Clifford lived on a farm, chained to a barn where there were no people, just dogs. A neighbor lady came to visit , but mostly the dogs were alone. One day the farm was raided and the terrified dogs, who knew nothing of people, were carried off to a shelter. that was terrifying enough, but then he went to a lab where they experimented on him.
Fortunately the neighbor lady was a member of a rescue. She found him and was able to bring in several of the dogs from that horrible experience.
(Clifford went to see a professional groomer who most generously offered to get Clifford all cleaned up. His first grooming......ever. She removed 4 years of dirt and matts).
Cliffy is BEAUTIFUL....oooops, handsome. Thank you to our groomer friend for the wonderful grooming job you did. His coat is mat free, shiny, clean, soft and it smells wonderful. He is pretty tired tonight, that was a lot of stimulation. I was not aware our groomer has 3 rescue Border Collies, lives in Lake Geneva and not only did she do a great job, she was kind and gentle and Cliffy liked her. She thanked everybody for thinking of her. Now, on to the next project.
Sept. 17, 2000
Cliffy has had a couple of weeks in which he has made a LOT of progress. He came here a dog who was afraid of a lot. He was happier in his crate and would prefer to watch the world from the safety of his crate. When it was pretty quiet I would get him out of his crate and close it. Not able to get to his security he decided that the next best place he could find was by me. That was good. After a couple of days he decided that he like that so much he could just break out of his crate. I tried to tie the door shut and on at least two occasions he untied the rope, did not chew it, untied it !! Cliff is finding life much more joyful these days, running and zooming. He is not terribly toy motivated at this point in his life. He is eating very well and has put on some weight but is still obviously and painfully thin. If he is asked to do something it is still so stressful that he just cannot take a treat. He likes most all people and has not shown extraordinary fear of men-children-anyone in particular. He likes petting and attention; he just won't seek it out at this point, if you are a stranger. He tolerates it but then leans ito the hand that is petting him, obviously relishing it.
Cliffy went out to his first agility trial this weekend; it was outdoors and I thought he was ready to handle it--he was. He handled all the movement and activity just fine. People petted him and that was a good thing. He needs work on walking on a leash since he likes walking and does not do it very well, yet--pull, tug. I put a prong collar on him and he was much more of a pleasure to walk.. Like his brother, his movement is smooth and he is a pleasure to watch--poetry. Except when he is happy to see you and he runs around barking and launching off you and poking you with his nose. OK, it is so good to see him so full of joy I haven't done much to change it. <G>
What have I learned about Cliffy? Like the others from this situation he appears to have a very stable temperment. He is still a bit more dominant than some. He initially had some difficulty with the other males in my house, although he was quite content to leave those issues to me to take care of. They can now be in the house together with supervision with minimal growlies. He responds immediately to redirection if someone gets in a staring contest. He likes females very much and he and Diva, my little ambassador are quickly becoming friends. He is pretty good with cats, will chase them if they run away from him and ignore them if they don't. Cliffy's activity level is not enormous at this point. He can be content in a crate for periods of time. While he likes to be by you he is pretty content to lay by you. He has discovered he very much likes beds and at least once a day, while my boys are out we snuggle on the bed. His housebreaking is getting much better. He seldom has an accident even when he has gotten out of his crate and has been loose at night or during the day. I think Mr. Cliff will make an excellent dog for a family who wants a companion dog to walk and be active and to be a loving member of their family without requiring an exceptional amount of activity.
Oct. 26, 2000
Tuesday morning I got the crew up--or they got me up, I guess. Everyone got out, they were exercised, they were put away with breakfast. Except for Clifford. He stayed out and when I put his leash on to go to the door he was Ecstatic. He could hardly believe his good fortune. Not only was he going OUT, he was going alone, just him. He twirled, he spun, he literally danced with joy. He got in his crate in the car-he grinned. We pulled up at the vets and he got out of the car-he was mad with joy. (Cliff does nothing half way) He danced up the ramp, sniffing, spinning, laughing. I opened the door to the clinic and he was instantly terrorized. I was not prepared for the intensity of his reaction. He hit the end of the leash and just flailed about, poor guy. As soon as I got to his head and could touch him and talk to him he stopped and just sat next to me, quietly. His sad, inconsolable eyes returned, like a veil came over them. He quietly went to his crate at the vet, walked in and immediately laid down with his head on the ground.
Thanksgiving Day 2000
Cliffy sends his heartfelt thanks to his Angel.
Hello Angel ,
I know it has been such a long time since I have seen you, heard your voice, smelled your wonderful scent. On this day I wanted to tell you that this year there are things I have to be thankful for. This morning I woke up laying on a big thick bed that is made especially for dogs. (can you imagine that) It was right next to the heat and I was warm and roasty and I did not want to wake up. But I did and went outside to smell what has gone on in my yard since yesterday. After running and sniffing and a little barking I came in and had breakfast. Oh, I
eat two meals every single day, do all dogs do this? But today was special. On top of my rather common--but delicious--dog food was a cooked egg and a piece of ham. Oh, it was wonderful. I ate very fast this morning.
I have learned so much since I last saw you. I learned that seeing people coming is a very good thing. I learned that there is a spot on my neck that feels very good when someone scratches it. I learned how to give small gentle kisses, how to wag my tail. I learned what a wonderful thing it is to go for a walk and visit places you have never been before, smell scents I have never smelled before, feel the grass under my feet, run and run until my muscles are tired. I leaned to look people in the face because they are good; I learned to feel joy, my body trembles with joy, sometimes; when I go for a walk, when I am able to snuggle in bed, in the morning, when the other dogs in this house are out.
Yes, there are many things I am thankful for this year, but the number one thing is you. I am so grateful for all the hard work you did to keep me and the others alive. I know it was not easy for you. I know how you had a dream of me coming to this rescue place and how you never rested until that happened and that there were were so many long hours talking and arguing about it. (people spend a lot of time talking....) But you never gave up and finally you brought me to rescue and I am so very very grateful to you. I know I won't stay here forever and I don't know where that will be but the most important thing that I have learned is that people love and care about me and I can trust them to make good decisions. Today I am as grateful as a dog can be that there are people in the world like you and all the people in this rescue group that care for all the dogs whose lives have been "bettered" (dog word) through your love and hard work.
Nov. 12, 2000
Cliffy is a very sweet gentle soul who is so content to just be near you. He has a way of pouring his joy at life into you whether you want it or not. <G> He is just patient and waits you out until you see things his way. Cliff
sometimes gives you the unerving sense that he is able to look into your soul and is just waiting for you to come to the greater understanding that he has. He does not come without some difficulties. When he first came he did not bark at all. Since he is more comfortable he will bark at some things but generally to join in with my crew. I cannot say that he never barks but a reminder is usually enough to make him stop and look at you like you have grown another head. <G>
He likes being brushed and that is a good thing because he has a lot of coat to brush out. I couldn't subject him to a bath yet, but getting some of the dead coat out is making his coat look better. He likes walking on a leash but if you take his leash to direct him somewhere he just gets frantic, trying to figure out what you want him to do. In the yard he does the same thing that Benny initially did, cast about the perimeter of the yard, not responding to calls or wanting to be close to you. Benny quickly learned that the cushy dog
bed on the top of the picnic table (now dog perch) is the best place in the world to be close and survey all that is going on so hopefully he will find that, too. Even sitting in the yard, alone, with him he is still stressed, paces, can't sit still. He has no interest in toys at this point, he is eating but waits until everything is quiet and then finishes his meal. He did find sharing my chicken last night acceptable. The only place he seems totally relaxed is in his crate, which is very sad. I pulled the big crate in the living room where he can be by everything. When I had the dogs out together this morning things were OK for a while but poor Cliffy couldn't stand it anymore and went after Winger. BAD mom, should have seen that coming. I was right there. Just noise, no damage. So, we will take things a little slower. It will come in his own time. The day will come when he is barking wildly when I walk in the door. Yeah !! I have gotten a couple tail wags. Its a start.
Sept. 1, 2000
Clifford has been here nearly a week and, as with his brother, I see another piece of him every day. When he first came he was nearly totally unsocialized. He was used to being handled, ut it was not always a very nice experience. If he was not able to escape he either tried to frantically figure out what you wanted or stood stoically with nothing in his eyes. (learned helplessness) The place he was able to feel a little more comfortable was in the yard, with no leash on. He was free to come up to you and go away and that made him a little more comfortable and brave. He is now running in the yard, bouncing off me, but only from behind, so far. He is definitely seeing the brighter side to life and that is so good.
Clifford is, despite his fears, a more dominant dog. He marks in the house-everywhere. I put pants on him and after wetting them and having to sit in his wet pants for a bit he as not marked with his pants on so I think we will overcome that obstacle fairly easily. He will be neutered soon and I am hoping that will diminish that behavior, also. He is also a bit aggressive with other males at this point, but neutering may reduce that behavior as well. He gets along well with females. He is very good around the cats. He is way too comfortable in his crate and I am trying to discourage him spending an excessive amount of time in it. He is not showing an interest in toys or playing with the other dogs. He is not particularly food motivated. But we have not begun to see the "Dog Within" yet.
As soon as I got to his head and could touch him and talk to him he stopped and just sat next to me, quietly. His sad, inconsolable eyes returned, like a veil came over them. He quietly went to his crate at the vet, walked in and immediately laid down with his head on the ground. When I picked him up later that day, after his neutering, everyone said he was a model patient, he never uttered a sound. "No wonder he was sent to the lab." That was not what I wanted to hear but he survived the surgery just fine and was ready to come home. When he heard my voice he slowly dragged himself up on his feet. When we brought him out of the crate he wagged his tail-slowly-with his head down. I brought him back to the car, a shell of himself that morning. I felt guilty-he felt, I don't know what he felt. But when I brought him back in the house he let out his first WUF and was back to his old self.
Cliffy is ready for adoption. He is a wonderful companion dog. He loves to be close to you, quietly, petted, happy, just content. He is very quiet in a crate or confined. (He has had a lot of practice, I guess) He would prefer to be close to you, though, but not pushy or demanding, just content to be with you. He loves to go for walks and to see new things. He is not terribly afraid of things, but he likes people who approach him quietly, best. His marking has all but disappeared and I do try to get him out a lot. He is a bit dominant with other males, but is just fine with mine as long as they are supervised. He gets along very well with my female. He seems to like all people. If he does not know them he just quietly sits next to them, asking to be petted. If he does know you he "likes" to bounce off you--just his way of showing his joy, I guess. <G> Cliffy is not obsessed with balls or toys. He likes to run with the other dogs when they chase the ball but has shown no interest in balls, himself. He likes treats, but he worries in a training session and if worried, will not eat, so formal training is slow. He is so well behaved, though, he pretty much has a handle on manners. He has been eating well and has gained some weight and is starting to look better. Cliffy had an interesting development. His front end appears to be that of a good sized BC, when he came he was painfully thin. (my dogs are agility dogs and I know thin, but this was just BAD) His rear was also very thin and undeveloped, no muscle tone at all. Maybe from being tied a lot?? After a few weeks he has gained some needed weight and he is beginning to show some development in his rear from just plain good exercise. He is just happy to be home.
Clifford is, indeed, a dog with a great deal of healing to do. You can see it in his eyes. They are downcast, furtive, glancing around all the time. He takes little comfort in his name being called or happy chatter. He doesn't quite understand that people can be something to anticipate as good. He does like being touched and stroked. That does calm him down.
