, when he is in his pen, and the boys have been quite brave. Teo has quietly said hello and then backed off. He seems to be a completely non aggressive dog, and also a very intelligent one. I hope he already understands that he is now safe and cared for.

This morning he came straight out of his pen to greet Chris and is off for a short walk. There seems to be no big problem with his previously injured leg. Now that he has eaten well and is stronger, we can see no limp, just a little stiffness in his legs. I think we have rescued him in time, and that he is basically a healthy dog. Already people are offering to help re-home him, but we are going to wait a few weeks until he is fit, and we have had time with him.

14/03/13: Just back from the vet with the Almerimar Galgo that we rescued this morning. He is now called Teo and has a microchip and passport. He has also had all his blood tests which were all negative. He has quite a lot of ticks that we have treated him for. He has an old injury to his front left leg which our vet isn’t concerned about. We will have it X-rayed in due course. He has dirty ears which need cleaning every day. Priority now is good food and lot of love. He has an upset stomach but nothing too bad.

He was brilliant at the vets. We carried him in but he walked out on the lead. He is now up on our roof where he will stay for a while. He is eating and drinking and coming over for lots of attention. He doesn’t seem stressed or agitated at all. He is booked in for castration and his vaccinations including rabies next Wednesday. Enjoy the photos of the handsome fella.