Thingses

Cody is pure joy. I just got home from working the 3rd shift and he's there at the window to welcome me home, then immediately at the door to greet me. He barks little joyful barks, turns crazy circles, does the whole submissive play thing, tail wagging like mad, and his face is smiling ear to ear. It's flattering really! It makes me feel so special. So I take him out to pee, throw the ball for him a few times, pour myself a drink, and sit at the computer while he takes his cozy position at my feet. And here we are.

He's still puking at times from the Nupro but it's not daily anymore. He gets 1/4 scoop on his food in the am and 1/4 scoop on his food for dinner. Scott has noticed that he's a bit stiff sometimes when he wakes up and walks with a tiny bit of a limp. I don't notice it myself, but I do think the Nupro Joint Support is a great idea. Hopefully he'll tolerate it better and his body will grow accustomed to it with time.

No more tricks lately. Mom's getting used to the 3rd shift and Dad's store just opened. I think "roll over" may be next. Or possibly "shake." We'll see! Still haven't heard from Jen the obedience lady. Maybe we'll just do our own obedience stuff. Who knows! He's so smart.

Nupro - A No Go :(

Well, we decided to try Nupro Joint Support supplement after recommendations by the BrightStar GSD Rescue, where we adopted Cody. It is supposed to be top notch stuff with all sorts of vitamins, minerals, and supplements. After trying it for 3 days, Cody has puked 3 times. Once each day. I'm bummed. It's odd too, because he pukes at least 8+ hours after I give it to him on his food. A yellow liquid biley puke with no chunks. Poor guy! The only thing we've done differently is introduced the Nupro. Even with 1/2 the recommended dose just to ease him onto it, he hurled. I hope it's just the Nupro and he hasn't come down with something funky. He's been licking his paws and underbelly a bit for the past couple of weeks even before the Nupro. I'm not sure what that's about really but I haven't worried too much about it because his skin is ok and he hasn't shown any real irritation.

We bought him a bright pink lacrosse ball today to toss. He destroyed a cheapo fetch ball we bought at Wal-Mart so we've been throwing a very chewed up Cuz instead. Dad was ticked that I picked out a pink ball. He thinks it's girly! Hmph. I think it's neon pink and I'll be able to see it and not lose it in a field. Silly Daddy, Cody couldn't be girly if he tried!

That's about it. Hopefully my poor boy's belly settles and maybe I can introduce Nupro in due time, very very slowly. I really like the idea of giving it to him but if it continues to make him puke, it's a no go.

It's starting to look like Fall out there! I can't wait for gorgeous color-filled and cool Autumn walks. Mmmm....I can almost smell the fireplaces now. :)

Day 28 - Almost 1 whole month!

Cody is settled right in, though he's still having poop accidents when we're both gone. Right now I've decided that I will begin to walk him in the morning and also in the evening. Whenever he walks he poops either once or twice. I really see this working, though Mom's going to be run ragged! Oh well, I can definitely use the exercise! He's scratching a bit lately and licking the odd spot here or there. I'm keeping an eye on him for allergies to something, though it could just be him being his goofball self.

We've started to feed him the recommended amount of Canidae instead of the extra that we've been giving him. His bones are less prominent now and he only needs maybe 5-10 more lbs on him. I ordered Nupro and I'm hoping that he takes well to that. Given the jump start that he had in life for his first 4-5 years (said with hefty saracasm) I am sure he could use any nutrient he can get at this point! I'm also hoping it will help a tad with the shedding. I don't mind it truly, but I may soon have to buy stock in vacuum cleaner bags! It's nearly 1 bag a pop lately. And of course I can't buy them at the store. My vacuum requires super special microfilter bags that they will probably soon stop making! Luckily I found a fairly priced vendor on Ebay. Oh Ebay, how doth I love thee.

Looking forward to a nice cool evening at the dog park! Wish us luck. I will not make the mistake of wearing flip flops there like I did last time. Eew!

Day 24 - A Fantastic Day!

Today was a fabulous break-through kind of day for Cody. He didn't poop in the morning for Dad and didn't even poop in the afternoon. Dad was mad and just knew that Cody would poop while he was at work and before I came home. Well, he didn't! Yay! I can always tell what to expect before I open that door. If he comes to the window and peeks out to look at me when he hears me pull up, we're all clear! If he doesn't come to the window at all, uh oh, he's done something bad and he knows it. So he came to the window, I did the sniff test, and then I did the sock test to check for pee, and then I did the look in every crack and cranny test. He did great! I rewarded him with much praise and play. He was ecstatic and thrilled right along with me. It's so easy to tell that he's fueled by affection. :)

After all of that we took a quick trip to the vet to get his written heartworm prescription. I asked if I could plop him on the scale because he was told he was too skinny last time. He's gained a whopping 5 lbs since just 3 weeks ago! I'm sooooo thrilled about that. You can still see his prominent hips, shoulder blades, and ribs, but we did notice that we had to go one hole up in his collar. Just 5-10 more pounds until his ideal weight of 85-90 lbs. Maybe he'll grow into those huge feet after all! I guess the food and the amount are doing the trick. I'm so glad he's taken well to the Canidae. From what I've read about it, it's terrific stuff. His coat is already developing a nice gloss, though he's still shedding like a mad man. If anyone out there has tips for me about supplements to help with shedding, I'm all ears! He's also developing more muscle on his hind end, we're noticing. Must be from the 3-6 mile daily walks. And, of course, Dad's fetch games with sticks and the Cuz. Mom's getting in better shape too, slowly but surely. So yes. It's time to take another walk even though it's rainy outside. If he's good all week, Cody might be getting a large red rubber Kong ball to play fetch with. Since he punctured the cheap one we got a few days ago with the first bite... Doh! Won't make the cheap toy mistake again. ;)

Day 23 - Shouts Out and the Search for the Holy Groove

Cody's settling right in, but we're still searching for our proper groove. He had another accident on the carpet today - poop of all things! It always seems to be poop. So far it's winning - Poop 3 vs. Pee 1. Dad and I think we have it figured out though. Early in the morning he just isn't ready to go. Then he's fed and there's an hour gap between eating and when he has an accident. Soooo...Mom's just going to take out to pee, then feed. Dad will wake up later and take him out to go poo. Maybe the food stimulates his gut and about an hour later he has to go. Makes sense, from a purely anatomical and physiological point of view. We'll see if that works!

I'm certainly getting better at this cleaning thing. I guess black fur dust bunnies, drool flecks that catch dirt, nose smears on the window, and doggie treat crumbs everywhere will do that to ya! The floor was just vacuumed, the kitchen floor is swept and mopped. Next is the main bathroom.

I'd like to give major props to Resolve carpet cleaner. Without you I wouldn't be where I am today. I'd also like to give a big shout out to my vacuum cleaner. You've carried me through good times and bad, and even though I wish you were bagless, you're still an amazing source of inspiration. And vinegar and water spray, you are teh awesome. You are safe for Cody and he can lick you up and rub his nose and tongue on you all he wants as you bask in the glory of the sliding glass door surface. What did I do before I had a dog? I can't even remember... :)

Day Huh? Lost count. Butt Chunk!

Well, the real Cody is starting to come out. And boy he's a stinker! (We love him more than ever though, how the heck does that work!?) So far this week he's pooped TWICE on the floor. Uh, yeah. Poop on the floor. My floor. And both times were when I knew for a fact that it was poopin' time and we went for a walk around the block, went to all of his usual poop spots, and dern. He did nothing and just looked up at me with that "Ok, Mom, I'm not going. Can we go back now?" face. So yes. Then I left for work and within that 1 hour gap before Dad came home, he pooped. In the same spot right next to his bed. (What the heck...next to his bed!? What's he thinkin'?) So yeah. He's earned a middle name because I've decided that Cody is not near enough to scold with! So we call him Cody Amadeus R. Yup. And when he's really bad, I call him "Butt Chunk." Cause that's just what he is! He's eating his food better and better and now when I pour it in his bowl, he eats it within 5 minutes.

For positives, he's barking and whining less when we leave. And he does very well outside the crate if we close the door to the poopin' spot next to his bed. Not the least bit destructive. I'm about to retire the crate. It just doesn't work for him and he never goes near the thing. If I put his Cuz in there and he really wants it, he'll skulk in there real quick to get it and then race out. It's taking up some fun space that we could use for chasing the Cuz.

He's been pulling very badly lately during our walks when he spots another dog. He's strong and I'm strong too, but I hate feeling out of control of my big scary looking dog. So I've decided to use a Halti leash on him. He didn't like it much at first but he sticks his nose in it now, knowing that it means walk time. I have total control over him and he can still open his mouth comfortably as wide as he'd like to bite, drink, eat, chew his Cuz, yawn, or whatever. He obviously only wears it when he's leashed, but it's working dandy. Two thumbs up, for sure!

Day 16 - Comfy and cozy in his new home.

Today I noticed that I could stand with my legs straddling Cody and he didn't dart out of the way or appear scared or bothered by it. I've read in a few books that it's an intimidating position and that no dog likes anyone hovering above him because it makes him vulnerable. I could tell that it wasn't his favorite stance ever, but he let me scratch and rub his neck and he did just fine! This is completely breakthrough. I think we're starting to build a bit of comfort and trust here. It makes me smile real big! :)

Today he also let Dad turn him over while on his belly so he could get big belly scratches. Something that he would never have let us do before! It's so amazing to watch this relationship grow and flourish. How much can you love your dog, really? It remains to be seen.

Day 15 - Home alone and did ok!

The neighbors tell us that Cody previously would bark for about 15 minutes and then stop for about 15 minutes, and then repeat the cycle. This was in his crate. We feel awful about that and apologize profusely. So far everyone understands. If they don't, we'll just have to buy a house a bit early. Oh well. ;)

Today when we went out for lunch we decided that we'd try him on the loose again and see how everything goes. He didn't bark when we left as far as we could hear. After lunch we wanted to do some more errands but we also wanted to check to see if he was barking. We parked far from the apartment and walked up the back way so he wouldn't see us. I tiptoed and said nothing...he barked a growly bark to let us know he heard something. Other than that it was silence. Hmm! We went away for another hour and then came home, again, parking far away and sneaking up. He didn't bark until we entered the apartment hall - another growly sort of few barks. Upon entering the apartment I first gave it the sniff test for pee. My nose is great at detecting pee and I could always smell if he went in his crate all the way from the front door. He passed it. Then I did the barefoot walk test where I tromp around to feel any wetness. Nope! Nothing. The only thing that was ajar was a box of tampons that Chloe (my step-daughter) left on the ground. They were just all out of the box in a little pile. I'd say he did great! We're not making a big deal of coming or going. I've heard that being nonchalant about it really helps minimize the separation anxiety drama. I think he's a wreck while we're gone though. That or he sleeps. I felt all of his toys and they were all bone dry and without any drool so I know that he doesn't play with them.

We've already made a lot of progress with this whole leaving thing. I now trust him in the apartment alone, mostly. He's such a sweetheart. I can't wait until it gets cooler this evening so we can go for a nice long walk together. Maybe even a hike! It's tough to be nonchalant about coming home. I just want to give him a huge neck rub, scratch his belly, and play "fetch the Cuz" with him right away! He's also into a game lately I like to call "Jolly Ball attack!" I hold the handle of the ball and he bites it, all snarly-like, and shakes it around and around trying to make me let go of it. It's hilarious and he never gets violent, growls, or does anything that isn't super friendly and fun. What a great personality our guy has. He's the best!

Day 14 - Home alone trial successful

Today I went grocery shopping and decided to try Cody at home alone with just the bedroom and bathroom doors shut. If he decided to chew our lovely leather couch...so be it. Well he did great! No pee, no chewing, and seemingly a lot less stress. He didn't bark when I left and he wasn't barking when I came home either. Though, of course, he made it over obvious that he was real happy to see me! Maybe the whole crate thing just isn't for him. He's probably spent most if not all of his 5 years crate-bound. Why would he like the thing, really? So from now on, it's free roam until proven otherwise. Wish us luck!

Day 13 - More pee. Darn!

Well, Cody peed the crate yet again today. The smell of urine was so strong that I smelled it when I walked in the door. I took him out when I came home and then proceeded to give him a bath. At least if there is a bright side to all this, he's getting more used to baths! I didn't have to force him into the shower. He actually walked in on his own accord, ears slicked back, and sad look on face though. I need to make more of my 10% bleach solution to clean out the crate with. Poor guy. I'm not really sure what's the proper thing to do. It's not a time thing or a oh-my-gosh-I-have-to-pee-really-bad thing. He was only alone for 3 hours today. I still really believe that it's because of the neglect he received earlier in life. I don't think it can be undone. The lady who owned him before he was seized by the Humane Society kept her dogs in awful conditions with urine and feces everywhere. I don't believe he knows any different and he's just used to lying on a nasty crate floor. Sad, isn't it?

Even if I have to clean the crate daily and bathe him weekly...he's the best guy ever. I tell him that all the time! We had a nice long walk today and played fetch the Cuz for about an hour tonight. He's sleeping next to my feet as I write this, all pooped out! He's graduated to sitting on command now as long as I have his focus. If there's another dog or person there, forget it. He's really coming along though! I'm excited. Word on obedience classes is that they'll begin this October. Perfect timing for us really. By then we'll all be in a routine and it will be time to learn some new fun stuff.