Happy Tail: Ippos

Ippos, formerly Baymax, found a wonderful home with Irene and Blake. He has separation anxiety and is deaf; special needs pets usually have a hard time finding a home. But Irene and Blake were very open and accepting of his needs and learned hand signals to communicate with him.

“We heard about Last Hope through an acquaintance when we were looking to find a new companion after one of our dogs passed away unexpectedly.  She put us in touch with Last Hope who thought they had the perfect dog for us once they found out we were willing to take on a special needs dog.

When choosing a pet, we primarily were looking for one who not only fit our lifestyle but would also get along with the dog we had at the time.  Family members also have dogs, so it was important that we find a dog who could be around both people and dogs.

Ippos is doing well as part of our family.  He loves to go on hikes, walk with his human and canine friends, chew on his Nylabones, swim in the local lakes and rivers, chase his big red ball, visit friends, and nap on the sofa when we work at home. He mentally knows where his canine and human friends live and will attempt to take us for visits on his daily walks.  Ippos has made his dislike of the cold well-known and will refuse to go on walks when the temperature is below 20°, and will steal the chair in the greenhouse if given the opportunity in order to soak up some warmth. He enjoys playing fetch with a rope and watching the deer walk past our house.

We had several adjustment periods as he has separation anxiety and is deaf.  There was his adjustment to a new home, our adjustment to communicating with a deaf dog and dealing with his anxiety, our former dog’s adjustment to having a new sibling again, the adjustment to her passing, getting a deaf foster puppy, and then moving. Overall, he’s dealt with the majority of these fairly well.  We’ve picked up his commands and continue to work with him on a regular basis.  We have found a routine and a medication regimen that minimize his separation anxiety–this was the toughest adjustment for the humans as it was absolutely heart-breaking to listen to him when he had to be crated.  Now that we have a routine, things are usually good and we know how to adapt when nonroutine issues pop up.  Dealing with the foster puppy was probably the most frustrating adjustment for him after adapting to a new routine because the puppy was not hearing his warnings.  Despite this, he did a wonderful job of trying to teach the puppy how to play, how to sunbathe, and demonstrating what different hand signals mean.  He showed no distress when the foster puppy found a home.

What we love about Ippos is that he’s very loving.  If we manage to get home without him realizing it, it’s amazing to see his eyes light up when he realizes his people are home, and he gives hugs (which we have not had any luck breaking him of) to all guests.  He was also good with our former elderly canine after their initial adjustment period.  Prior to Autumn’s passing, Ippos would patiently wait behind her when she insisted on going upstairs by herself and stand in a location to try to prevent her from falling down if possible.  He was also incredibly patient with her on walks as would insist on going but struggled to go very fast or very far.  Ippos is the perfect mix of adventure and couch potato for me, as he will happily hike all day when the weather is nice (we’re still working on the wearing of a pack for his water) but in winter he’s happy to curl up with you while you read, work on the computer, or watch movies. Blake, on the other hand, wishes Ippos didn’t dislike the cold so much so snowshoeing excursions could be longer. His favorite person is his Aunt Christen, who is a friend who lives a few blocks away.

For those who worked with him and knew him, he still likes to hug everyone he sees/meets.”

Ippos now has two new canine siblings: Freyja and Bilbeau. He has managed to teach Bilbeau the fine art of walking and sitting on the back of the couch!

Not everyone is able to take on a special needs dog and Irene and Blake have done a wonderful job with Ippos. He’s a very lucky boy!