31/10/2023
It was three years ago today, Halloween, around 5:30 PM, that GABE decided he was ready to come to safety! We were so thankful it happened, because we had worried how he would react to all the trick-or-treaters. It had been a harrowing and tough six weeks for all of us! He came from a hoarding situation in Texas of over 90 dogs. He had been with a foster here for two weeks when he got loose. You can see more information and pictures in previous posts.
Over the last three years sweet Gabe has become one of the most wonderful and unique dog we have ever had! He is still super cautious about things he hasn’t seen before (like those iffy, newfangled, nylon grocery bags we use now) and the shade fabric we use for the deck, but he gets past that fear quickly now.  When we first had him it was every new thing he saw, and it would take sometimes weeks or months for him to decide whatever it was, was OK. He loves getting on the couch and the bed to sleep. It took him two years before he would do that. We have been so lucky to be able to allow him all the time he needs to adjust. We do not force him to do anything. It has been such a different experience with a rescue dog.
He is still very much a creature of habit – – out the sliding glass doors onto the deck, down the six steps into the yard, and then comes back up onto the deck via the ramp, we built along the west side of the deck! He never changes that order! His number one activity is protecting us from all the sketchy people, (like parents and kids walking to school) that use the bike path! 😂He usually does not bark at the younger elementary school, kids, however, the middle school kids are fair game! He absolutely hates stocking caps, and people wearing them get a full tirade from him!
We have a 6 foot fence around in the yard and on the inside of that is a split rail fence with a garden wire on it that surrounds the flowerbeds so he cannot get right up to 6 foot fence. He never barks at people until they are directly on our property line, and will stop as soon as they are passed it – – how he can tell that is beyond us, as he cannot actually see the people. He can see heads bobbing along, hence the extra barking at the ones wearing stocking caps!
 We still let him out and back in 40 to 60 times a day! He can look out the sliding glass door and the big picture window to keep an eye things. His hearing is extraordinary and even from inside will want out and run to the fence to wait for the person he heard walking on the bike path!
We never leave Gabe or his sisters, Nora and Kaleigh in the backyard by themselves as they are all rescues and a flight risk.  It keeps Michael and me moving and helps us get our steps in! Plus, watching the dogs is just plain fun! They all will play and interact with each other, although not for long periods of time. Nora is 14 and Kaleigh is 11 when they get tired, the playing ends. Sometimes Gabe ends it because he has to be on guard duty!  Gabe absolutely loves to sit in the backyard with Michael and just hang out! He hops up multiple times to run to the fence and do his guard duty and then right back to where Michael is. It is awesome! ❤️
The only thing Gabe does that we would change is catching bunnies and eating them!  We know he did it when he was loose because we have trail cam pictures of him with bunnies in his mouth.  Our vet said it won’t hurt him, and we have tried to get them away from him to no avail. That’s when he thinks it becomes a game of keep away! He won’t play keep away with toys, but the bunnies are different. (In fact, he doesn’t play with toys at all) During bunny season we go out into the yard first to s**g any bunnies away. The neighbors probably think we’re a bit crazy as seen one of us out there at midnight with the flashlight, walking all over the backyard! 😂 This summer, however, mama built her nest somewhere in the yard and we could never find it. He got all the babies. 😭 Ugggg
 Although Gabe was closest to me when we were lucky enough to have him become part of our family, he is now his daddy‘s boy and vice versa! We love Gabe beyond measure, and he loves both of us, however, his daddy is the bestest ever!
❤️
We are beyond thankful to have Gabe as part of the family and we have some of the best people that are now in our lives because of Gabe!
Stephanie and Dana are the founding members of the Dog recovery/rescue group, SCOUT and without their guidance, support and encouragement, I fear Gabe’s recovery would not have happened! The animal communicator, who worked with Gabe (and still does), is fantastic! She met Gabe in person about a year after he had been with us, when he was still extremely wary of people, and would go to another room when a person he did not know came in. When she came into the house and sat down he walked right up to her, sat down & leaned into her! He knew her! 
Peggy and Carrie were there every day with me to feed, sit quietly, not looking for or at Gabe if we did see him and just put loving vibes out to him.  They helped to build the shelter near his feeding station at Peggy’s house when we knew the October snow storm was coming.  He never used it and the three of us bolstered each other up through the horrible fear for Gabe during that time as it was so bitterly cold.
And there were so many people in the neighborhood where Gabe was loose that listened to what we were saying about not approaching him, or trying to catch him, but rather call with sightings information and put their faith in what we were doing.
Without all of these people, coming together to help Gabe, it could’ve been a very different outcome. We are so thankful for each, and everyone of them! ❤️❤️❤️ And there were so people following Gabe’s story and praying for the outcome that came about, and we have no doubt
that that played a huge part as well! 
We are so very, very thankful for our sweet Gabe and for everyone that helped him become part of our family! ❤️❤️❤️