Wednesday, March 28, 2007

dog

Franklin the dog had a bit of adjustment. (So did I now that I think about it). He got a little clingy at first, understandably so. If one of us left the apartment, he cried a tiny bit, then sat by the door at the end of the hall until partner or I returned.

As the ice receded, he began to realize that pooping was going to have to happen on the sidewalk. Somebody told me it took their dog five days to figure that one out.

He and I had to figure out a routine where he felt comfortable around other dogs on leashes coming down the sidewalk -- I make an instand judgment whether to talk him through the moment or just pick him up till they/we pass.

People quickly learned his name -- it's a very dog-friendly building and neighborhood, and he enjoys the increased social interaction. He is a shameless ham.

He gets to see his dads a lot during the day. Since I work across the street, I get to take him out at lunch.

There is a spot of grass where I can talk him to run and smell with the leash extended, but he is not supposed to do anything on this spot, so it is a visit timed after walking the block once or twice.

Being a climber, he likes to hop on the bottom step of stoops as we walk by and then hop back down.

And occassionally, when we get to an avenue and a loud truck roars by, and we see lots of other dogs around us, he will let out a few loud barks to nothing in particular, a bit over stimulated by sound and smell and movement all at once. While I talk him back down, I can sympathize.

3 comments:

Shelley said...

Living across the street must be very nice.

Are there dog parks near you at all? And NY, such a lovely state, with so many parks.

Don said...

The dog run closest to us is all concrete. Often in the city, grass areas are fenced off to keep the dogs from killing it -- and I think there are enough dogs around to make that happen. But he and I are both adjusting!

lemming said...

There are times when I do think that Sam is barking just to bark - he needs thirty seconds of "bark therapy" and as long as he does it at, say, noon, he can back at passing trucks all he likes. :-)

So nice to have you back.