My First Day

Getting Used to Home

It's been about three days since I've been at my new home. I've spent a lot of time sleeping and going on walks. I LOVE being outside and exploring and we've met lots of new friends in the neighborhood. Mama and Daddy give me lots of treats and play with me. My favorite game is fetch and tug of war though we try not to play too hard.

I haven't been eating much and I know that worries Mama a little. I hope she understands that I'm just trying to get used to my new surroundings. I get overwhelmed very easy and sometimes, I just need to go off and be alone. When things get too crazy, it's easier for me to turn my back and hide than acknowledge anything, so there are times I stick my face in the corner or bury under the covers.

We've had a few incidents. Mama was trying to teach me to sit and she reached out and touched my paw and I did not like that. I don't like anyone messing with my paws. So I reached down and nipped at her fingers. She scolded me and I said I was sorry. I just don't know her like that yet. It's hard for me determine if these are people who are going to hurt me again.

I also don't like when Mama or Daddy touches things they've given me, even if they're only trying to play. It's only because I spent so long trying to fend for myself and survive. I don't know that they're only trying to play and that they're not trying to take it away for good.

Mama and Daddy aren't used to having a dog that was mistreated so it's a hard adjustment. They don't know exactly what happened to me and they wish I could tell them. I wish I could too, if only to make them understand that it will take time. They're doing well but it's hard for them because they want to train me but they don't want to make me mistrust them or break my spirit anymore than it's already been broken.

Last night, Mama reached out to take my toy so she could throw it and play fetch with me. I was not having that and I snapped at her. I felt bad immediately and she said no. I hung my head and apologized and Mama said no once more then petted me gently. She was leaning over to sit down in the chair with me and reached to move the remote off the arm. Someone before had acted like this and I knew the first defense was to drop and cower immediately as it passed. I didn't want to be hit by something like I had in the past.

Mama didn't mean anything by it. She was just trying to move the remote. When she saw how I reacted, she pulled me into her lap and started bawling. She had never had a dog that had been hurt so badly in the past and it bothered her so much how I reacted. She didn't want me to be scared of her. All she wanted to do was love me and give me a better home than I had before. I know in time she will but there's still a part of me that needs to learn to trust these people because people haven't been very nice to me.

I have my first doctor's appointment on Thursday. Mama has a lot of questions to ask him, I'm sure, just so she can make sure she's doing everything properly. I know there are adjustments I need to make and she knows they have adjustments to make. It's just a matter of time, patience and love.

It is an adjustment period and the majority of the time, I'm delirous. Especially on our long walks and when they play with me. I haven't had it this good in awhile and I'm so glad they picked m to love.

** Owner's Note: I hope this came across right. I was trying to write it from Sammy's point of view but it was hard. Basically, I was trying to explain how thin of a line it is trying to acclimate an previously abused dog into a new home. On one hand, he needs to be trained not to snap at us but on the other, I don't want him to be scared of us. And someone must have treated him really, really bad because something as simple as moving the remote away so I could sit down after telling him no made him cower and flinch as if he had been smacked. And it broke my heart, to the point where I can't even think about it without tearing up again.