Day 1 - Friday June 5
Heath was super quiet in the car on the way home, he tilted his head in the crate when I baby talked to him, like he is wondering, "what is that sound?". We are starting slow - the ex-pen is set up in the garage for now, and I am hanging out with him and typing this on the hood of my car. I would like to get a sense for the pee and bark situation before he comes into the house proper. It is quiet and cool in here, it is 4:20 and he has only now just settled down and closed his eyes. Suki and Elly must know he is here? Maybe not... they are not acting like it, and he is so quiet, but I am not ready for him to meet them.
Things he needs work on:
Housetraining: Peed - or marked? Lifted his leg about 3 times in front of me, and 3 times when I ran upstairs. Not in his crate, but once on the crate, and definitely all over the ex-pen. Time for a belly band I think.
Leash training: I left his leash on him and after a while he noticed it, and pawed at it a little. When I pick it up just very loosely he reflexively pulled back on it.
Crate training: He really doesn't care to get in the crate naturally, but did not seem to be terribly stressed out while in it.
People training: Shy of me, freezes when approached. But - will sniff my finger with kibble in it. Rewarded for approaching me and looking at me by throwing kibble.
Food motivation: Likes plain kibble, he ate a whole half a cup out of a bowl. He has not drank any water yet. He thinks hot dogs are weird - but maybe he will try just a little, it has a funny texture he doesn't understand and he chews it funny. He has no idea what peanut butter is.
He is in a deep sleep now, and might even be dreaming, ?, he is whining a little in his dream.
5:40 pm - he has taken kibbles from my hand, and hot dogs pieces from my hand. I got brave and picked him up to go outside for potty. He was terrified but peed on a plant. He is wearing a ribbon leash and did not pick at it. I am now going to go hang out with him for a bit and read. He got in his crate by himself when I put hot dogs in it. Elly is starting to wonder why I smell like old pee. Yuck!
5:50 pm Pacing in the expen and a huge poo when I went downstairs -- right on top of the leash ribbon.
10:05 pm - I spent some time with him in the garage waiting for friends to come over for dinner this evening, and sat and read for an hour or so next to his pen, until around 7:00. He slept quite peacefully actually, I know if I had moved though, he had his third eye on me and would have woken up. Robert came home and was not very sensitive to his shyness, but sensitive enough, which was actually a very good thing. He gave him HUGE pieces of hot dog, and scratched him around the ears with his big Robert hands. Heath was a little put off at first, but warmed up rather quickly -- he wasn't totally happy with Robert petting him, but more tolerant than I would have predicted. I am betting in a couple of days, he might actually enjoy it. When our friend Sabrina arrived I had her come down and toss a couple of hot dogs in too. She used a baby voice giving him hot dogs, and he again cocked his head to one side - very cute! We went to dinner, I had our tenant check in on him after 45 minutes, and got no calls that he had escaped his pen. When we got home he was still there, alert because we had just walked in. Robert & I took him outside again, for last pees, which was not altogether successful. He had a reluctant pee by the bush, but we live by SeaTac and the planes on the third runway tonight are HORRIBLY close. He did not bolt, but he definitely was not comforatble, and is not used to the big outdoor spaces. For safety, we have him on the ribbon leash (I cleaned it), and he is not trying to take it off like he did the heavier leash. I have to carry him out and inside again, there is no leash walking him yet. And man, is he stinky!!
So, all in all, I have to say his first 6 hours haven't been so bad. He is extremely silent, which is nice for now. He is fairly friendly considering his circumstance. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of weeks. I think the biggest challenge will be the POTTY training - he has 6 years of ingrained behavior. Him being a male makes it tougher somehow, I guess because his accidents are in the air, and not on the ground. His pees are very frequent too, it could be more marking behavior than peeing maybe.
He has some nice fluffy bedding now, and rugs, but he chooses to lie on the cool concrete instead. I took the door off the crate to see if he might naturally migrate there. Thus far he has only gone in to gather hot dogs and come out again. We will see what happens tomorrow!
Things he needs work on:
Housetraining: Peed - or marked? Lifted his leg about 3 times in front of me, and 3 times when I ran upstairs. Not in his crate, but once on the crate, and definitely all over the ex-pen. Time for a belly band I think.
Leash training: I left his leash on him and after a while he noticed it, and pawed at it a little. When I pick it up just very loosely he reflexively pulled back on it.
Crate training: He really doesn't care to get in the crate naturally, but did not seem to be terribly stressed out while in it.
People training: Shy of me, freezes when approached. But - will sniff my finger with kibble in it. Rewarded for approaching me and looking at me by throwing kibble.
Food motivation: Likes plain kibble, he ate a whole half a cup out of a bowl. He has not drank any water yet. He thinks hot dogs are weird - but maybe he will try just a little, it has a funny texture he doesn't understand and he chews it funny. He has no idea what peanut butter is.
He is in a deep sleep now, and might even be dreaming, ?, he is whining a little in his dream.
5:40 pm - he has taken kibbles from my hand, and hot dogs pieces from my hand. I got brave and picked him up to go outside for potty. He was terrified but peed on a plant. He is wearing a ribbon leash and did not pick at it. I am now going to go hang out with him for a bit and read. He got in his crate by himself when I put hot dogs in it. Elly is starting to wonder why I smell like old pee. Yuck!
5:50 pm Pacing in the expen and a huge poo when I went downstairs -- right on top of the leash ribbon.
10:05 pm - I spent some time with him in the garage waiting for friends to come over for dinner this evening, and sat and read for an hour or so next to his pen, until around 7:00. He slept quite peacefully actually, I know if I had moved though, he had his third eye on me and would have woken up. Robert came home and was not very sensitive to his shyness, but sensitive enough, which was actually a very good thing. He gave him HUGE pieces of hot dog, and scratched him around the ears with his big Robert hands. Heath was a little put off at first, but warmed up rather quickly -- he wasn't totally happy with Robert petting him, but more tolerant than I would have predicted. I am betting in a couple of days, he might actually enjoy it. When our friend Sabrina arrived I had her come down and toss a couple of hot dogs in too. She used a baby voice giving him hot dogs, and he again cocked his head to one side - very cute! We went to dinner, I had our tenant check in on him after 45 minutes, and got no calls that he had escaped his pen. When we got home he was still there, alert because we had just walked in. Robert & I took him outside again, for last pees, which was not altogether successful. He had a reluctant pee by the bush, but we live by SeaTac and the planes on the third runway tonight are HORRIBLY close. He did not bolt, but he definitely was not comforatble, and is not used to the big outdoor spaces. For safety, we have him on the ribbon leash (I cleaned it), and he is not trying to take it off like he did the heavier leash. I have to carry him out and inside again, there is no leash walking him yet. And man, is he stinky!!
So, all in all, I have to say his first 6 hours haven't been so bad. He is extremely silent, which is nice for now. He is fairly friendly considering his circumstance. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of weeks. I think the biggest challenge will be the POTTY training - he has 6 years of ingrained behavior. Him being a male makes it tougher somehow, I guess because his accidents are in the air, and not on the ground. His pees are very frequent too, it could be more marking behavior than peeing maybe.
He has some nice fluffy bedding now, and rugs, but he chooses to lie on the cool concrete instead. I took the door off the crate to see if he might naturally migrate there. Thus far he has only gone in to gather hot dogs and come out again. We will see what happens tomorrow!
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