Freaky Falafel

He dances from side to side in his crate. He screams and barks like he's having a fit. He poops and pees every morning in his crate.

He is Falafel, the freakazoid foster dog!

What does one do with a foster like Falafel? Well, not much. I can't take him to PetSmart to show him to potential adopters because he is a nutcase in a crate. I do crate him at night and when I'm away from the house, and he settles down in his crate the moment I am out of sight. But until that time, he is dancing and screaming.

My plan is to begin working with him, rewarding him when he quiets down in his crate, etc. I hope he finally understands that being quiet and calm is what I want from him. I believe that he thinks the dancing and screaming are how he should behave.

He isn't a particularly attractive dog, which also isn't great for him. He is a blondish/tanish, short-haired rat terrier/whippet? mix. He has been bony ever since we rescued him many, many months ago. Since he has been with me, he has put on a tiny bit of weight so that his bones aren't all visible and jutting out, threatening to break through his skin.

Yes, I hate his name. I do wish he didn't have that stupid name. I call him Fah mostly. I think when you are already a freaky dog, you really don't need a stupid name to go with it. I didn't have anything to do with naming him, but I (and poor Fah) am stuck with it.

When he was being boarded at the veterinary, they begged us to come get him, so another foster home complied. Bless her, she kept him for months and months and he improved there. I took him to try to train him to use a doggy door and not poop in his crate. He finally got the doggy door figured out, but still has no qualms about messing up his crate. Tomorrow I am moving him into a smaller crate in hopes that it makes it difficult for him to poop and pee in there.

Some foster dogs are pure pleasure. I take those in from time to time -- just adopted out two of those "easy" ones (see Templeton's photo) -- but I always have one or two of the difficult, long-term foster dogs. While they are challenging, I also know they will come around one day and become someone's faithful companion.