MY FIRST WEEK WITH LEO

This week has not been a typical first week of fostering.   Usually I have lots of time to do lots of things with a new dog, but my time has been split in multiple directions lately.   Helping a friend in Tsawwassen for a few nights and visiting a family member in the hospital with a broken arm and so on.   This doesn’t seem like a very exciting start for Leo but I suppose from his eyes there were still a lot of new experiences packed into there.  The funniest thing so far was his reaction to an empty crab shell on the beach.   It was upside down, exposing the sharp spines and while the smell drew him in the spines scared him off.  He kept moving forward and back, afraid of it but tempted.  He finally gave up and carried on down the beach with me. 

He was slow to warm up to me in the first couple of days.  He was friendly but was uncertain about my intentions when I moved near him or by him.  He now comes to me more easily for affection, but is still slightly reserved.  I assume reserved for his permanent home who will have the privilege of seeing his full personality unfold as he bonds totally.  He is a mellow guy and is such a sweetheart.   He is also very easy to have around.  He sleeps when riding in the truck, has been okay being left alone for an hour without a fuss and is quiet and clean at home.   He walks well on the leash and is starting to ‘check-in’ with me more when we’re walking.   He has had some of the rabbits in my neighbourhood run right in front of him and has resisted the urge to chase with a simple ‘leave it’ command.  

He is friendly with people and is gaining confidence in greetings with new people and new dogs.  He is great with the dogs at dog daycare but hasn't figured out for sure if dogs coming towards him on the street are okay or not.  His guard hairs rise up like a porcupine but then he relaxes quickly when he sees all is well. 

Most dogs get going with regular meals after the first day.  Leo was not eating much for the first few days but finally started to eat most of the food put down for him.   I think he would possibly pick a different food if given the choice. 

On Wednesday night we went to pick up Nash (previously Lucas).  He came down on the TG bus run last Sunday and Sherle adopted him after taking both Lucas and Toast for a spin around the parking lot.   Lucas was ‘the one’ and he went home with her and started his new life.   Sherle was going up North to the CAAT Program and hesitated to adopt but I reassured her I would look after whoever she adopted.  And so Nash left a resistant Sherle on Wednesday (she didn’t want to leave her new buddy) and will stay with me until Sunday night.   Leo and Nash pretty much ignore each other because they are so busy sleeping off their hard days at dog daycare.  Both dogs have been to Playful Paws and are absolutely wiped at the end of the day.   Nash went to ‘pint-sized dog daycare’ which is down the road from the regular daycare.  It’s very nice to have the option of both locations.

'I smell rabbits, do you smell rabbits?'

'I can see them way down there'

Notice the loose leash as Nash checks out the rabbit 20 feet away ; )

Nash - Crashed

While driving back from the hospital tonight Leo was behind the front seat laid down and Nash was in the front seat, also laid down.  So far both dogs travel laid down the whole time.  But tonight both sat up at the same time.   They can't see each other and they both sat up for about a minute then they both turned in the same direction and flopped down facing the same way on their beds, laid in the same position.  It was completely synchronized and man did I ever wish I had a video camera on them.  Dogs are always finding ways to make us smile.  

p.s. Leo is meeting a potential adopter on Sunday.