Dex

Updated 1/21/12

Dex, age 9-12 months

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He arrived in GRR with the name “Dex,” but we soon found out that he’s tricky, smart, and very fast, so we call him “Wily” (after the Disney cartoon character, Wile E. Coyote.)  He’s a pint-sized bundle of fun and kisses, and has created a niche in our home as a lap dog, playmate, and wagtail buddy.

But first, his background: in a word, unknown. Just 9 to 12 months old, this little fella appeared on  a nice lady’s street late in November; “he just wandered by,” she said. She does feral cat rescue and he was most interested in the cats on her porch! She figured he belonged to someone and just let him be; saw him playing with kids across the street, and so on. But when she saw him wandering loose again the next day, she began asking around. Nobody knew him. She looked around the neighborhood and in the paper for “lost dog” ads and saw nothing that met his description. When it began to rain a day later, she took him in and began trying to find him a home. Several interested parties came to meet him, then backed out—so she turned to rescue for help. That’s how little Dex (the name she gave him) came to Gold Ribbon Rescue, and headed straight to the clinic for a check-up and neuter.  His foster family picked him up that afternoon & took him home for seven to ten days of convalescence.

…and that’s when the “fun” began! As we began to lead Dex and our other three dogs into the house, Dex backed out of his collar, darted out of the garage, and sprinted off into the neighborhood.  (So much for post-op lethargy.) Over the next five hours, at least 30 neighbors and Gold Ribbon helpers attempted to corner him, corral him, entice him and generally get a leash on him before he was hit by car or disappeared for good. Finally, one of the Gold Ribbon veterans brought two irresistible lures—sliced salami  and a cute female Golden—to the front yard of a neighborhood house and sat down to let Dex approach.  Thank goodness for Scott! Little Dex had been “evading arrest” for almost five hours—well into the night—but he started playing with Scott, reaching for some salami, and playing with his new ladyfriend Aspen. A leash was easily slipped over his neck and the pursuit was over! And that’s how Dex earned his new nickname of “Wily.”

We were concerned that he may have torn stitches or injured himself during the runaway period, but an evaluation the next day indicated that he was okay, and merely tired!  During the month since then, he has become a wonderful buddy to the six-month-old Golden puppy in his foster home, a distraction to the five-year-old, and a nemesis to the fifteen-year-old (and likewise to any squirrel in the yard). He loves to plop down on a lap and give “kisses” to his new best friend.

Wily (Dex) is a “talker” who likes to use his squeaky bark to communicate, to play, and to alert his family about any dogs and children who pass by.  He has darted through open doors a few times, but he has bonded with us and quickly came back inside when called.  In the few days after his runaway evening, he developed a slight limp. The vet took a set of X-rays & determined that he has an old fracture or trauma in his back left leg—which may occasionally be aggravated by prolonged exercise, such as a five-hour run!  His health otherwise is excellent.

Wily (Dex) is a good eater, although he seldom eats everything in his bowl. Perhaps he learned to ration himself at some point? Living with us, he has started cleaning up more of each meal, but he is still a diminutive boy. He weighs just slightly over 30 pounds and is about 2/3 the size of our 6-month-old Golden pup.  He’ll stay small even when full grown.

He has never had an accident during his foster stay, and has shown himself to be entirely housebroken.  He sleeps on a dog bed on the floor in the master bedroom throughout the night, although now that he’s figured out he can leap up onto the bed, he likes coming up to cuddle, too. He and his play buddy usually use the master bed as their preferred playpen to start the day, so he’s totally comfortable inside his house.

When he sees his leash being brought out he gets excited and happy. He doesn’t pull, though he is usually on alert for squirrels or other critters. He is a little nervous when greeting people, children, and other dogs, but warms up and likes being part of the group.  He gets anxious when runners or bicyclists come by, but otherwise he’s a wonderful companion on walks.

Overall, Wily (Dex) is a tiny bundle of love who will warm the heart, and lap, of his forever family.

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