First week in a home
Enzo is doing surprisingly well in our home. As with all new dogs, we keep a 10′ drag (24/7 leash) on him for convenience and safety. At night he sleeps in our bedroom in a crate next to the resident dogs’ beds; during the day he has the run of most of the house. We take him out at least every couple of hours, and monitor our dogs with him closely. He has his own dinner bowl and place for it. He learned the routine quickly, caused no problems, did not mark, and only had a couple of accidents– at least one of which I am certain he wanted to go out, but didn’t know how to tell us.
And he is sociable. I expected based on his behavior in boarding that he would be evasive and hiding most of the time. Instead he wants to be with me, and doesn’t seem to feel it necessary to run away when I walk by, unless it looks like I might try to touch him. He greets me when I come home from away, and once…
Aww. That’s certainly what I felt. But Enzo is not usually this cuddly. I believe there are two factors at work here. First, he is learning to be invited onto the bed, and that it is ok to be there. Mild discomfort is not a reason to be allowed to jump off. And second, he has only been with us for three days at this point, and I am the only familiar thing around, presumably representing some degree of predictability and safety. All that aside, he chose to lie in that particular spot, perhaps showing his potential.