When we got Manu we met the woman from the agency in a mall parking lot. He eagerly jumped into the car, no hesitation at all. When we arrived at our house it took 30 minutes for him to cross the threshold to enter the house. I lay on the floor with him till he felt safe enough to come in.
With rescue dogs you never know what their history is and why they may act the way they do. When we knew we were getting him we made an appointment with the vet to check him out. It was a couple days after we got him. We confidently opened the back of the car expecting him to just jump right in. That did not happen.
He ran away like the car was a monster that was going to eat him. It took both Allen and I to wrangle him in. The capture was not pleasant, skillful, or agile. I was very pleased no one was there to see. Allen grabbed his front half, I took the back half, and we laid him in the car quickly closing the door before he could bolt.
Our worry was we would have to fight with him every time we wanted to take him anywhere. It turns out that was not the case. He quickly figured out he would not only get to go somewhere that had all new smells, but he would also return to his new home. Anytime we go near the car at all that boy jumps right in. He loves to be co-pilot.
I always wonder what it is like in his brain as he watches all the cars go by. Some vehicles really draw his attention, others don’t matter. He does always watch any bird that flies by, other dogs and deer also interest him. He is ever up for a ride in the car.
May you always have someone willing to wrestle you into the car.
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