The Diary of Linus the Rosebud

He LOVED Sunday at Sue and Craig's house.   Met Sue wagging when he was on leash. But once in the backyard, he retreated to the grass to a good time and only came two feet on the patio.  He'd lean in and lick a bare toe but not come any further and resist any attempt to lean forward to bring him closer.  The pic to the side is zoomed and cropped. He really had a great time. Tried to make friends with everyone.  Instead of the I'm taller than you are game, he actually shows submissive posturing, lowering himself, not making direct eye contact, turning his head, allowing sniffing, etc. He's desperate to make friends with other dogs and when he does, he's the happiest little thing in the world.  He's got a goofy run and bounces around like a happy rabbit dog.

Yesterday he actually managed to get himself out of his body harness while I was inside on the phone with Kathi and when I came out he was still in front of the steps - leash less.  His harness smashed into the mud where he found it amusing to dig at it and play with it.  So, no fence and no leash and he still stuck right there. Too afraid to wander off and get into trouble, in this case was a good thing. I can't imagine another dog sticking around that long - the phone call was 20 min.

Then I brought him in and he went right to the crate and I being scatter brained like I am didn't shut the crate or put up the baby gate. He just stayed in there all night until I went to walk them again at 10:30, then he came out.

It's been a while (the rosebud diary et al)

It's been a while since I posted on the progress of Rosebud and we are actually going over to a friend's house to let him play with her female pit bull Kayla.  Hopefully that will go well.   He is so submissive and appropriate with other dogs, I don't think there will be any problems.

Basically there has been no progression with the bud with the exception of knowing now that he can not live without the presence of other dogs. When other dogs are around, he seems more normal, more social, more willing to interact.  Without another dog, he goes back to being freaky little rosebud.  

We tried to take another walk and he approaches that like he does the tie out, spurt a little forward, eyes ahead and on me, when he gets to the end he might panic a little and do a quick "bolt/freeze" then we move ahead. Starting and stopping the whole time.  I am of course walking him without the presence of another dog.  That most certainly would help but Annabelle doesn't want to have anything to do with him and Ringo just wants to hump everything that moves.  Even though he (Ringo) lost his balls last week - it hasn't helped so far and the constant "no", "uhuh" and grabbing him around Linus just doesn't help.  Too many negative verbal cues and fast movements for his (Linus/the bud) comfort.

He clearly needs more exercise than he is getting now that his weight has improved and his body is healthy but it becomes more difficult since he can't walk on a leash yet and I have no playmates or fenced yard. He can't play with me because he is a little inappropriate and he needs to know that teeth aren't for people. So now he just tears up things he can reach - tore up some potted plants, dumped and shredded the recycling.  I can't get him interested in hooves or bones, he doesn't know how to handle them yet.  The only thing he seems to enjoy chewing on are those rope toy balls and I have filled his crate with them.  He's now on avoderm senior and that seems to be working well for him.

I did give him a filled rawhide the other day and he chewed it until it was soft all over then swallowed the whole thing - hoping that won't cause problems later.

Annabelle's going senile (more on that later), the Cosmo allergies, Zelda diarrhea again - @#*#!@$&@#$ and I'm in love with Ringo.  

Two new dogs

I should be shot. Went to the shelter to check out a dog that someone offered to foster.  She didn't pass her evaluation - just too many issues. I hope someone helps her.  But we ended up bringing home two more dogs -another puppy with a broken leg!!! and a young adult male pit bull.

No place really for either one of them but those little gems couldn't stay behind.

Dinner inside (the rosebud diary)

It's official, he's decided he will eat breakfast outside in the peaceful morning but he will not eat dinner outside. He spills his meal and just generally farts around.  When I clean it up and bring him in, he happily eats in his crate.  Tonight he's eating with the door open and actually, he can leave the crate if he wants. I've got the baby gates up in the kitchen. He's been standing in there for ....oh, about 50 minutes now.  He came out once when I was setting up the gate on one side of the elliptical and once he saw the baby gate on the other side of the kitchen, he scrambled back through the narrow hallway to his crate and hasn't come back out.  Weirdo.  Took a flying leap down the steps and cracked open his chin again when his front legs didn't' catch him and I didn't have a good hold on his leash.

Has started making alien noises when I come home. At least the crate was dry today : )

Zelda has diarrhea again, now that we've gotten past majority science diet in the food bin and has a higher ratio of blue buffalo sensitive skin....the diarrhea is back. Guess I'm off to buy more science diet to mix in.  damn it, you would think a month+ of gradual change would stave off the diarrhea.  Nope.  Just when Cosmo's allergies seem to be improving.  *!@#&#!@

Dinnertime with the diary

Linus didn't eat his dinner tonight. I put it out as usual to his spastic self and returned in to feed Annabelle.  Came out a few minutes later to it almost entirely spilled on the ground and a half gallon of water downed instead.  He shows no interest in food tonight and didn't eat all of his food this morning either.  He did eat it when it was put in his crate with him.  As he is now tonight back in his crate with the nearly full bowl.  Maybe he no longer wants to eat outside and has graduated to the comfort of indoors.

He did pee in his crate today and again immediately on the stones just below the steps when let out.  No poop (or no evidence left at least).  I'll walk him again in a minute since I'm sure he will have to pee again in no time and then put on his underwear that arrived today.

The jerk that returned Tugboat today didn't bother to return his underwear that we could have really used - or anything the things we sent with him (blanket, bones, nice leather collar).  People will disappoint when given the chance : (

Dinnertime

Dinnertime for the bud.  This is the time when he's most vocal and most excitable and most interactive. He dashes about still wary of me but eager to get food. He will skitter about once it is set down.  He dives in but quickly backs off if I am too close or try to pat his head.  He also barks and whines when I come home because he associates that with food as well.  He eats best outside, alone.  Though today he did eat in his crate in the AM because of the rain.  When he first arrived, he was too nervous to eat in his crate and would leave the food spilled all over the crate.  He eats slower outside and takes his time and eats slower when I'm not close, no gulping and spitting it back up.

poop eating

Scratch that on the poop eating....blech. How do you stop a dog from eating his own poop - and I mean fresh out of the factory.  Turns right around to start licking it.  I couldn't help a verbal and leash correction this morning and he still tried to go right back to it.