October 1, 2007
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We Name New Dog and He Responds
We found out (by looking closely) that New Dog’s rabies tag was issued this year in Virginia of all places. So The Beast wanted to find out if the neighbor, who had told us she had left a message on the owners phone, had actually called Virginia or if she had gotten a local number. We didn’t have to trek over to her house because she stopped by in her van with her kids after picking them up at school to tell us she had heard from the *owners*. It turns out that they told her she had to have copied down the number of the tag wrong because they didn’t own a dog remotely like New Dog and had never even BEEN to the State of Alabama. So she figured she just might have copied it wrong since New Dog was so antsy when she was trying to copy the number. She stopped by to see if we still had the dog and get the correct number and try again.
The Beast was a bit relieved because he is developing a real fondness for New Dog and insisted we had to call him a name. I suggested Patches but he prefers Patch since he does have patches of various colors (including the blue….and I mean BLUE with a capitol B). I knew where this would ultimately lead once my niece, Tara, told us that she wasn’t allowed to have a dog or cat on her lease. The Beast just had *that look* in his eyes, which he tried very hard (but not quickly enough) to hide.
Patches absolutely REFUSED, and I mean almost violently, to enter the house when the Beast wanted to take him out front on the leash to work with him on a couple commands he seems to be unfamiliar with at all. Like *stay* and even *sit*. We are trying to get him to not be excited when we bring out food to him because he tends to gulp it down and that is not good for any dog. Baron has mastered becoming calm and staying until he’s told *ok*. This dog is at least a couple months older than Baron so we figured he should learn, too.
Patches is very good on a leash although we don’t think he was too familiar with one before we introduced him to it the other day. But he would NOT come into the house at all so the Beast had to walk him to the gate out of the yard and out front. I kept thinking ….maybe it’s a good thing……I don’t think our house is big enough for two human beings and two rather large dogs to live in during the winter. Baron, as a doberman and without any undercoat, cannot be an outside dog so we’re kind of stuck there. But Patches has a nice undercoat and is definitely an outdoor breed.
We did a little research on the web at the AKC site (Thanks Sis *D* for suggesting it). Guess I am suffering a bit from *oldtimers* since it didn’t just jump to mind when we were trying to figure out what breed/mix of dog Patches might be. Turns out that one major part of him is Australian Cattle Dog. In fact, we found a picture of one that the face looks JUST like Patches. But there is something else in the mix because he is going to be larger than the typical cattle dog. However, with all the cattle located in and around our town, it would make sense that someone would have a dog like him. I’m still fascinated by all the blue in his coat. It almost look like he had blue paint spilled on him at one time and a lot of it just never came off. Weird to me since I have never seen a dog with actual blue on him before we bathed him. His coat looks wonderful now. Its amazing what some good doggie shampoo and water will do for the looks of an animal.
Anyway, the *look* the Beast had on his face was confirmed when he took out the larger, heavier crate we had bought in Chicago (it’s sturdier but much heavier than the one we are using for Baron but that one was figured more for traveling with the dog). He shifted things around in the garage and put the crate/kennel/cage, whatever you want to call it, up. He then went out to *pick up a couple chew bones for the boys* and returned home with a special rug for the outside dog house and a new bed pad for the OTHER kennel. I said to him…..well, I guess I know what you are planning. He said, “well, if the people don’t return the call or can’t afford to have him returned, we can keep him in the garage this winter. He’s got a double coat, would be out of the wind and I can keep the heat on around 50 or 60 degrees for him” I just gave him MY look. As much as I like Baron having a play companion, I would prefer that the companion lived with a friend, relative or neighbor and we could have *play dates* to help drain off some energy. I can see traveling with ONE dog but not with two and our travel trailer is even smaller than our house so…..well, you can see the problems I can visualize.
But, I am just going to wait and see what happens with the neighbors search for the owners. She doesn’t want us to turn the dog into Animal Control but she also has three kids and no fenced yard. I’m not sure if the Beast told her he was considering keeping Patches if he isn’t claimed but I have a hunch he might have. We shall see what happens and let the dice fall where they may. It will just mean some major adjustments (of which the Beast is clueless) on MY future travel plans, that’s for sure.
Well, I just made up a batch of rice and got that put away. Now I have to cut up the chicken I boiled up, put it away and strain and store the juice from that to mix up with the kibble for the *boys*. I’ll be using up the last of the old stuff for their dinner in a bit so I preferred to have everything ready for mixing tomorrow. I won’t mix the chicken with the rice because it seems to make it smell funny after a few days even being kept refrigerated all the time. I can vary what I add also. I know they are just animals but, even wild dogs don’t eat the same thing all the time. They eat what they can catch and kill. At least I’m not feeding them RAW meat !
Well, have a great day everyone. Hope your weather was as nice as ours (cool nights, temperate days and lots of sun for a change).
Love you all.
