Avoid Pet Adoptions...

Careful Fred! The NY state gov't will see your cowboy hat, older truck, outdoor oil tank, & assorted "weapons" hanging on your house & send Homeland Security & SWAT out there! Obama's watchin' ...

Well, he's been here for about 7 hours, and seems to like it here,, I think he'll be a keeper. He's self entertaining, he'll be lying on the floor, let out a whine then a sigh,, get up drag a toy over to shake and chew on. Sometimes he'll come over and offer it for me to play with too.

I've had him out for several walks, he pulls like a freight train, but he's not had much formal training, so I expect that to change. I have to walk him on a lead for now. I'd hate to lose him to a deer chase.

He's afraid of stairs, he won't go down the 5 steps in the breezeway, so I've been going out the door onto the back deck, but I return to the breezeway and he has no problem to climb the five steps...

I've tried to get him to climb the stairs to the balcony to access my bedroom. so far he's really flipped out over the open back stairs.. Ive tried the other old staircase, with carpeted, closed back steps, but he doesn't like those either. I suppose I'll carry him up the stairs tonight, and see if he's ok to go down them in the morning, if I need to, I'll carry him down..

I did get him about to the top of the stairs by placing small pieces of hotdog on about every third step, he did get almost all the way up, but then turned and half walked, half skidded down the steps.. it will eventually happen.

He's abandoned from a divorce, he's from the Neatherlands, has a Neatherlands canine passport...

So we'll see, tonight's the first night. Hope he doesn't keep me up all night.

Greg L

He's a good looking boy. Had one just like him was the best dog...

congrats Greg. whats his name?

Yep, that's a handsome dog my friend. Does he speak english?

He seems to understand the universal languages : food, water , walks, playing.. and of course sleeping.

49* this morning, with rain. Front crosses and the temp drops to 16* and rain turns to snow.. about 1".. and a wind chill of around 0*.

it's coming your way!

Greg L.

I am familiar with big dogs that won't go up and down stairs...our Greyhound was the same way. It took a little prodding on my part, but after a few weeks he was ready to give it a try. Kind of funny, he walks down the stairs like a gentleman...but instead of going up one by one he has to get lined up and "launch" from the landing. Two jumps and he is at the top. When he broke his leg I had to carry him up and down the stairs for almost 6 months and then start over with the stair training.

LsFarm wrote:it's coming your way!

The wind is roaring so bad at my house it woke me up...hence the 2 am forum posts.

And I'm debating picking up the 70# dog and taking him up the stairs.. I think I'll do a few limbering-up stretches first..

Greg

Well two nights of carrying him up and down are over.. I decided to use up a few hotdogs. Put a slice on each step, and eventually he made it to the top, and carefully back down. I did this three times, and he seemed to get more comfortable with it each time.

He followed me up and back down without any hotdog treats about an hour ago, so I have hopes that he's over his fear of the steps..

I've been walking him with out a lead today, he stays nearby and comes without a second call, he even stuck around and watched me load 26 buckets of coal in the coal hopper.

He was standig on snow-covered ice, and he kept slipping and sliding he finally got the idea that the ground/ice was playing with him and he started barking at the ice,, I cracked up.

So so far he's a keeper. I had to leave for appointments yesterday and today, and put him in his huge crate, he seems content to be in his kennel.

His name is Loki, I don't really like the name, but don't have one any better, so I guess Loki is it!!

Greg L

Outstanding Greg. Sounds like he's thinkin you're a keeper too.

Sounds great!

congrats!!