Little Piglet is Looking For a Home

Brenda was found tied to a pole in Chelsea in late March. She was terrified. Her paws were infected and she could not walk because her back legs were so atrophied. She had also obviously just given birth. We guess she was discarded in this manner because her litter was stillborn and could no longer serve as a baby machine for the dog-fighting rings in the projects close to where she was found.

After being immediately taken to the vet where she was nursed back to health and spayed, she came to stay with me, Ben, and Porter and Sadie. Brenda gets along very well with both dogs and plays with them all the time. She even follows my Sadie around and licks her lovingly. She is unsure of most dogs on the street, however, so she would need to go with someone who is OK with not letting her say hi to dogs while on walks. A multi-dog household might be fine depending on the temperment of all dogs, and as long as they were willing to pay very close attention to them in the beginning.

She is also regaining strength and is able to go on long walks and even moderate hikes. The hot, humid weather affects her greatly, though, and she has been sluggish the last few weeks. She is also currently on antibiotics for a reccuring infection on her paws. Epsom salt soaks and lavendar washes are helping.

While Brenda is afraid of men, she is slowly beginning to trust my boyfriend. She would be best in a home without men, though, as she is so wary and demonstrates fear aggression toward them. In a home with male visitors she would need to be crated, muzzled or tethered at all times.

With me, she is amazing. I call her little piglet because she is so squirmy and silly (especially when i come home). She is very puppylike, despite being about 4 or 5 (we guess). It's as if she is seeing the world for the first time, and for all we know, she is.

She has a good appetite, plays with toys, and is quickly learning basic obedience commands. She has no aggression/possession issues over food or toys.

It takes her a very long time to warm up to strangers and if I am around, will snarl and growl at them. She has bonded very closely with another foster mom who helps me take care of her. We accomplished this with me just leaving Brenda at her house when I had to go out of town on short notice. Brenda would need to go with someone who understands that it might take some time for Brenda to show her affection.

When she trusts you, though, she is super affectionate, and loves belly rubs and massages (even her gums).

Brenda is not houstrained, though she is paper trained and is finally going pee and poop outside so it won't take her long. Sadly, it took her almost two months before she'd go to the bathroom in front of me--we guess because she was so severly reprimanded for it in her past life. She needs to be in a very patient, understanding and compassionate home.