Declan, was Billy Bob, 2-year-old male

Before and after cleanup in Dallas.

Billy Bob in Dallas

From left to right: Billy Bob and Little Bubba.

From: haroldfran@aol.com
Subject: [KBL] Update on a Dallas Boy
Date: August 6, 2007 7:52:50 PM PDT

[...] Dog-dog (his nickname
until he tells us his proper name) still seems to be doing well. Yesterday
he spent a fair bit of time in the backyard, which we know he likes because
his his tail goes up about half way as soon as he gets outside. But then,
he eventually goes to hide in the corner, so you have to go coax him out.
When I did get him in the house, I put him in his crate and he had a long
nap. And he didn't come directly out when we opened the door, but he did
eventually. In the evenings he paces around the living room but will settle
down on the rug after some more concentrated attention. Lucy did the same
thing so I'm not really worried. Lucy is still mostly ignoring him,
suspiciously ignoring him, but is otherwise OK.

He really warms to human contact whenever you pet or massage him, and he is
eating all the kibble we put in the bowl once he's alone and feels secure
enough, so he's eating twice a day. I don't know if he's poo'd yet,
probably somewhere in the garden while we're not looking, but he is
definitely drinking plenty and peeing outside consistently.

I did a little research into homeopathic dog remedies to help break the
itch/scratch cycle and called Elephant Pharmacy to see if they carried any.
They don't, but they recommended me to the Holistic Hound on Walnut -- I
didn't know about this place-- and they have something I can give him. I'm
going to stop by there on the way home this afternoon. I'll also see if
they can recommend anything to massage him with to promote healing, and we
did use some Glowcoat last night so we'll see how that goes. He really
likes the massage, and that's going to serve him really well for bonding and
healing.

Thanks a bunch,

Francesca McCrossan

From: my3kerries@comcast.net
Subject: Update on Dallas Express boy - Billy Bob, now Declan
Date: August 14, 2007 11:22:30 AM PDT

The following is a note I just received from Francesca about one of the boys from the Dallas Express. Formerly Billy Bob he has declared his name to be Declan. Enjoy reading!

Hi Eileen,

You'll be delighted to know that Dog-dog has decided his name is really Declan, and between you and me, I think he'll have to become a permanent member of the family.

We took him to Lucy's training session on Saturday so Sandra could meet him and give us some advice, which of course she did. He did quite well roaming around her training room while we worked with Lucy, and then she heated up meatballs and hand fed him, which was wonderful. We did this Sunday night, and once I'd hand fed him, and Lucy was out on her walk with David and Maria, he came out of his crate on his own, roamed around, and eventually settled down with all of us in the living room. He is now occasionally yawning, so he's having some stress-free moments! He is a love bug, and will come up for pets and kisses even when he is roaming nervously around the backyard. He decided Debra was OK yesterday and came up to get pets from her, after she given him lots of cheese treats!

This morning just as we were getting ready to leave the house, something intrigued him and he decided it was playtime! He and Lucy were running around, jumping on us and wanting to play; it was a shame we had to leave just then because he was really having a ball. He gave me a little peak at this side of his personality Sunday night when he discovered Lucy's soft toy -- the ball with balls inside -- and played with it, including taking the little balls out, and then trying to chew on the TV remote. I think he is just a big, lovey puppy waiting to get unfearful enough to enjoy his true spirit. We are all feeling quite lucky, and Lucy is behaving very well. She hasn't really given him any grief, and he likes to follow her around a bit and sniff at her. So far, all is going amazingly well.

Love, Francesca

From: my3kerries@comcast.net
Subject: Update on Dallas Express boy - Billy Bob, now Declan
Date: August 23, 2007 11:52:30 AM PDT

Just received the following note about Declan and thought you would all enjoy it. I believe that John will also add it to the website to document Declan's progress. Anyone with ideas on leash training can send Francesca email directly at fmccrossan@shs.psr.edu

Best wishes,
Eileen

Declan is coming along beautifully. He and Lucy are staying in the kitchen during the day, separated by your pen. It seems to be working well.

When we let them out when we come home, they both go racing around the house for a few minutes, jumping on us and having a ball, and then they go outside and Declan races around some more! And in the morning when we let them out he runs laps around the yard wagging his tail with Maria and I cheering him on. He even decided it was OK to come in the house by himself yesterday morning, for the first time. Mostly I have to go out, pick him up and bring him in. I'll be glad when that stops. He is really just one, big, fun loving puppy. He is still very scared of new people, and hasn't gotten used to David as much as Maria and I, but he'll get there. David puts in his eye drops and gives him lots of atten tion at night.

I'm going to stop by the Village Dog today as get some advice from Sandra. We need to get him leash trained, so any good ideas you or she have, I'll take.

Francesca

From: my3kerries@COMCAST.NET
Subject: [KBL] Update on Texas boy
Date: September 13, 2007 3:55:28 PM PDT

Declan is a front runner for the Most Improved and Mischievous Rescue Kerry of the year. In the almost 7 weeks that we've had him he has gone from a thin, frightened, easily scared boy to a bouncing, barreling bundle of energy who now bounds around the house and yard as if he had always been there. In fact, he has improved so much that he has learned to misbehave much faster that our girl Lucy (Shelbina #113) ever did. The evidence of this came two nights ago when I heard a thump, my daughter called me, and I found him standing on a dining room chair, two front paws on the dining table, trying to eat a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. I pulled him from there and rescued the cookies, but not a minute later I heard another bigger thump and came back to the dining room to find that he had jumped up on the dining room table and was standing there on all four paws, bold as you please!

I was flabbergasted! I sputtered, pulled him off and sent him to his crate for a long timeout. He was told that never before had a dog stood on my dining table, and never again would one stand on my dining table. He knew he was in trouble since he did not issue a peep of protest while in his crate, and then slinked around the house a bit when I finally did let him out. What a cheeky big dog he is; but we love him to bits. In the house he is fabulous, but he is still quite nervous around new people and very anxious on his walks. But not, obviously, nervous around chocolate chip cookies.

When I have a chance I will send updated pictures

Cheers, Francesca