One Month With Gremlin

...oh, how time flies.

Too much else going on right now, I've fallen behind on keeping this thing updated. So: it's been a month, we still have Gremlin, she now fits into our household routine quite smoothly. No more diarrhea carpetbombs, no more wailing in the crate, no more quarreling with Pongu. I can sleep in my own bed again instead of on the couch. We're past the initial getting-to-know-you stage, the secondary bumps-and-lumps frustration stage, and well into the third stage of fostering: comfortable routine. Hoo-ray.

We continue to take her out on adventures. She loves playing around in the water but swims about as well as a concrete balloon. Shallow water only for this little gremlin.

She likes to play with Pongu, too.

But she has not quite figured out "Fetch."

And that's where we stand, one month in. Despite going out on the town regularly with her stylish "Adopt Me" vest on, and drawing a fair amount of attention at an adoption event last weekend, Gremlin still has no solid commitment for a forever home. She seems to know it, too; poor little monster seems occasionally worried about the permanence of her home with us. (I could be projecting, but it does seem like she tries extra hard to be a Good Dog so that we'll love her and let her stay here forever... or, at least, give her more hugs. It is sad and adorable.)

Lots of people stop and comment on how cute the Gremlin is, but no one (yet) wants to take her. I've made some flyers to post around town, we'll see if those help. Until then, well, we've got our routine settled.

Friday Adventures with the Gremlin Dog

Yesterday we took Gremlin out for Adventures in the City.

The point of this is threefold: first, to get the foster dog out in front of as many eyeballs as possible, since you never know who's looking to adopt a dog just like yours; second, to socialize the dog with friendly strangers, new environments, and the general bustle of the city; third, to evaluate the dog and get more information that can be provided to prospective adopters. Can the dog sit quietly at a sidewalk cafe next to a table full of rambunctious six-year-olds? Does the dog spook when a horse-drawn carriage clatters over cobblestones 15 feet away? Whether the answer's a new selling point or an area that needs work, it's all useful to know.

So we got Gremlin dressed up and ready to go.

"How's my vest look?"

First stop: Washington Square Park, followed by wandering around the green spaces of Old City. Gremlin was fascinated with the squirrels and kept wanting to chase them up the tantalizingly low tree trunks in the Magnolia Garden.

"A SQUIRREL! Right over THERE!"

 Next: Dinner at Beau Monde, a lovely neighborhood creperie that is very welcoming to dogs. Gremlin behaved beautifully, sitting quietly under the table and nibbling on occasional morsels of French cheese (she was partial to the crumbly blue). The table of kids next to us was completely charmed, as were several other diners.

Finally, an after-dinner romp at the dog park, followed by glorious collapse upon getting home.

And that was Gremlin's Friday full of adventures. Tomorrow: Rittenhouse Square Park and the Saturday farmers' market.