I'll Be The Alpha Dog, Dammit!

Bonding with the new dog has had it difficulties. I didn't think it would be too much of an issue, we already have a hyperactive high energy jack russell after all. The new guy though is high energy and then some. I did not know what I was letting myself in for. Old girl likes to run, and likes to rest. New boy likes to run, and run, and run, and if you don't take him he'll run away, usually to some of the neighbouring dogs taking a direct route through trees (and weeds that stick to his coat) that involves a 20 minute detour for me. Cranky ogre becomes even more of a cranky ogre. Well its not fun working 10 hour days to then run around the neighbourhood looking like the eejit who can't control his dog! Especially after he breaks the long extendable leash, that was helping to control his wandering ways.

The tactic lately has been to take new boy, and old girl on long walks (when I have the energy myself to do said walks) and get them both, but mainly new boy, suitably tired so that he doesn't run off, or listens to my call if he considers it. He's a great listener, until he decides to make a break for FREEDOM! Should have renamed him Braveheart, except he's kind of scared of things, a lot of things. Possibly a good call on the no name change.

As part of the get them tired to make bonding easier plan I took them both on a 2 hour hike to the ridge of the mountain the one morning I had no work this week. It was supposed to give more time to get on with things when we got back to the house, thus allowing me more to play bonding games later when he was less tired. He got home suitably thirsty, hungry and tired. Unfortunately he also had diarrhea that day, and there wasn't much resting going on when we spent all day going in and out, in and out, in and out the house to deal with his runny stinky poop.

Talking about stinkies, not sure why old girl is farting what smells like split pea soup on my lap. Must be the new food.

Anyway, got through that fun day of diarrhea and many walks and somehow survived without him running off that day in the process. Maybe something clicked but there hasn't been too many moments since then when he hasn't responded to calls of wait or stay when he has been tempted to get out of range, and he has been even more affectionate and needy. Let's hope. All these walks up the mountain are sure making me tired and its going to be a pain in the butt, back and legs if he's just lulling me into a false sense of control, again.

That wandering look, that spells trouble