LW:
He's a 'terrier mix'...so I imagine that he has some pit and AmStaff in him along with other things. Chyna was A,Staff and pit mix, and she was the daftest, softest AmStaff. So were her parents.
The adoption process is a long one, with the agency coming out and doing a home study, contacting our references and our vet, and us visiting with Beau a few times in his foster home so we can all see how we get along together before anything permanent happens.
Apparently he's good with the other dogs in his foster home Males and females), he's good with cats (the only thing she said was that he plays rougher with them than they'd like and has been clawed a couple of times). He's living with a family that has a 3 year old and a 6 year old and has shown no signs of aggression with them.
Henry is tolerant of other dogs...we've introduced him to other dogs on the street and have had them all playing together in the yards and he's done well. I understand that it will be different bringing another dog into his home, so I'm glad that we'll all get to meet beforehand and the boys can feel each other out a bit.
I think that between Dave, the kids and I we'll be able to manage Beau and his exercise needs. His foster mother says that he thinks he's a lap dog, that he prefers to be inside with his humans. She's been short walking him daily, and then taking him on a longer walk three times a week and apparently he's doing well with that. I'm home all day, so I'll be available almost constantly to help socialize him, and Dave runs three times a week and would dearly love to have a dog like Beau to run with him.
He was a stray, so I realize that no-one has any history for him. No-one knows what kind of conditions he was living in before he got picked up, all we have to go on is his behaviour now. His adoption fee is $85, which I don't think is too exorbitant. I did (and am still doing) some research about the agency that has him, but thus far they seem above board. I'm glad that he's not in a cage in a shelter somewhere; that he's actually in a home with a family and kids.
I really appreciate your input, S. You're the most knowledgeable person I know when it comes to dogs and doggy matters. Don't worry, we're going to take it slowly and make sure that everyone is comfortable with his coming to live with us before we go through with it. I want him to go to a home for the rest of his life; I wouldn't want him to come to us on the spur of the moment and then have to go elsewhere a month later because we can't manage and he's not happy. I've seen enough of that from my neighbor's.
So yeah, please pray and hope and wish for Beau to come and live with us.....but just as importantly, pray and wish and hope for him to be happy and healthy, regardless of whether it's with us or not.
Thanks again for your advice, I really do appreciate it!
