She's in the meet and greet room. I can seen her through the glass walls, lying in her bed not approaching me even when she sees me approaching her. She's sad. She's uncertain, perhaps a little scared. She's the last of six pups who came in from a reserve up north. Her brothers and sisters were all adopted out, over the course of the morning, and now she's alone.
I wonder how long she'll be by himself. Hours or days? Long enough for an eight week old puppy's mood to turn melancholy?
It wasn't my intention to take her out first but how could I resist? I put the leash on her and try to walk her out of the room. She sits and refuses to move. I try to coax her with voice, hands, food but nothing works, so I pick her up and carry her out.
A few steps out of the room and into the corridor and I put her down, see if she'll walk on her own now. She takes a few steps and I guide her to the top of the stairs. She looks down the stairs. She won't do the stairs. I guide her over to the elevator. She looks into the elevator. She won't go into the elevator. I pick her up again and carry her into the elevator.
Once outside, her interest in walking improves and we manage a short loop on the grass but then she plops down again. I don't know if this behaviour is because she's afraid of something or if she's just being obstinate against being leashed. She seems fine when we don't move, when we just stand in one spot she relaxes and starts to sniff and roll.
I take her photos and everyone who passes by stops to say hello to her.
Once the photos are done, I bring her back to the meet and greet room and again she is alone in there and at a loss without any companionship.
But I don't know why I was ever concerned. There's a family in the corridor and they see the pup. They walk over and ask if they can meet her. Yes, please. They open the door to the room part way, not sure if they can go in and I tell them to go ahead.
The kids play with her. The father watches with a smile on his face. The mother asks questions.
An hour later, they're filling out her adoption forms.
I want her! Will send a private email asap.