Meet Lurch: A New Addition to Our Off-Grid Family
Meet Lurch, the newest member of our off-grid family. Lurch was originally known as Tippy, but he never responded to that name with us. Strangely enough, he instantly answered to Lurch, and it stuck.
Lurch was my dad’s dog. With my dad’s health declining and him needing to move into a care home for additional help, we suddenly faced the reality that Lurch needed a new home. At first, we didn’t step forward, mostly because we weren’t sure how Dreugan, our reactive and anxious dog, would handle having an unfamiliar adult male dog in the pack. After every other rehoming option fell through, we decided to give it a try — carefully and slowly.
When we first walked Dreugan up to Lurch’s pen, Dreugan wasn’t calm, but what gave me hope was that Lurch showed no aggression. That was an important sign. Since Dreugan struggles with anxiety and can be reactive around unfamiliar dogs, we knew this introduction would need to be taken step by step.
Before allowing them loose together, we walked Lurch and Dreugan side by side on leashes several times. This helped them adjust to each other’s presence without any pressure. On our road trip home, we kept Lurch in an enclosed crate in the car so Dreugan had no choice but to share space with him, while still keeping Lurch safe. At first, we stopped and walked them separately. With each stop, we brought them closer together until they were comfortable walking near one another.
Eventually, at a stop with a dog park, we let Lurch and our two girls off leash while I kept Dreugan leashed. Things went smoothly. After more practice walks together, we reached the point where we felt confident letting them all loose together in a pen. To our relief, everything went well.
Dreugan is protective of me, so I’ve been careful not to give Lurch attention around him too quickly. Today was a big milestone — the first time Dreugan saw me pet Lurch when I put his new collar on. Instead of reacting, Dreugan simply laid in his spot and watched.
It’s still early, and we’re taking it slow, but so far the progress has been encouraging. Lurch is finding his place in the family, and we’re hopeful this careful introduction will lead to a strong bond in our off-grid pack.
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