A Day with Sioux

Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of taking care of a sweet old rescue dog named Sioux. She is a 9.5 year old German shepherd and had been sent to a sanctuary near Los Angeles when her owner passed away. The sanctuary recently lost their land, and 70 dogs were in desperate need of rescue. One of our board members at the shelter fell in love with Sioux's photo on Facebook and had her transported here. Our house served as a pitstop until Sioux's foster family was ready for her.

Sioux has a quiet dignity and gentle disposition. Her hips are not in good condition, so she can't sit at all, can't climb stairs, and has difficulty getting in and out of the car. But she loves to walk and loves to be nearby.

The lick granulomas on all four legs show that she has been stressed. I was given a spray ointment for them, so hopefully, they will clear up as soon as she gets settled somewhere. She was very cooperative when I brushed her, tried to clean her ears (they were so dirty, I just couldn't get them clean), and trimmed her nails.

Cabana took to Sioux right away, as I knew she would. Cabana was extremely respectful, but I saw her watching me curiously as I groomed Sioux. I could see the wheels turning in her head, like, "Hmmmm, that's what Mom usually does to me." Having another dog in the house always makes Cabana more affectionate toward us, which is actually a nice improvement over her usual aloofness.

I had been told that Sioux had food aggression issues and should be fed separately from other dogs. But after giving a few treats to both Sioux and Cabana, I couldn't see a single indication of trouble. So I put their food bowls down a little ways from each other, just to be sure, but there weren't any issues. In fact, Sioux left the last bite of kibble in her bowl, then went to check out Cabana's (empty) bowl. During that time, Cabana came over and ate Sioux's remaining kibble, as well as the kibble Sioux had dribbled on the floor. I know Cabana would NEVER have done that if she had any concerns about Sioux's response. This might be too anthropomorphic, but I almost felt like Sioux purposefully left the last bite for Cabana, like she was giving a gift to her host. She did this at dinner and again at breakfast the next day.

In the photo, you can see a black spot on Sioux's side. I thought it was dirt and tried to rub it away, but it turns out to be a permanent spot. A beauty mark, a bigger version of the dark pigment under Cabana's left eye!

I took Sioux to the park in the morning, and she LOVED it. She seemed to truly enjoy socializing with the other dogs, even if she wasn't able to romp much. Every human became her new best friend.

I hope Sioux's age and bad hips won't keep someone from adopting her. Senior dogs definitely have a lot going for them! Sioux is so easy and would be a wonderful pet for an older person or a family with young children. I'll post an update when she gets a home, which I predict will be soon!