Griffin is settling to his new routine.
He is not food aggressive or protective: we can move his food bowl when he's eating. He doesn't lunge for his bowl when we put food in it; instead, he waits to be invited to eat. He doesn't like peanut butter, so we hide his pills (doxycycline and Denamarin for liver support) in meat: one decoy, two decoy, hidden pills and the last decoy. As long as he thinks there's more meat coming, he doesn't spit out the pill. He takes the meat with a gentle snap, not enough to hurt, but also sure to receive it. He's gained a little weight but still has his youthful figure. He's just not as sharply boney.
Before the snow, Griffin pulled off the path to poop. Now that there's snow up to his belly he sniffs for where he has gone before but can't get off the path. He might be a poop eater.
Griffin knows his name and usually comes when called. He is learning "down" but he came with a great "sit". He is learning to be on a towel we have put at our table while we eat but would rather be on the sofa. Paul is working on "shake" and "paw". I bring out a doggy-puzzle before bedtime. He knows there is food under the yellow cups and scratches like mad to get to it. One night he was able to pick out a cup with his teeth.
Even after 3 baths, he still scratches and bites his back end. He usually stops if I say "Grifffin, stop". While he doesn't love his bath and doesn't like going downstairs to the bathroom, he stands quietly and respectfully in the tub while Paul rubs and scrubs him. He's only a 3-towel bather. His back and belly are less red, and some hair is growing in but there is a sharp and visible line where the flea damage occurred. Above the line toward his shoulders his hair is thick and fluffy.
Griffin and Storm get along well. Sylvester isn't a fan. Yet.
Our nighttime routine is very peaceful. After a pee break, he rests with his head in Paul's lap. Paul takes him out at 8:00 then goes to his computer. After his puzzle time and a pill, Griffin and I go out for one last pee at 9:30. He heads to his bed on the floor beside my bed. He seems to know the word "bed", at least at 9:30 at night. He stays there until I get up at 5:30. An occasional scratch and bite, but he doesn't wander or talk all night.
His biggest issue (after his medical problems) is separation anxiety when his man leaves him. I am apparently chopped liver. He whines, howls, and barks for a long time at the offending door or window. Then he scratches at the door. We have built barriers to prevent damage, but I've seen nose and paw prints on the windows much higher than normal. A radio didn't seem to help. Toys with food didn't help since he's not a chewer and he doesn't seem to know what to do with chewables. If we leave a paper or rug on the floor, he poops on or near it. He may have been paper trained to help with his previous owner's long days.
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| Watching for Dad |
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