Behr

When Behr came to his foster family he had very little fur due to the shelter needing to shave him almost bare. He was badly matted and full of fleas when he arrived at the shelter and had a pretty bad yeast infection. Luckily it was still summertime but his new family needed to use baby suntan lotion on him since he had such a bare body for a while.

Behr loves running all around the yard and we know he came from an apartment so it seems he is making up for lost time. It has been a bit of a challenge walking him on a leash. Perhaps he had not  ever been on one. He is learning, however.

Behr’s fur grew back very well and his skin has cleared up nicely so he even got a proper haircut as seen in the photo. Behr loves his new pack and though he is the smallest, at 15 years, he is also one of the oldest, but very active. He does have some muscle loss in both back legs but it doesn’t slow him down. He guards the house fiercely while proudly perched on a dog bed in front of the sliding glass door. I do need to hand feed Behr, don’t know what his apparent fear of taking the food on his own is. He did in the beginning, but that seemed to be due to hunger and once he knew food was available twice a day he showed a fear of bowls, plates and even on the floor. So I carefully feed him by hand.

He has always slept on our bed, but in the beginning only at the feet. In the last couple months he has started coming to lie next to us to be petted and cuddled, finally wanting love. We are breaking through his fear of too much closeness. He loves walks and has been taught by someone to sit on his bottom and wait to be harnessed and the leash clipped on. Yet he tends to dance all around with the leash on and bite at it as though it is an annoyance. He will walk very well, just has his little “leash attacks” along the way. While in the car he likes to sit looking straight ahead, watching where we are going. Behr is a marvelous little guy and we love him dearly. We hope he lives to be very old so we will have him with us a long time.  Behr is a happy boy!

Update:  Dear little Behr, who loved to explore outside, suddenly became very ill and his loving family had to say ‘good-bye’.  For such a tiny thing, he made a very big impression and will always be remembered.  This fellow had a truly wonderful last chapter.