Elizabeth's Journey with TAG. Part 5 - Frodo

This is the last post  of Elizabeth's journey with TAG, and one which shows such patience and love for these dogs.  I hope you have enjoyed these stories as much as I have.  Thankyou so much Elizabeth for all you do and for taking the time to share with us.



Frodo with Robert at the TAG shelter

Frodo was found with his mother and siblings at a few weeks old. Karen was feeding the mother but when she returned some of the pups had been removed. She decided to take the remaining pups with their mother to the shelter. We met Mum and pups when we visited in February of that year. Mum is a pointer ( and now adopted by Karen's Mum) and there were 3 pups. They were safe now and healthy looking pups.

However that Spring a terrible illness came to the shelter carried by bugs and it attacked the most vulnerable - the puppies. I don't want to dwell on this as it was hard for Karen and supporters. By then we had named Frodo but Karen was losing her pups ( although she had them at home and was caring for them day and night) and the last puppy hanging on was Frodo. When the pups began to pass blood Karen knew the worst was happening and this was happening to him. Mustafa took him to the vet to end his suffering. Karen was exhausted and distraught; we were all in tears and so far away and helpless.

Two days later Karen went to pay the vet and walked in and who should be sitting in a cage but Frodo! Joy of joys. The vet and Mustafa had tried , without Karen's knowledge, to save his life although his heart stopped- he had a cardiac arrest- and not wanting to build up Karen's hopes fruitlessly, decided to keep quiet about him to see what would happen. He was injected into his heart to get it going again. It worked and Karen and all the supporters were overjoyed. I was in tears at home, but now we all felt this was the  turning point - the worst was over.

Frodo became shy , introverted and timid after his ordeal  and lost a lot of trust in men. He loved Karen and Mustafa but he held back from others , skirting round the edge of the shelter when visitors came. He, above all of them, needed one on one now. He did seem to have a sense of humour and would run up to Karen and Mustafa and give them a nip on the bottom and run away or smile- raising his lips to them.

After much discussion with Karen we decided to try to bring him home the following year. We didn't know how it would go but NOW was the time he needed attention before he grew much older.If ever a dog needed his own family , this was the one.

  So at 18 months Karen got him into the van and he arrived in the UK in November 2012 with Zorro and Milas. He was a worry as he was so scared he would not come out of the cage all the way across Europe  and Karen hand fed him to keep his strength up. He was the last one to come out of the van and I man-handled him- not a pretty sight- into our jeep with Zorro and took off quickly so Karen - who was now tired from the journey and very worried about him having a heart attack ( after what he'd been through) could rest. She was in tears leaving her very precious bundle.

We drove up the road and the dogs slept but by Aberdeen Frodo was peeping at cars in the traffic and at one set of traffic lights he had the people behind waving at him as his head would rise and peep then disappear. Unusual , I thought!

 

Robert lifted him into the chalet with Zorro and we let them eat and sleep in peace. If you have read about Zorro he soon left Frodo behind in the chalet and after Frodo came out to the house to look in and Toorki barked at him that was the last we saw of Frodo outside all winter.  He was isolated and I spent as much time as I could with him  but felt I needed more help. Lorna, a neighbour and dog  behaviourist had helped me with Toorki so I asked her over. Frodo was in the chalet's  main room but hiding under a table , leaning against the far wall and as far from us as possible. Lorna told me to go in as much as possible and sit with him but NO eye contact whatsoever. I trusted her and so continued with my time with Frodo but time was passing and he seemed no happier or friendlier.

 

Lorna kept saying IT WILL HAPPEN  and when it does he will be amazing. I asked friends in to visit and we'd bring our coffee with us and chat - never looking at him. Milas arrived in February and went in with him. She is nosey so would jump on the table to look out of the window. One morning the table was knocked over so I took the chance to remove it. No roof now on his cave. He toileted on paper and always ate his food heartily but when I took Milas out he began to try to follow but only as far as the room door. He had now been 3 months inside and I worried about his muscles wasting but what could I do? Some people said Just make him! But I couldn't - it had to be done with love and patience.

 

Willie- our young lab, had always been a friend to him. Totally confident he had charged in , Hi Frodo , want to play ? And gradually he got him playing. I thought this could be a wonderful opportunity so when Willie was beside him I sat at the other side and patted Willie and gradually my hand touched Frodo and he thought it was Willie. More and more I did this daily until I could touch him and he began to like it. He then wanted to move and follow Willie and one day when I left he came and peeped out of the door. This is now March.  Every time he came to the door I'd turn my back on him and gradually he came out. By April he would come out for  20 seconds then run in. We called it recharging his bravery batteries.

 

Then , quite unexpectedly he began to look for me and come to me - and just as Lorna said- love me. I was totally unprepared for the avalanche of love when he saw me - throwing himself on me and wiggling and wriggling under my hands. He SO wanted contact with me and I would rub and rub his back , grooming him with my hands. From May on he has improved so much. With the better weather his door is open and he has trained himself to be clean, runs out if he hears me and sometimes even comes out if I'm sitting outside with someone else.

 

Now he is out with me all the time, still playing with Willie and running as if his life depends on it. He is SO happy - I have never seen such a happy dog. I feel I should wear armour in the morning as he meets me and putting on his collar takes ages while I try to hold him still enough to get it over his head. He laughs - teeth bared in a smile- while the body is twisted and turned and he bangs himself on his sides with his tail. As I walk his head is in my hand, nudging and pushing. He always has a road clear so he can , at any time, run for shelter to his cave. If people are around he still needs his bravery batteries recharged but Willie and he run and play and wrestle.

 

His whole demeanour has changed. He was a tiny bundle , cowering in a corner and all legs but now he sits upright, leaps over everything in his way, his head is held high and he has muscled up beautifully.

 

We have a long way to go but he has added such joy to our lives. Yes, I say us as he has gradually accepted Robert is part of the family too - but will never be like Mum!  I'll see Lorna again and see about clicker training as it worked so well with Toorki. He makes me laugh- he can be SO daft and silly and loveable. I want everyone to see the Frodo I see and I want him to be brave and know humans are friends.

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If you feel you are someone who can give a  loving home to one of the dogs rescued from the streets of Turkey, please contact us.   Thankyou