Day 299 - Whose Birthday is it Anyway?

lovely pair

Wow...just...wow!  It's early days, of course, but so far this dog hasn't put a foot wrong...

We spent the afternoon at the Training Centre, talking about Robin's history, and studying his interactions with a couple of other dogs, one of whom we might also take.

He was playful and energetic and fun...but he does like to be first - he wants dibs on his toys, and he wants dibs on any fuss that's going. 

The organisation are very honest about all his behaviours, his history, and any incidence of bad behaviour.

Robin has a little bit of a record of disobedience, an occasional tendency to be over-protective of whatever he considers to be a high value item, and a previously serious problem with caprophagia (basically, he eats his own poo!).

These have led to him being rehomed a couple of times (not through any fault of his own), and he's had a generally varied life, living with several sets of carers and fosters...which means he's quite used to different environments, but with conflicting stories about his compliance. 

All of which added up to us leaving with some minor anxiety about the challenges we may have to face.

So we left with him at around 4.45pm, and took him out to the car.  He hopped straight in the back quite happily, and allowed me to clip him in.

On the journey home he just lay down and stayed quiet until we stopped, when he sat up to have a look around.

He sat patiently for Anna to unclip him to get him out of the back of the car, and he greeted our neighbour in a lovely, gentle, friendly way. 

We walked him down the lane and he was very responsive, coming to us when we called, waiting when asked, and barely putting any pressure on the lead at all...he had a poo and made no attempt whatsoever to eat it - he paid it no attention at all.

At home, we brought him into the kitchen and he sniffed around interestedly, and glanced at, then ignored Loz, who'd come to see what was going on.

We took him into the lounge on a short lead, where again he was cool and calm.

Within an hour of bringing him into our home, this is how relaxed the atmosphere was...

early negotiations

He's interested in the cats, but not in a bad way, just mild curiosity and a hint of playfulness - he play bowed for Loz (who wasn't having any of it!)...

I recalled him being quite a large dog, then when we first met him again this afternoon, I was surprised that he wasn't that big...and then we got him home.

Within two minutes of him being in the kitchen with us, we were remarking how huge he is - in the familiar confines of our house, that 20-25% more of him than there was of Jazz and Bluez is very noticeable indeed...

We left him in the kitchen when we had our tea in the lounge, and when we went back to him 20 minutes later, he was curled up in the bed I'd left in there...

As I'm typing this, he's lying dozing on the rug behind me...

birthday boy

And he's lying at Anna's feet, with Loz dozing on Anna's lap.

Whatever issues he may or may not have (or have had), he is perfectly capable of being a lovely, calm, friendly, responsive dog...

Anyway, it's Robin's birthday today, and Anna's birthday tomorrow...

Yet it feels like mine!

:-)