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Posted over 8 years ago
| Updated over 8 years ago
I found a new home! Plenty of my friends are looking for one too. Check out other pets at this shelter, or start a new search.
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My basic info
Breed
Beagle
Color
Tricolor (Tan/Brown & Black & White)
Age
Young
Size
Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less (when grown)
Weight
–
Sex
Male
Pet ID
–
My details
Spayed / Neutered
Has special needs
My story
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Here's what the humans have to say about me:
Twister Keston~~ 4-5 years old~~ 20 pounds
What a lucky boy our Twister is! On his own and badly injured, he had the very good fortune to stumble upon the temporary home of loving beagle enthusiasts. Wary, Twister was having none of their friendly overtures, but beagle savvy Lia and Sol were undaunted. They bought a trap, baited it and VOILA! Twister was safe in their clutches!
Twister had a broken jaw. It must have been terribly painful for him and if he scored much to eat at all, chewing must have been excruciating. The vet has repaired what he can, but Twister now has a foreshortened lower jaw. Once food is in his mouth, he can chew with his back teeth, but he and his foster mom are still working on the technicalities of getting it there.
Twister has either had unpleasant human encounters in his life, or very few encounters at all. He startles easily and freezes if scared, but as time passes and he gets used to living inside a home, he is gradually becoming desensitized to the sounds of a door locking, or the buzz of the clothes dryer. He's gotten used to the leash, but his foster mom knows that he would much prefer a securely fenced yard in which to run. She can't offer that luxury, so until the right home comes along, he must settle for being leash walked.
Twister has dedicated foster parents who have worked very hard to provide love, stability and instill confidence in him, but the trauma of his earlier life will remain with him for quite some time and his forever family will need to continue to gently nurture him. He is in no way an "instant dog." His foster mom reports, "Some of his behavior really tugs at the heart strings. He doesn't understand what affection is. I pet him and he sits there, but he clearly is wondering what the heck is going on. The last couple of days I've let him around my dogs in limited amounts. (Twister needed to be kept sequestered and quiet while he recovered.) He sees me petting them and runs over and pushes his head under my hand or climbs on me to get the same affection. It's almost like he's saying, "Oh! This is what you've been doing! I want some love, too!" Same with the other dogs. If one of them comes over and tries to play with him, he just stands there. If two of them start playing, he has a similar reaction to the affection... like, "Oh wow! That looks like fun! Can I play?," and then he runs over to them and tries to get involved. He has no fear or aggression around our dogs at all. He really seems to want to be part of their little pack."
Another interesting thing about Twister is that he has yet to bark. The vet can find no medical reason for this, so we can only assume that perhaps he learned not to bark as a survival mechanism in order to hide from predators - or perhaps barking was painful due to his injury. He may yet learn to voice his opinion since the resident beagle so adores the sound of his own voice.
He has learned where the treats are hidden and after walks will run straight to the treat jar. Twister is a smart little guy and is quickly learning the intricacies of indoor living. It has been a joy to watch him strive to overcome his past and embrace kindness and affection.
We feel that Twister would do best in a quieter home without small children and their unpredictable and constant activity level. Older children who would understand his needs and be more mindful of open gates, etc would be fine. He would probably also do well with another friendly dog or two. Twister would love to find himself the center of someone's world. If you are interested in adopting this sweet boy, please fill out an application and submit it to icanhelp@beaglemaryland.org.
Here's a link to a video of Twister's joyfulness, rolling around in the luxury of a bed. click to see the video
