Garden Helper and Toy Pig

Sam continues to come out of shell, every day being a new adventure! One of the biggest changes we have seen in the past week is his discovery of TOYS! Oh my goodness, he LOVES toys! We have quite a collection since Tasha is a big fan, although she has her favorites and pretty much sticks to those. Not Sam. He loves all toys and it has become a daily ritual to pull just about every toy out of the basket and play with each one for about 5 minutes before going back and picking out a new one. Now if I can just teach him to put them back. As I type, he has pulled out about 4 or 5 now and leaves them laying about here and there. I think the first time he discovered the squeakers, he squeaked non stop for at least 10 minutes. Tasha was looking at me the whole time with a desperate look of "make him stop!"

They continue to get to know each other and Tasha is becoming more comfortable with him, even when he is testing her patience.

The other big discoveries this week are the joys of digging (Oh boy, spring gardening is going to be interesting). He only digs when I am, but wow, he can do some serious damage in a hurry. Good thing he listens when I tell him to stop. We missed the shot, but when he emerged from his hole, his snout and eyebrows were covered in dirt, it was super cute, even if he was being a bit naughty.

He has learned that he likes the furniture and that it makes a super comfy place to sleep. the couch is a new favorite in addition to Sadie's chair. That is bittersweet for us as we still miss Sadie so much, but as our dogs do, we try and live in the moment. We know Sadie would have shared her chair, so must we.


He did really well with the family over Thanksgiving and while he still felt more secure in his kennel with the crowd, he did eventually come out and mingle with the crowd.
We were highly amused that Tasha, who has never been kenneled, has become curious about this place that Sam hangs out and as of late, deposits his latest favorite toys. When he was off doing something else, we caught her checking out his digs ( and his toy stash).
And of course, we still hide her favorite toy from him when she is not playing with it.

Firsts and Bonding

We are on day five now with our sweet Sammy boy and he continues to blossom. He is really starting to relax now and realizing he is home.
While the shelter gave our boy a bath before he came to us, he still smelled like shelter. The rescue coordinator that brought him to us warned it may take a few baths to get past that unique odor. We brought out the big guns, well, not really, just our usual fair and who wouldn't want maximum huggability?
The ol pro went first and showed Sam the ropes...
"see Sam, this isn't too bad, AND we get cheese!"
Cheese was indeed helpful, as was having a second set of hands. Sam doesn't like water we learned and we played a game of slippery rodeo dog. He escaped out of the bath in about 30 seconds, but we did get him back in and clean. He learned that the actual bathing part isn't so bad, just a nice good smelling massage. We really tried to make it a pawsitive experience for him and I definitely think the cheese helped. Once toweled off, things got even better, as he got to give peanut butter a go in his kong. He REALLY likes peanut butter.

Once we all had some time to recover from baths, we went on our evening stroll to the park. We are still waiting for Tasha and Sam to actually play, but they are really starting to bond. Keeping close to one another on walks.

While we were out, we saw that the neighborhood longhorns were out. Tasha is absolutely fascinated by them and was even bold enough earlier this week (our last solo walk before Sam arrived) to sniff noses with all three. She thought she would introduce Sam to her buddies, but he wasn't so sure about them.
Tasha has a love of "stalking" the bushes and Sam has been quick to copy her. Watching them do this in tandem is absolutely precious.

It brings such joy to my heart to see that the sad, broken spirited eyes that met mine for the first time not even a week ago, have softened to contentment and security.

Emerging

Like the little caterpillar coming out of it's cocoon, our Sammy boy is starting to blossom into a sweet and curious boy. It's been 48 hours since he came home to us and I am already finding so much joy in getting to know him. He is a quick learn and is already falling into the routine of our home. He does love meal times...poor guy is very skinny right now..he is a submissive dog and living in a shelter environment with, I am guessing, group feedings, he had to eat fast in hopes of getting a full meal. It makes my heart so sad. He is really enjoying his chicken, I just hope one day in the future, he won't feel the need to eat as quickly as possible.
Shortly after I went to bed last night, the hubby came and got me up so that I could see that our boy had found a bone and had taken it back to his crate to brush his teeth. It warms my heart that he is starting to feel like part of the family, that he can take a toy (which I don't think he knows much about them) and not feel threatened. It is especially endearing to me because my soul dog, Buddha, used to do the very same thing every night. It was what lulled me to sleep.
I was pleased this morning to see him coming out of his crate more and exploring. He is a smart boy and already knows that the utility room is where the frig is that has their food. It was the first place in the house that he felt comfortable wandering to. He likes to go there a lot. My husband mentioned we may have to rename it the "noms" room! He also has figured out that he can get on the counter and in the kitchen sink...he is learning quickly that that is a no no with a snap and a "no." I don't think I have ever had a dog that catches on so quickly. It's neat. Of course we also realized we may be changing our door knobs soon if he figures out how to open the doors. He has a nose like our beagle used to have and can sniff out anything remotely tasty.
He is getting comfortable investigating the backyard and likes his walks, although I will be so happy when he doesn't cower when I get the leash. I know it will take time for him to realize that he is home forever.
Tasha is warming up to him slowly. It's been a lot of change for her recently and I know she is still grieving Sadie, as we all are..but Sam is a great distraction. He has been a complete gentleman with her, giving her the space she needs to accept him. There was a "drive my" nose sniffing this morning and they did some exploring in closer proximity in the yard today.
They always do well on walks together and she let him "lean" into her today as they walked. Sweet quirk, he likes to be very close to me or Tasha when we walk.
More to come soon. Here are a few shots of today's adventures.

Healing the Heart and Saving a Life

The last several weeks have been quiet as we have all been learning to adjust to life without our sweet Sadie. Tasha took it really hard, as they were best friends, and Tasha has never been without a pack. For the last few weeks, when she sat in the living room, she would watch the front door and wait for her best friend to return. It's been hard. All of our hearts have been broken.
We knew we needed to find a companion for our lil girl and it has been a good distraction from the grief. We have poured through petfinder looking for a glimmer of who might be the right dog for our family. We've been to adopt and pets and one rescue brought several dogs to us for Tasha to take for a "test drive." She's pretty picky about the canine company she keeps, so the right temperament has been important.
So, Sunday night, we met him....the new addition that was meant to be in our pack. His story is that he was found wandering on a country road in the middle of nowhere and has lived the last year and a half at a shelter. He's about 3-4 years old and is way too skinny....but his eyes are soulful and his spirit gentle and submissive. Once we met him and got Tasha's paw of approval, we could not get him home fast enough.
Finally last night, our boy came home. Overwhelmed, scared and already worn out from getting shots and a bath before he was brought to us. We had his crate waiting for him, which was a blessing as it seems that it was familiar and comfortable with the added bonus of being inside, something we learned he has most likely never experienced. We had to coax him in from the backyard when we took him out to potty but once he figured out that he got to stay inside, it's hard to get him outside. He slept hard his first night...a lot to take in. We just can't wait to show him the life of a dog in our home. Tasha is still not actively engaging him, but doesn't mind him either ( a big thing for her). We look forward to all of the new adventures and for a while, my garden blog may be more of a dog blog..but I can't think of a better forget me not.
Welcome home Sam!!