Coconut's Webpage

Rainbow Bridge

Coconut's Webpage

After losing Rosie in February 2011, I was a bit lost. Even though I foster a few dogs at a time for my own rescue (Beagle Rescue League), I felt like I needed to do something for Rosie and the rescue from which I adopted her, BREW. Sponsoring a dog wasn't really an option for me financially, but I thought perhaps I could foster one of them. I had remembered a little white beagle being announced on the BREW Facebook page, and when I looked at her listing, I saw that she was in need of a foster home. She was a 1-2 year old white female beagle from a shelter in Virginia, just like Rosie. I inquired, and was luckily approved to foster her. I was so excited!

This was her picture on the BREW site:

Coconut was found as a stray and ended up in a shelter with another young female, Chutney. BREW rescued her and placed her in boarding, until she was vetted and made her way to me on March 5, 2011. I was warned when she arrived that she had been a little "snippy" with dogs at the transport drop off (an Adoption Day at a Petsmart in Delaware), as well as the dog in the transporter's car. I should not have been surprised when I began introductions that she growled at most of my pack and went after Sam. I decided she needed some downtime from her hectic few days.

Coconut arrived a bit overweight, and definitely a bit bitchy:

Coconut spent a lot of time in her crate growling at any dog that walked by the ROOM. I was disappointed because I thought I could work through most problems, but a dog that wasn't dog-friendly was going to me more than a challenge in my multi-dog home.

Coconut went on walks by herself, through a separate door, and was kept segregated from the other dogs for the first week or so. She had some anxiety issues, some OCD type behaviors, and just some typical "stray dog" behaviors like below:

I tried integrating her into the rest of the pack slowly, and she learned that she only ever received attention from me if she was NOT growling, and could tolerate being on one side of a barricade while I pet another dog on the other side. Small steps and desensitization, and Coconut became at least tolerant of the other dogs (and Dora, whom she attacked several times) by the end of week 3.

We had a breakthrough when I temporarily fostered another young female beagle. Coconut became playful, stopped resource guarding me as much, and even curled up with this new foster dog. From that point on,and after that dog left, Coconut became the dog I think she always was! She just needed to feel safe, secure, and to have a little training of what was acceptable in my home and what was not. By the end of March, Coconut had earned "furniture privileges." (That's a big deal in my house.)

She slowly began to play with, and snuggle up to each of the dogs in the house. Here she is with big brother, Pippin.

She finally seemed happy:

Coconut had always been very social and friendly with people, and had made such progress that I thought she would be fairly easy for BREW to adopt out. The problem started when I would think about her going somewhere else. She still struggled a bit with crate training, so I didn't think my schedule and home were the best for her, but what if BREW couldn't find the best? If it was a home just as good as mine, then it made me sick to my stomach to think of someone else having this happy little beagle who was finally setttled and comfortable. I fostered a decent number of dogs and could adopt them out without too much of an issue, but I was struggling with Coconut! Things went downhill for me (as far as being a foster home) when Coconut and Dora started to interact like this:

Coconut was fitting in so well. Most foster dogs DO fit in well...that is the nature of being able to foster beagles with other beagles. It's a great breed. But, I did end up with an attachment with Coconut because of Rosie, and now she was settling in better than I had even hoped. A BRL adopter pointed out the "heart" on Coconut's head, and mentioned that she thought a picture I had posted of her was Rosie when she was a younger. How I managed to live with Rosie for 11 years and not notice that heart, I do not know, but that was the final straw for me:

Rosie Coconut

It seemed like the perfect match, with the right side of Rosie's heart a little higher, and the left side of Coconut's a little higher. It's like a puzzle piece that just fit. I was not really ready to adopt another dog when Coconut came to me in March. On June 18, 2011, however, I submitted an adoption application for Coconut, brought her to the BREW Adoption Day and asked the Director if I could please adopt her. She said, "yes." While I do not believe in "replacing" lost pets, or actually even adopting new pets that are similar to those we lose, there just seemed to be signs indicating that Coconut should stay with me.

I am very grateful to BREW for introducing me to rescue, adopting my very first rescue beagle to me in July 2000, and now bringing Coconut into my life. Thank you. I will be sure to give her a great life! What a shame that Coconut - as all shelter dogs - had to go through so many transitions until she found someone who would care for her forever. If only they were all so lucky. ADOPT A SHELTER DOG and SAVE A LIFE! (or two)!