Soi Dog - Bonding with B2

It's been an eventful 10 days or so since I last posted. I've traveled down south to the major touristy areas, Patong and Phuket Town, but a majority of my time during the week is happily spent visiting Soi Dog. 

I've met many lovely people who have come and gone. I eat dinner on the beach pretty much every night. Phuket costs more than I expected, but I accept it as a fee for living on an island.

Some moments are full of joy at the shelter.

Rub a dub dub

But I can't lie.. other moments break my heart into pieces, and remind me how much work there still is to be done.

I have 10 more days here and I want to share the dogs I've spent hours with in the B2 run - mostly just so I don't forget all of their quirks. We are asked to take notes so that future visitors and potential adopters have a better idea of what the dogs are like, as the staff here doesn't always have the capacity to get to know them as well.

I spent today in a different run as another visitor, Nanna, has fallen in love with B2 and I can't blame her! I have more time here than she does, so I am happy to share and meet new pups.

Warning: dog overload ahead. I may use the word "sweet" about 20 times, because at their core, all of these dogs want love.

Biggy

Oops - I didn't realize my "secret" favorite would be first in alphabetical order.
I was warned that Biggy bites when I first joined the run. She "warned" me once when I pet her to stop, but otherwise is dying for human affection. When you stop petting her, she puts a paw up to ask for more.
She doesn't seem to like other dogs much, and I can't walk her yet.


Brick

My three legged man of steel. One of the alphas in the pack, so he starts fights occasionally.
Will sprint to the fence to greet you, but wont walk very far on a leash.
Loooves human attention. I think he needs a nice couch to go live on and protect a home from the window. :)


Chernlong

Another alpha in the group, can start fights as well, but just like Brick he loves attention.
Sometimes has invisible boundaries and wont walk past halfway around the lake, other times goes the distance.
I think he gets tired on three legs!

Chocolate

I'm sad I don't have a better picture of Chocolate yet. I always know it's her (it was hard at first with all the similar looking black dogs!) because her tail wags emphatically when I say her name, but she is unsure in her approach.
She's hard to trick into a leash, but once it's on, she pushes her way through the gates. Then she fluctuates between being confident and shy. Super sweet girl.

Dorothy

Sweet, "fat" (compared to the other dogs) Dorothy.
Another alpha dog, likes to gently nip at your butt and legs when you walk in.
We suspect Dorothy had distemper at some point and as a result she has bitten her tongue somewhat   :( but she is still chugging along. Very easy to walk.


Hunde

Another dog I wish I had a better picture of, but she's so active!
She is a little tank on 4 legs - she sticks up for herself, but also plays mom to a few of the other black dogs.
Loves going on walks and she has stolen my heart.

Iggy

Very shy girl, but loves a good massage. Can get the leash around her neck, but she wont move.
My first day I learned an important lesson because of Iggy - do not pick the dogs up unless necessary. She flailed when I picked her up to get her back in the run and she ended up scratching me. Completely my fault.

Komarn

 

Komarn!!!! Words cannot express how lovely this dog is. She doesn't have a bad bone in her body. She's starting to stand up for herself more if she's picked on, but generally gets along well with all the dogs, is fantastic on a leash, and just wonderful in general.

Loo Loo

One of the last alphas in the group. She is very jealous of other dogs receiving attention so is sometimes the first to start a fight. Nanna is trying to figure out a way to get her back to Denmark. Loo Loo by herself is a treat and would love to go to a home with no other dogs (and maybe some ducks to harass).


Margarita

A very shy girl. It takes time with this one, but she does love it when you scratch behind her ears. I put a leash on her once and she spun herself in circles in a panic, so will just continue to be an observer and let her come to me.

Purdie

Ya Heard? With Perd! One of the more famous shy pups at Soi Dog. She will maybe sniff your hand, but otherwise is mainly untouchable. The more time you spend in the run, though, the more comfortable she is with proximity.


Rabbit and White - these two belong together

Rabbit - such a lady!

White

If you can't tell, these two have to be related. They need a lot of socialization as they are extremely shy, but will approach with great caution. You can get a hand lick or maybe an ear scratch if you pretend they aren't around. They have to approach at their own free will. Such beautiful dogs!

Singto

A heartbreaker. Poor Singto is lost without his sala to hide under, which they are working on rebuilding. He unwisely cowers in the corner next to the gate which brings him much more attention and contact than he would like. He will probably be wary of me the whole time. :(


Soldier

I guess the name fits if it means "stealth soldier who runs away from you at every opportunity". Soldier is very timid and afraid of people. I feel like we have made progress because he will at least sit in the same vicinity of me, if I pretend to not pay attention.

That's a wrap! And lest I leave this blog on a sad note.. here is, well, I don't know the name, but I call him/her Piglet. 7 months old, pudgy and hot dog shaped with very short legs - she also has a tail that curly-q's twice!

Until next time....

-Erin