Don't feel sorry for my boy.

As more and more people come over to the house and meet our pack of dogs we of course get questions about all of them, where we got them, names, ages, sex, and what is that weird blue looking one? These are questions we are used to answering about our kids, no problem.

Colbert still has his quirks. He doesn't come, or even sit, on command. He barks like an alarm whenever someone new is in the house...for several minutes as if to make sure we know they are there. He sings. His face has gone prematurely white at the age of 3. When we explain about his history of being feral and abused it understandably makes people sad, it still makes me sad. I may call him my Autistic Darling, but please don't feel sorry for our little Corgi.

When we took him on as our first foster in 2007, we did not have a fence and he was a flight risk. He wore a harness 24/7 because it made him easier to get a hold of him. He spent nearly all of his time in a corner of the living room where he could see everything and still get away quickly if need be. Day or night he would also spend this time under a dog bed with just his nose poking out. And this was after he spent a month by himself in his own room with a dogloo to hide in. Keeping him in one room of the house made it easier to spend alone time with him and to catch him for potty breaks or vet visits.

The benefits of having 3 'normal' dogs is that this little Corgi eventually popped out of shell, provided we stayed still and quiet, to play with our other dogs. Buela still being a puppy and wanting to perpetually play and Max being a fetch fiend helped greatly. Even Corona got in on the play action and still does.

Colbert really has come a long way from his beginnings at the shelter; not even wanting to be looked at never mind held fed or loved.