Southwest English Setter Rescue (SWESR) has always said we are available throughout our dogs’ lifetimes, and today’s Storyteller dog, Tilly, is living proof of that promise. She was found in a Texas shelter in 2011 as a 1-year-old stray, and she was microchipped by the shelter at that time. She was adopted and then found in the exact same shelter three years later as a 4-year-old. The person registered on Tilly’s microchip did not reclaim her. At this point she came into contact with SWESR, who pulled her from the shelter. Tilly did well in her foster home and went to her first SWESR adoptive home in August 2014.
At the time of her adoption none of the adults worked in law enforcement, but her dad did eventually enter this field. As such, there was a police scanner that screeched and squawked at all hours of the day and night. Tilly did not react well to this and developed destructive separation and noise anxiety. The family returned Tilly to SWESR in March 2017, when she was seven.
Tilly was fostered again and adopted again in February 2018. This second SWESR adoption was to a retired couple who received full disclosure of her anxieties. She did well initially, but then her new parents began a business that required them to be out of the house for extended periods of time, which Tilly did not handle well. This couple returned Tilly to SWESR ten months later.
She went to a trainer to be assessed while SWESR looked for the right foster home for her. Just a few weeks later, in January 2019, Mary Lou offered to take Tilly and the rest is happy history. It took Tilly 9 years, but she finally found her forever people.
Mary Lou and her husband Steve are experienced English Setter owners. They took Tilly with the certainty that they would provide her a forever home, regardless of what happened. Tilly came to them with her same separation anxiety issues, but two other Setters in the house helped calm her. She still became frantic in a crate, and once, when left in a bedroom for 15 minutes she ripped up the carpet. After six months of trial and error, Mary Lou wondered if leaving the back door open to the yard would help Tilly. Tilly had been caught once trying to dig underneath the fence, so she hadn’t yet earned unsupervised outdoor privileges, but they needed to provide Tilly a feeling that she wasn’t trapped, that she had an ability to escape from whatever was causing her anxiety. The open door worked like a charm. Now their house has a dog door, so Tilly can come in and out as she pleases. She’s never been asked to get into a crate again.
After her anxiety lessened, the only time Tilly would express nervousness was when Mary Lou and Steve, who are big college football fans, would watch Ohio State football games. She would pace and pant, walk around and not settle—but only for that university’s games, so they have to assume she wanted the Buckeyes to win!
Tilly was a bundle of energy when she first arrived at Mary Lou’s house. They’d go on long walks at a nearby state park and Tilly would go, go, go the entire time. She loved car rides, because they meant an exciting outing was about to happen. She had a lot of energy, much of which she burned off in the backyard.
Tilly’s older now and arthritis has slowed her down. Long walks are difficult these days, but she likes to patrol her backyard and then settle down to keep an eye on her domain. Tilly is sweet and clever, but she can also be cunning. She is lifted onto the bed at night, but sometimes she will hop down and will then lure one of her English Setter brothers out of their dog bed, which she then settles into!
Tilly has always been affectionate, getting along well with any dog or human she meets. She is also very placid. Little children can hug her closely and she is calm as can be. Her Setter brothers lay on top of her, and she is completely relaxed. Tilly hasn’t needed her anxiety medication in years. Not even screeching noises bother her anymore.
Mary Lou and Tilly have developed an especially close and trusting bond. Tilly will follow Mary Lou everywhere, even into the bathroom!
SWESR will never give up on one of our dogs, and Mary Lou and Steve never gave up on Tilly. It took her awhile, but Tilly has known for several years now that she is safe. She is secure. She is home.