Shelter Tails-Bosco

This is Bosco. The name alone is a dead giveaway that he hasn’t been loved or taken care of for a while. The name bears no resemblance to the dog I met today. It was given to him a month ago at another shelter who no longer could care for him.

Bosco needs a lot of care for a shelter dog. He has Demodectic Mange, a parasitic skin condition that requires daily pills (or subdermally). Since he is mostly Chow, he could stand a warm, soothing bath with a gentle rubdown and thorough brushing. Chows need regular brushings to keep their coats insulate-able.

This boy also needs neutering.

We don’t know much about Bosco. I approached him respectfully and he growled. Not surprising as I expect he has had no attention other than to hose down his cage inside and out and administer his pills. And while John gave him his dose today he used a noose to avoid being bitten.

I will be visiting Bosco as mush as my schedule allows and begin a process of human connection. Who knows how long that will take but unless a dog trusts me I can’t really speak to them. Hopefully, there will be some angel in my small network that can care for him more intimately.

Bosco is going to be a gorgeous dog if he gets a chance. The mange is temporary and his eyes are fabulous. Dark melted gold with great intelligence. Just the basic cleansing and once a week brushing will have his coat back to the leonine condition it obviously wants to be.

Much depends upon Bosco’s temperament. If he is kind, unaggressive and reliable, he has a small but definite chance at adoption. It will need to be a lover of long haired dogs. Someone who likes desecration; as Chow Chows are undemonstrative and subtlety is their mode of communication. It will need to be someone who understands that Chow Chows will do anything you want them to. But only if they love you. No love, nothing doing.

If Bosco proves to be aggressive, a biter, a snapper, inconsistent, a food guarder, not friendly to other dogs or even worse, children; he is going to have trouble. A miracle could happen and someone who loves and adores problem dogs could step in and take him. But that would require eyes that see potential instead of the problem standing before them.

I will do everything I can to save Bosco. The truth about stray dogs, however, remains grim.