Anyways, here we are today. This pups family is getting divorced and dad has to go on the road at a moments notice and mom couldn't take any pets to her new apartment. Kids are about 8-10ish and moved with mom into the apartment. They said they were taking the pup to the shelter. I said I could take him home. Last Friday night, I picked Hank up in my truck, along with his crate, a bed, and his food bowl. It was already dark and I had 5 of my own dogs in the house waiting on me. I took Hank to the fenced backyard and let him sniff around a bit (left his leash on in case I needed to grab him). I let each of my dogs out, one at a time, to meet Hank. Sadie was a little snippy and a bit of a diva about intros, Millie was okay, Ringo was overly aggressive and I had to pull them apart (but they let me), Buddy was alert but okay, Lola got him riled up just by coming out and being all razorback looking. Everyone did fairly well, given they didn't have much light so that put everyone on a little edge. Everyone did fairly well, given they didn't have much light so that put all on a little edge. This was around 8pm.
Here we are at about 9:30pm the same night.
Hank's dad said he was crated at night (instead of saying "crate" they said "load up") - he went in his crate without issue that night, little bit of moving around, but otherwise, he went right to sleep. Buddy woke me up about 5am Saturday morning to go out, and everyone but Sadie went out then and did their business. I put him back in his crate when we came back in and he went back to sleep.
Saturday morning I fed everyone (Hank in his crate, Millie in her crate, everyone else disbursed in the dining room). I needed to work on a paper for school but it was obvious that Hank was anxious and not gonna rest like everyone else does after breakfast. I moved my computer and work to the back porch, hooked Hank up with a multi-noise, vibration, shock collar (I didn't want to just throw him in the backyard with all of the other dogs and the chickens (in their coop) and Bridget (cat) on the back porch - he needed to be watched with everything). I let all of the dogs out and then proceeded to spend the next 5 hours doing my paper and watching the dogs. He really didn't do much different than I'd watched him do at his own house during the day when humans weren't around. I got my paper finished and submitted. I zapped him with about half full power of the vibration when he started sniffing around the chicken coop and looking too interested. Same thing when he'd go on point with Bridget (that might take some time if it can even work).
My boyfriend and I needed to go to the grocery store that afternoon and so we just put him in his crate, Millie gets crated when we leave, and everyone else gets left out. I watched him on video and he laid down after a bit so he doesn't appear to mind the crate that much (even though he does have tons of energy to expend). Came back and he was cool but def willing to come out. Saturday night was about the same, fed, played a little, went to bed.
Sunday morning we got up, fed the pups (which Hank was on Old Roy kibble, and I'm switching him pretty fast to Earthborn Coastal Catch kibble and Raw - so far he's had pork loin, beef heart, and chicken), then got ready to go for a run. We chose to take Lola and Hank with us. I have a hands free leash hookup so I can have 2 dogs with me. I have an extra prong collar that I fit on him (everyone wears one now when we walk/run). He still pulled pretty good for having that collar on him but I was able to manage him (he pulled more than Buddy, my male adult Weim about 75 pounds) has ever been able to on this collar). Leash walking needs work but is doable. I had him hooked to me for the first few miles and Jason ran with Lola (she's great to go running with - she just goes forward at a steady pace, no peeing on stuff, no sniffing stuff - it's a walk/run!). Last mile I took both Lola and Hank. He did fairly well - started actually slowing down a little about a mile and a half in and was more running beside me/not pulling as much the last mile. He could probably do that most days.
We spent the rest of the day at home, relaxing, playing in the backyard. I grabbed a few pics in the house:
Left to right: Sadie, Millie, Hank, Buddy, and Ringo in the back.
Skinny boy, trying to plump him up a little. Gonna get a fecal and heartworm test done asap to see if we're fighting any worms and to get him on heartworm preventive.
Hank giving Lola a kiss.
Hank likes to play fetch and he can play by himself:
Millie was already teaching him the fun of playing "hand off" with their fave rubber Chuck It balls (that I have on Subscribe and Save with Amazon b/c we're constantly losing them).
Patiently waiting for breakfast this morning:
And if anyone is wondering, that clear mat is a ScatMat (again, Amazon). It's electrified on one side with 3 settings. It keeps everyone out of the kitchen that doesn't wear shoes. It's usually on high and will make you jump if you touched it. Hank figured out what it was in the first 5 minutes he was in the house and has pretty much respected it since. I hope he doesn't talk too much to Sadie, who has recently figured out the fact it's only electrified on one side and if she flips it over, she can walk past it!
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