I Love Candy!

If you have been following Jay on PolarSteps, you will have seen that he still has Cotton Candy with him on the return trip.

If you went to the “adults for sale” page at direwolfdogs.com we featured yesterday, you would have also seen that Cotton Candy remains up for sale.

Poor wee beastie.

She just loves us so much.

She doesn’t want to leave us.

An hour after Jay’s departure from her new placement, she fell quiet and forlorn. Her grieving took a toll on the family who weren’t prepared for how much she was going to pine for her old life in the quiet Ponderosa forests of eastern Washington.

Only an hour before, she was happily playing with their other dog and going up to them as if they were her best friends.

Then, Jay drove away without her, and she hung her head looking toward the front door; her back to the corner near her crate.

When their other dog approached to comfort her, she growled low in a pathetic attempt at pouting.

The family just couldn’t see her in such emotional turmoil.

So, Jay turned right around and snatched her back up.

Her attitude shifted as quick as a storm out at sea.

Her signature smile broadened on her face the moment Jay opened the front door.

She ran over to him and placed her head on his leg, looking up at him with those big brown eyes of hers.

Yes… she’s dramatic.

We are content to keep her with us. She is a great dog.

I am happy she loves us. I truly am.

But she could have such a better life in a home, instead of the kennel life we have over here, especially with the two mothers in the house at the moment.

So, Candy is placed back up on the website so that she can find her forever home.

She really is a fabulous dog with an excellent devoted temperament. You just have to get past that mourning period.

Not all of our adult dogs go through it in such a dramatic way, but Candy is almost human-like in her emotions. She has an uncanny ability to express herself using her facial features and body language.

And… people have an easy time understanding her emotional state because of it.

Once you penetrate Candy’s hard outer shell, she will be yours forever. She is one of the snuggliest, most lovingly affectionate dogs we have on this property. She can sit for hours just hugging.

She is not energetic, but has a calm mind.

Her patient resolve is unmatched by the other dogs.

She can sit and watch you for 30 minutes, waiting for you to acknowledge her and notice she is staring at you, willing you to turn towards her.

Her long fluffy mane feels so soft when you run your fingers through it.

But, remember, American Dirus dogs are companion dogs. They bond strongly to their families. They don’t want to be displaced and confused.

So, if you want to take on the responsibility of bringing an older dog into your home, remember that there is a grieving transition period.

It is natural for our dogs to be out-of-sorts in the new environment.

It is like going to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language.

You try all the words you think you know, but uncertainty overwhelms you.

Until someone comes along and reaches out their hand to help you learn the customs and language of this foreign land, you will remain like a fish out of water.

When you bring home an American Dirus adult, it is up to you to be your new companion’s tour guide.

Teach it the rules and boundaries it needs to be successful in the new environment.

This builds trust and your new companion will reward you with confidence and an increasing happiness.

It might take weeks.

It might take months.

Each dog grieves their old life in their own way.

Build trust.

The relationship is the most important thing to an American Dirus dog.

And any new relationship takes time to build.

If your family would like to provide a retirement home for one of our great older American Dirus dogs, check out this link for a list of the ones we have available at this time.

I can’t wait to find out they will have a chance to know and love a real family in a home fully of happiness.

Here’s the link:
https://direwolfdogs.com/dogs-for-sale/adults/

Also, I have updated the Mr. Rogers Litter with brand new pictures!

Go check them out. They are pretty cute!
https://direwolfdogs.com/litters/6/

And lastly, if you haven’t yet subscribed to our new YouTube channel, head on over and check it out. Yesterday, we posted a short video on the first meal that the Dock of the Bay puppies had.
youtube.com/@direwolfproject

We are going down the waiting list now. You can follow along with exactly where we are on the waiting list by noticing the bolded name.

If your name is bolded, it is your turn to choose your puppy. I will contact you directly, but if you notice before I get a chance to get a hold of you, feel free to reach out to me.

The first two puppies are now sold from the Mr. Rogers Litter, with a third one finding his home today!

Such lucky dogs.

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.