The names Carl and Eli have become synonymous with Bob’s House for dogs this past two years. Neither Carl nor Eli will most likely ever make it into the adoption program here at Bob’s House and will probably end up living out their lives in our “Here to Stay” program. But have no fear, dogs like Carl and Eli are one of the many reasons Bob’s House came to fruition.
We first received Carl from a rescue that took him out of a cruelty case. His paperwork stated that he had inadequate housing, care, socialization and most likely had little to no positive life experiences. Rescue personnel were unable to move Carl from his intake kennel into their adoption program, as the move proved to be too stressful for Carl. He displayed symptoms of extreme stress, and would easily frighten and dart around the room. This “flat-black coat” retriever mix joined the Bob’s House pack in March of 2018. Boy was he anxious! He was terrified of the light switch going on and off, fans turning on, and doors opening. This dog had no idea how to act like a dog, or interact in a positive way with humans. He preferred to hide behind furniture instead of joining the other dogs on the couches with the company of staff and volunteers.
Less than a month later we welcomed Eli to the house. Eli’s intake paperwork stated that he had a possible head injury, and he was extremely shut down and shy with humans. This blue-eyed Heeler mix came into Bob’s House and just sat in an open kennel. While content to watch everyone pass by, he made no effort to seek affection from his caregivers. He was almost like a stuffed dog in the corner that had little to no interaction with dogs or people. Clearly Eli was very insecure.
After a few weeks with us, we noticed Eli was very drawn to Carl. He would start to follow him around the yard, and we would sometimes find Eli napping with Carl. Eli’s lack of confidence and Carl’s fearfulness seemed to disappear when the two were together. Eli looked to Carl for guidance on how to run around the play yard. Carl would run and Eli would chase him. Despite the fact that these two were generally still scared of people, they were finding comfort in each other.
Both boys had very rough beginnings, but with time and loads of consistent patience we are seeing vast improvements in their behavior. None of us knows if either dog will be able to tolerate a typical home environment, but here at Bob’s House they are doing quite well. Both dogs will come out of hiding during some moments around their favorite staff or volunteer they have bonded with. Carl has learned to give kisses to his “house Moms”, and Eli has even been brave enough to venture out into the play yard on his own. Thankfully, here at Bob’s House we don’t have time pressures or a limit on how long a dog can stay. Looking at how long it’s taken these boys to display small growth, we think maybe this might be the best placement for them for the long haul. So if you see pics of these two and wonder, “Why are these beautiful boys not up for adoption?” Now you know the inside scoop on these sweethearts.
Danica Lowry, Bob’s House for Dogs Board of Directors
