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Draco's Adventures


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More calcium. Will do.

 

It will probably help the big goose-egg Draco has over his right eye this morning!

 

There's a stretch of flat ground next to the fence at the bottom of the hill that Draco loves to race back and forth on; gives him (and us) tremendous pleasure.

 

Except last night. Draco was speeding back and forth and apparently didn't see the garden rake leaning against the fence and ran right into it. That's a kind of sickening "thunk" sound I now have in my memory banks forerver! Thunk!

 

A few hours later his right eye was swollen almost shut. I tried to take a couple of pictures but I don't think they turned out. I'll check later and post if they did.

 

So, one thing is certain, at this point in Draco's life he doesn't like being held down so eye drops can be administered by a Vet! Wow, he really doesn't like it!!

 

His energy levels are up and Draco is showing no signs of any other "damage" than the goose-egg!!

 

Would Draco let YOU do the drops? He may trust you more! Just a suggestion!

 

JudyK in Michigan

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I love watching their ears develop. So cute, I equate it to the voice-crack of adolescent males.. and the 'change' that all kids go through around 8-12 (go back and look at class photos, you'll see a little kid for several years, then BAM! they become a young adult and their structure changes)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I don't recommend this, but we had a long standing two week vacation to visit my brother in Alaska. Great vacation: Valedez fishing, Denali immense & stunning. Fairbanks; great.

 

But, we had to leave both Draco & Rocco home.... Oh my god..... 2 weeks is a long time for a puppy and we can hardly believe how much he's grown.

 

He backslid on some of his commands, but just a few days back on our leash and he's cool. And, we got almost no cold shoulder (for which we are thankful...) And, he is now glad to see us each time we return, even if it's been 10 minutes.

 

Tomorrow is a big day -- neutering. He goes in at 7:30am Pacific Daylight. We get him back mid-afternoon.

 

I've borrowed a soft-cone from our doggie daycare and have been looking at a couple of other non-cones.

 

He is also getting microchipped. Four out of five places we've asked use the Home Again, so I guess that's what we'll do, too.

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I have used the "home again" chip on several of my cats and dogs. I don't know if there are any other options out there, but I have never had a problem with that particular chip. In fact, one of my favorite cats was hit by a car on the freeway and the only reason I knew was because of the chip. The Cal trans folks who picked him up off the road sent him to animal control who scanned for the chip and then they notified me of his death.

 

The short back story to that is-I adopted him from the local shelter. He was strictly an indoor cat where he came from. I was living in an apartment where he was a strictly indoor cat. I had to move back to my parent's house and they made me keep him outside for the FIRST time in his whole life! :lol: There is a freeway off ramp not too far from their house. Aparently he got curious. I was so devestated. :( My mom still feels guilty. That cat was just like any dog. He was loyal and loving, always came when I called, would go to his cat tree when instructed to do so and he used to chase me around the apartment.

 

:( Sad story, but my point is the chip is a GREAT idea. They don't even notice it. And if he runs off for some reason and animal control gets a hold of him (preferably alive) they will be able to return him to you.

 

Your dog is very beautiful by the way.

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Your dog is very beautiful by the way.

 

Here, here.

 

Draco buddy,...we'll be thinking of you.

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rrrrrrrrrrrruf...rrrrrrrrruf...grrrrrrrrrrruff....grrrrrrrrrrrruff, whimper, grrrrrrrrrrrrrruff.

Tolinka

 

(what he is trying to say is "stay tough little man, it only hurts for a tiny bit.")

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Danza has the Home Again; Roscoe has another kind, I can't remember what brand. It's older, but the vets keep both databases on file.

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Draco's home; thanks everyone for your thoughts.

 

Wow, what an experience this is!!

 

So, we're told that he absolutely can't lick the incision for 72 hours (3 days); hopefully more like 5-7 days. He isn't supposed to run for 7-14 days. Is any of that true for these dogs???!!!???

 

Draco came out of the vet's with one of those plastic cones, but before we got him home we noticed that he was either to get "beyond and around" the cone or, the silly head, he figured out how to use the edge of the cone to scratch himself. With that kind of flexibility he should maybe be a yoga teacher!

 

Since the cone was acting only as a humiliating, frustrating and hinder minor deterrent, we picked up an inflatable collar. It was as much as a deterrent as the cone and either Joan or I had to be on watch 27/7.

 

 

Draco_Neuter_Collar.jpg

 

The day it was done, I was on the couch recuperating from having two molars pulled and Draco was laying next to me having just lost his surgery. So, Joan is taking care of both of us and I heard her on the phone telling someone that she, "has a husband just lost two teeth and a dog who just lost two balls and I'm glad it's not the other way around!"

 

 

So anyway, since last Thursday, we've had to have him on leash and try to keep him only walking. The vet says no jumping or running (7-14 days). Once with Joan and once with me he's gotten the leash out of our hands and away he goes!! For me, I dropped the leash for just one second to do something and before it even hit the ground he was off and running.

 

He was so beautiful; so streamlined, so fast, so happy; so fulfilled and so in trouble!! We loved seeing him run but we don't want to see him rip open his stitches.

 

We usually give him enough exercise each day that he sleeps through the night, but haven't been able to and all of our sleep has suffered.

 

So, by now, his incision is almost healed and he's generally off restrictions! We are trying to keep him a little quieter than usual but it's hard to keep a good AI Dog down. (It's even harder to keep a mischievous AI Dog down! New owners will smile at that later!)

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The day it was done, I was on the couch recuperating from having two molars pulled and Draco was laying next to me having just lost his surgery. So, Joan is taking care of both of us and I heard her on the phone telling someone that she, "has a husband just lost two teeth and a dog who just lost two balls and I'm glad it's not the other way around!"

 

HAAAA!!! needed that.

 

(we are potential new folk, awaiting our call to claim a pup...)

 

Thanks Gib for the destressor, and congrats on such a beautiful boy.

..My what Big Feet you have..

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Oh yeah- and *said in a loving teasing manner*

 

Nerf-Dog

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So funny, Gib. That is hysterical. I can hardly wait to meet you people.

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Wow! He's gotten so big.

 

So glad to hear he's recuperated, and it sounds as if you have, too. We worry more about the girls going through their surgeries, but the boys have it rough, too!

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So funny, Gib. That is hysterical. I can hardly wait to meet you people.

 

Ditto...you had be belly laughing. :lol::D:(

Glad to hear everyone is on the mend. Can't wait to meet you all. You have a great day now.

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Thanks for the well wishes. Someone once said, "This too shall pass."

 

I keep thinking about that with everything these pups go through and how much they change in just a few short months! And they somehow bury some hook deep inside that says it's already been forever and that's just not enough time.

 

What characters... Draco is obviously not afraid of anything because he can sleep anywhere and at any moment.

 

Sometimes though we just don't know where his heads at.

 

Headless_Draco.jpg

 

:hiccup:

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:lol:

:hiccup: :hiccup: :hiccup: :hiccup:

 

Again- Thanks Gib, you're awesome!

Really looking forward to meeting you

(and the rest of the AI dog populace of course)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'll try to make this update as concise as I can.

 

Question: What's your favorite source of additional Calcium (for the dogs)?

We didn't get any pictures from the weekend but we spent our first overnight with Draco at a "pet friendly" hotel last weekend just outside of Anacortes, WA. It went very, very well. For the most part.

 

Draco is getting better on leash every time we go for a walk. He is so happy to meet other people (especially children) that keeping him calm and not jumping is seemingly taking forever. But, there was a 10-block long arts festival and, yep, I put on his harness and led him right down the middle of it. He did so good!!

 

The biggest problem was explaining to dozens of people about this unique breed. Did I read/hear that there are business card size cards with information on them that can be handed out? If not already existing, I'm going to do it!

 

But, really, that's one of the great parts, is talking about the integrity of the process, the goal of higher qualities of character, the magic of Song Dog Kennels, etc., etc..

 

Interestingly, children and the handicap were irresistibly drawn to touch Draco. There was one little boy probably less than 2 years old, the youngest of three. Draco curled up in front of his legs, wrapped his flexible lithe little body up and around the boy, laid his head on the boy's shoulder and began licking the boys ears. That little boy was brighter than any lighthouse and was both laughing and crying with joy the whole time.

 

When that family left, an elderly lady in a walker stopped by with her husband to pet Draco and she told me, "I watched that whole thing. It was the sweetest thing I've seen in ages. You have a special puppy."

 

But, while very cool, that's not what was really exciting. Our little hotel was just a few blocks from the Anacortes ferry terminal. So, one morning Joan and I were taking Draco for his morning outing. We found a 3 tiered parking lot scrapped out of a little hillside. The bottom parking area wasn't as big as a football field but pretty big and surrounded by blackberry vines.

 

It seemed very, very contained. I got the thought and at the same time Joan spoke it, "What if we tried letting him have a little time off leash?" I immediately agreed.

 

Wow, what a moment. What a huge decision that has to be made at some time. "Should I drop the leash?" We were in a strange place, relatively safe. The only danger, the road to the ferry, was several hundred feet away. So, we dropped the leash.

 

Every thing went amazingly well -- for about 10 seconds. About that point he put it all together and he bolted. As fast as he could fly, Draco took off heading directly for the road. Our panic was about a 9 on the Richter Scale. Joan was calling and I dug in my pocket and pulled the dog whistle out and gave it a toot.

 

He stopped. Looked around. Thought about it. And came running back. We made sure he was well praised for coming back.

 

Happy hour came early that day!!

 

 

He doesn't always get to go out front to help Joan water her garden out front but he will watch the whole process. A couple of pictures.

 

Draco_Watches_1.jpg

 

Draco_Watches_2.jpg

 

~~~~

 

We are looking forward to the Gathering. We'll arrive mid-afternoon on Saturday with two grandkids, two dogs and lots of chips for everyone to eat!!

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now you understand why they are called medicine dog by the indians and many others whensnake goes for visiting tis an amazing feeling to have an animals with that much instinct to know what people need and that probably made that little boys day CONGRADULATIONS draco for returning they can run fast now cant they I have had a few scares like that know the feeling he has gotten so big so fast I will still say how much he looks like my boys from the back he would blend right in lol good going GIB

 

I'll try to make this update as concise as I can.

 

Question: What's your favorite source of additional Calcium (for the dogs)?

We didn't get any pictures from the weekend but we spent our first overnight with Draco at a "pet friendly" hotel last weekend just outside of Anacortes, WA. It went very, very well. For the most part.

 

Draco is getting better on leash every time we go for a walk. He is so happy to meet other people (especially children) that keeping him calm and not jumping is seemingly taking forever. But, there was a 10-block long arts festival and, yep, I put on his harness and led him right down the middle of it. He did so good!!

 

The biggest problem was explaining to dozens of people about this unique breed. Did I read/hear that there are business card size cards with information on them that can be handed out? If not already existing, I'm going to do it!

 

But, really, that's one of the great parts, is talking about the integrity of the process, the goal of higher qualities of character, the magic of Song Dog Kennels, etc., etc..

 

Interestingly, children and the handicap were irresistibly drawn to touch Draco. There was one little boy probably less than 2 years old, the youngest of three. Draco curled up in front of his legs, wrapped his flexible lithe little body up and around the boy, laid his head on the boy's shoulder and began licking the boys ears. That little boy was brighter than any lighthouse and was both laughing and crying with joy the whole time.

 

When that family left, an elderly lady in a walker stopped by with her husband to pet Draco and she told me, "I watched that whole thing. It was the sweetest thing I've seen in ages. You have a special puppy."

 

But, while very cool, that's not what was really exciting. Our little hotel was just a few blocks from the Anacortes ferry terminal. So, one morning Joan and I were taking Draco for his morning outing. We found a 3 tiered parking lot scrapped out of a little hillside. The bottom parking area wasn't as big as a football field but pretty big and surrounded by blackberry vines.

 

It seemed very, very contained. I got the thought and at the same time Joan spoke it, "What if we tried letting him have a little time off leash?" I immediately agreed.

 

Wow, what a moment. What a huge decision that has to be made at some time. "Should I drop the leash?" We were in a strange place, relatively safe. The only danger, the road to the ferry, was several hundred feet away. So, we dropped the leash.

 

Every thing went amazingly well -- for about 10 seconds. About that point he put it all together and he bolted. As fast as he could fly, Draco took off heading directly for the road. Our panic was about a 9 on the Richter Scale. Joan was calling and I dug in my pocket and pulled the dog whistle out and gave it a toot.

 

He stopped. Looked around. Thought about it. And came running back. We made sure he was well praised for coming back.

 

Happy hour came early that day!!

 

 

He doesn't always get to go out front to help Joan water her garden out front but he will watch the whole process. A couple of pictures.

 

Draco_Watches_1.jpg

 

Draco_Watches_2.jpg

 

~~~~

 

We are looking forward to the Gathering. We'll arrive mid-afternoon on Saturday with two grandkids, two dogs and lots of chips for everyone to eat!!

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Gee Gib, your story had me all teary-eyed. As Linda says, there is a reason they are called Medicine Dogs, and you just found it.

 

Your question about Calcium: Kim and I have recently been talking about this very subject. Calcium tastes like chalk, and not easy to administer, but I have recently found a product that includes extra calcium for pups, sent some to Kim, and I look forward to seeing how it has worked for him. I am quite pleased with it. It is the Missing Link Puppy Health Formula.

 

We also had to deal with the off leash issue, while we were visiting my father, last weekend. We had to deal with it in his yard, and then again, on our property.

 

Your whistle is a perfect example of getting their attention. Glad it worked. Also, there comes a time, when you have to try it, and trust them to be the pack animals that we keep talking about. Easy to say, but when the moment comes, to turn your back and start walking away, hoping they follow, it is a much stickier wicket.

 

One point I'll bring up, for you to ponder, is that when you let your dog off leash, you were probably watching him. He was the center of attention. That happens in the venue you chose--a large open space. When you are being the alpha, you don't look to him, but have to turn that around, so that he is looking at you.

 

If you choose a wide open field, a ball or a frisbee will help to keep his attention focused on you. Try, next time, to have something he wants. Even so, you have to be aware of when he is getting tired of that game, and make the choice to switch it up, before he does. Checking out smells and trails usually gets their attention, so if I look interested in a hole in the grass, they usually come up to see what it is.

 

Hiking has worked very well for us. The scenery is changing, so no time to get bored, and we are constantly moving. This last time, up on the property, we walked as far as I wanted, but he was still following elk/bear/deer/ cow trails. I whistled, got his attention, and gave him the signal for turning around. Then I had to turn my back and start walking. There were those moments of panic, not knowing if he was following, but I forced myself to not turn around to look at him. Pretty soon he came running by me, on the trail, to take the lead.

 

It's a very interesting and empowering thing to take the alpha role, but as Kim has told us so many times, if you do, they will follow.

 

I breathed a sigh of relief, I can tell you. Lots of cougar, this year.

 

Anyway, I have had to really pull myself up by the bootstraps to take the alpha role with these dogs, and it is a continuous process, and I still have a long way to go toward being the leader that I would like. However, I am amazed by how well, even my pitiful efforts work.

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  • 2 months later...

I've put this post in this forum because I am so far behind wanting to Reply to so many new and interesting posts. This is about Draco, so I'll just put it here.

 

But first I'll do a little catching up with all those posts. Here goes: Welcome. Great photos. Beautiful dog. Sorry. Excellent. Us, too. No, not Draco. For those who asked, "Yes." And for those who didn't: "No."

 

I think there were a few more posts I wanted to comment on but that catches me up!! ;)

 

~~~~

 

Draco is getting to be a big boy!! We weighed him last weekend and he's 55 pounds!! Can that be correct? We thought we heard that his parents (Shappa & Fancy Dancer) were both right at 40 pounds...

 

As long-timers know and new-times will learn -- we were matched with our perfect dog. Draco and his 3 litter mates just turned 8 months old. Jumping up is an almost non-existent and rarely reoccurring event. (Loose) Leash training is ongoing and has it's really bad days and some better days.

 

Draco is an excellent observer and sometimes hilariously so. He goes to daycare because Joan and I both work in situations in which (for now) we can't have him with us. When all three of us get home, one of the first things he does is scope out the back yard for differences.

 

You know, like those picture puzzles where six things are different and you have to try to find them. A couple of weeks ago, after he left for school, we moved a couple of bags of potting soil out by the back garden. As soon as Draco looked out, he saw them and the stalking began. Slowly. Slowly. Approach slowly. Jump.

 

He only looked mildly embarrassed when the bag of soil didn't react to his bumping, tore open a corner of the bag only to find -- dirt.

 

Sunday night, we had a pretty good wind/rain storm come through. So, Monday after "work" Draco gets home and sees a few large branches blown from the fir trees. Those weren't there yesterday so they deserve a good barking.

 

Joan took him out there and kicked the branch. Draco had approached slowly behind here and when she kicked the branch and it MOVED. Draco must have jumped three feet in the are, turned a half-circle and came down in a frenzy. Once he got a good whiff of it, he pretty much decimated that old branch for having startled him!!

 

We tried not to laugh. He was being exactly the kind of watch dog we want.

 

He loves his climbing.

Draco__s_Tree_Small.jpg

 

Because the hill falls away under him, where he sits is about 12 feet above the ground below him. He loves the view from there!!

 

A little over a month ago, a couple of dear friends got married in our back yard. As a thank you gift, they had an artist relative paint a portrait of Draco. What do you think?

 

Draco_Painting.jpg

 

Here's a link to Angie's website: http://www.artbyangie.com/index.html

 

Here's a link to Draco's page on her website: http://www.cafepress.com/petartbyangie/7383418

 

The whole range of products, eh? Angie is a true dog lover. If anyone decides to use her, tell her Joan and I sent you.

 

OK. That's enough for now.

 

Keep the pictures, stories, training tips, etc. coming. Time after time when talking to people about this breed, we mention the forum of other AI Dog owners. I don't think we've met one other dog owner that has that kind of specific wealth of information and understanding for their breed.

 

We are very fortunate to have found these dogs and each other!

 

Blessings all.

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Welcome back Gib. I have missed your terrific posts. It's great to see Draco, and learn about his growth and activities. What a great looking dog. Hope all going well with you all. ;)

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It's difficult to believe he has grown that much! Love the photo and the painting, and especially love the description of his stick attack.

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wowo he has grown I think he a surpassed Malachi and I thought he wa big he is three inches talled and longer than Snake poor Snake looks like a miget :D

 

 

I've put this post in this forum because I am so far behind wanting to Reply to so many new and interesting posts. This is about Draco, so I'll just put it here.

 

But first I'll do a little catching up with all those posts. Here goes: Welcome. Great photos. Beautiful dog. Sorry. Excellent. Us, too. No, not Draco. For those who asked, "Yes." And for those who didn't: "No."

 

I think there were a few more posts I wanted to comment on but that catches me up!! ;)

 

~~~~

 

Draco is getting to be a big boy!! We weighed him last weekend and he's 55 pounds!! Can that be correct? We thought we heard that his parents (Shappa & Fancy Dancer) were both right at 40 pounds...

 

As long-timers know and new-times will learn -- we were matched with our perfect dog. Draco and his 3 litter mates just turned 8 months old. Jumping up is an almost non-existent and rarely reoccurring event. (Loose) Leash training is ongoing and has it's really bad days and some better days.

 

Draco is an excellent observer and sometimes hilariously so. He goes to daycare because Joan and I both work in situations in which (for now) we can't have him with us. When all three of us get home, one of the first things he does is scope out the back yard for differences.

 

You know, like those picture puzzles where six things are different and you have to try to find them. A couple of weeks ago, after he left for school, we moved a couple of bags of potting soil out by the back garden. As soon as Draco looked out, he saw them and the stalking began. Slowly. Slowly. Approach slowly. Jump.

 

He only looked mildly embarrassed when the bag of soil didn't react to his bumping, tore open a corner of the bag only to find -- dirt.

 

Sunday night, we had a pretty good wind/rain storm come through. So, Monday after "work" Draco gets home and sees a few large branches blown from the fir trees. Those weren't there yesterday so they deserve a good barking.

 

Joan took him out there and kicked the branch. Draco had approached slowly behind here and when she kicked the branch and it MOVED. Draco must have jumped three feet in the are, turned a half-circle and came down in a frenzy. Once he got a good whiff of it, he pretty much decimated that old branch for having startled him!!

 

We tried not to laugh. He was being exactly the kind of watch dog we want.

 

He loves his climbing.

Draco__s_Tree_Small.jpg

 

Because the hill falls away under him, where he sits is about 12 feet above the ground below him. He loves the view from there!!

 

A little over a month ago, a couple of dear friends got married in our back yard. As a thank you gift, they had an artist relative paint a portrait of Draco. What do you think?

 

Draco_Painting.jpg

 

Here's a link to Angie's website: http://www.artbyangie.com/index.html

 

Here's a link to Draco's page on her website: http://www.cafepress.com/petartbyangie/7383418

 

The whole range of products, eh? Angie is a true dog lover. If anyone decides to use her, tell her Joan and I sent you.

 

OK. That's enough for now.

 

Keep the pictures, stories, training tips, etc. coming. Time after time when talking to people about this breed, we mention the forum of other AI Dog owners. I don't think we've met one other dog owner that has that kind of specific wealth of information and understanding for their breed.

 

We are very fortunate to have found these dogs and each other!

 

Blessings all.

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you mean he's gotten bigger than he was at the gathering? yikes

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you mean he's gotten bigger than he was at the gathering? yikes

 

You can say that again!! Yikes!!

 

He doesn't look "fat" to us and we exercise the crap out of him!! He comes home tired from daycare and takes a quick nap. After that, we've got him for about 4 hours before bedtime. We do and re-do our basic training: sit, down, stay, etc.

 

We also do leash work. Walking in heel mode is not yet as easy as it will someday be.

 

We've tried: Caesar's slip-leash, we've tried pinch collars and we've tried a front facing chest harness. He's only 8 months old so patience and dedication to training are needed, but knowing that doesn't ease the frustrations. (Which are minor compared to any other dog I've owned.)

 

I've built a little two-beam agility course and Draco loves learning to fine-tune his balance. He laughs with joy when he runs down the little 4" wide beam.

 

Also bringing him joy these days is running on the treadmill. Yesterday morning, I got him up and somewhere on the way to the back door I lost him, went looking and there he was standing on the treadmill ready to run.

 

Last night, he set a new personal record. He ran for 5 minutes at just under 5 miles per hour. Again, he will throw up his head and look at you with the biggest smile -- almost a laugh. (We're working on getting a well-lit video to post.) Immediately after the 5 minutes, he rolled around, played a little tug and then jumped back up on the treadmill and ran another 3 minutes. Joan pushed him up over 5 miles an hour.

 

One of his really fun things to do is to just stop running and let the treadmill "toss" him off back-wards. He now lands on his feet instead of his butt and thinks that's also very funny.

 

He "crashes" about 7:00pm and mostly sleeps through the night. Sometimes we'll wake up and hear him gnawing on a chew; it seems to lull him back to sleep. So, it's become a bit comforting to us, as well.

 

I know, I know, can dog-people really find teeth-on-bone comforting!! We do.

 

Welcome all the new owners. Enjoy the ride. We've been a part of this family only since April. I have yet to see a pup I didn't think was amazing.

 

Gotta go. Work beckons.

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