I rehabilitate.
I socialize.
I help with potty training.
I help with learning to walk on a leash.
I give meds.
I buy blankets and I buy beds.

Yet I adopted Chapo.

What was it about him that I loved? I’ve asked myself that.

Chapo does not walk. He shuffles his feet like a little old man.

Chapo has a wandering eye. You may think he’s looking at you, when he’s actually looking at the ceiling.

Chapo head butts the baby gates until they collapse and he walks in the room for no reason, just to look around.

Chapo is a barking Bulldog. At 5 a.m., on the dot, he barks and barks and barks. You will finding him sitting in the middle of the room barking.

Chapo does not believe in walking on a leash. Chapo believes in following, when he’s ready to go.

Chapo was an owner surrender. He was heartworm positive, had a impacted tail, infected ears, bad, infected teeth, a skin infection and toe nails that grew up, not forward. Chapo was a medical nightmare with a bad attitude.

Yet as I fostered him, I began to understand him. He was a senior Bulldog who had left the only family he had ever known. He was not happy to be with me. He was confused.

Chapo was difficult to foster. Chapo has those bottom teeth that stick out and he would shuffle up on you and take the skin off the back of your legs. Chapo does not understand personal space. In Chapo’s mind, all space is his space if he wants to be there.

Then it happened.

I found myself thinking about him a lot through the day. When I come home and open the front door, he comes shuffling to me faster than anyone else. Chapo knocks everyone else out of the way to get to me. His true personality eventually came out. Chapo let his guard down and he began to trust me.

Now, Chapo shuffles around with shoes in his mouth. Amazon boxes are his favorite things to chew and 5 a.m. is still his favorite time to bark.

But, I can’t imagine the house without this little old shuffling senior Bulldog. He truly is a perfect Bulldog for me.

I am 6 years old and I’m glad to have a vet who understands my Bulldog needs. Both of my ears are infected, my tail pocket is infected, my teeth are rotten and hurting. But my feet! My feet are covered with cysts and were bleeding just the other day. I could barely walk. Not sure why, but some of my nails are all crooked and going in different directions. Oh, and I am heartworm positive. So they tell me I will be here for a while. But that’s OK with me.

I love everybody and everything. I’ll just hang out here and give kisses and get hugs. I’ll be well in no time and ready to come live with my forever family who understands what we Bulldogs are all about.

2/26/19 Update:  Well friends, Chapo here reporting from the B&B that I am staying at now.  Yep, that’s me living the dream at a Bed and Breakfast because that is all I get to do is have breakfast and stay in the bed. I am recovering from Heartworm treatment and it has not been fun. First night I moved in my foster Mom fixed a crate up for me, with a new bed, and a few toys. And then I started to bark…and bark…and bark.  The longer I stayed in the crate the louder I barked  and I have no off switch. Finally my foster Mom said your barking is going to kill you, if I don’t first, and she opened the crate door.  That is all I wanted, to get out of the crate. You see, the crate is not for me.  I found the laundry room, with some towels, and that is now my new Bed and Breakfast.  No one bothers me there, and it is quiet, and I am recovering nicely. My confinement is over on March 13th and I will be finding myself a new family. I love all the other dogs that live with me, and I am very easy to love. I don’t chew on anything, and I consider myself a perfect senior with perfect manors.  I take a joint supplement mainly for my feet. I had some bad growths taken off between my toes and I want to make sure that these feet are made for walking when it comes to meeting my new family.  So get ready to meet me on March 14th because that is the day I leave the laundry room behind and move in with my forever family. Could that be you?

3/20/19 Update:   Today, I am free from the laundry room isolation because my heartworm treatment rest is OVER! I am taking a short walk to the stop sign and back.

4/9/19 Update:  Yesterday was weeding day and I stepped up to the challenge of helping. I am doing fabulous in my foster home and everyone wants to be my friend. And everyone wants to sit in my bed. No one in my foster home knows anything about “personal space” and daily, I have to remind them to move out of my way. Everyone has a bed, but everyone wants to sit on my bed with me! But now I don’t even chase them away anymore. I just grit my teeth and let them lay down and clean my face. I am a senior Bulldog, but I have so much life left in me. I really need someone to adopt me that loves seniors. I am zero trouble. I walk outside to potty and back inside to my bed. I can pack my stuff at a moment’s notice and be your new best friend. My name is Chapo and I am a fabulous fella!

4/29/19 Update:  Foster boy Chapo had a great time at Shady’s yesterday! He enjoyed his ride in the truck on his way to the event and he loved saying hi to his friends. Chapo especially liked his view under the table. He got to check out everyone coming in!

Chapo is just a sweet, laid back guy. He chilled under the table and played with his friend, Nala. Thank you to everyone that came out and came by to visit with him!