LITTLE MAC SETTLES IN

It's been a week and a half now and MacIntosh is settling in and learning the routine.  I keep him with me at all times (when he's not at daycare) and we are taking baby-steps towards time on his own.  We have started with times when he is tired and comfortably snoozing on the couch.  I will get up and leave the room quickly and come back right away.  At first he followed but after a week he stayed on the couch.  When I have my shower in the morning he comes into the bathroom with me and at first was not happy that I was on the other side of the shower curtain and whined a bit.  After a week he just flops on his dog bed and is content waiting.  I'm happy to have the opportunity to progress as such a slow rate with him.

When we are outside he loves nothing better than a good stick.  He found a real whopper of a stick the other day but it looked a bit rotten so I took it away from him and tucked it in the tree, high up, out of his reach.

 

He actually tried to climb the tree a bit, back legs got a teeny bit off the ground.  He eventually gave up on the new stick and played with a pine cone instead.  It's a full time job making sure he doesn't pick up anything he shouldn't....I'll tell ya!

....okay, how 'bout a pine cone then

MacIntosh was 13 lbs a week and a half ago.  He's grown by a pound and a half, and I think I see some changes in his face too.  It's amazing how fast these pups change right in front of you.

I missed posting a couple of pics from the Pet Fair we went to in Ladner a couple of weekends ago.

One of the biggest differences I've found in fostering a puppy at 3 1/2 months vs. fostering a dog of 8 months or older is that I think I have a better read on the older dog's needs for their adoptive home.  With a pup of Mac's age I see his personality but I also see puppy traits he will grow out of and then there is the variable of what his adoptive family will affect in the way he is raised.  It brings up more questions than I have answers.  Will he be active or mellow.  Well behaved or a mischievous little guy.  Will he be 20 pounds or 40 pounds or?   I know that Yvette at Turtle Gardens 'knows her dogs' whether they are pups or adults and that comes from years and years of experience...I wish some people's knowledge could be downloaded into your own head.  I would certainly take on Yvette's puppy knowledge along with Foster Mom Gloria's knowledge too!  

'pick me up'

MacIntosh still doesn't like leaving home too much but he's becoming more interested in getting out for walks. He just likes to be picked up along the way here and there and then is fine with another stint of walking.  His needs for being carried are lessening but his desire to get back home hasn't.  He's obviously just needing some more time before he's ready to truly venture out and away from his den.  So for now we have mostly been playing with toys at home. 

One last thing, say good bye to the blue harness!  In a week and a half he has outgrown it.  That's a foster first for me.  I don't usually have dogs that outgrow gear.