Cooper: End of week 9

The boy is getting a bit feisty when he's out of his crate for a play break. He's very curious and wants to explore every corner of the house. He goes to the toy box and digs to find the one he wants.  He throws balls around and pounces on them.  He tears the fuzzy cover off tennis balls.  He loves to roll on his back and wiggle around, especially on Remington's bed.
I'm much more careful to keep my thumb away from his leash.  Nothing to do but wait for it to mend. Removeable splint helps. I can almost bend it back to normal.

Cooper can walk very nicely on leash (usually homewards), but he can also pull like an elephant. His other trick is to wrap us both in his leash to get me to go in his direction. We'll need more leash-walking exercise.
He stands so nicely to be groomed, including nail trims. He can do uncarpeted stairs but we don't let him yet.
Next week is this final treatment in 2 parts. I can not wait for this to be over so we can see what the real Cooper can do with a run in the greys' fenced yard and chansing balls in the basement. 

Cooper: end of week 7

Where has the time gone?  This boy is making good progress toward his new life.  He doesn't complain about going into his crate.  He only complains if he thinks he is being unfairly left out of an activity.  Then he howls and cries like a quivery-lipped toddler. That's the only time he makes any noise. He has begun to settle by himself after a while, but Buddy, the babysitter, helps. We are still working on "wait".  I can get 10-12 feet away as long as I don't go behind him or disappear altogether. "Here" and "sit/down" are coming along as well.  He came to me from 20 feet while studying a chipping sound in the woodpile.  No off-leash work, however.
Remember the old logic problem about getting 4 animals across a river without 2 of them eating each other?  (or a variation) We solve that problem daily as we keep a door between Remington and Cooper.  It's not a problem when 2 of us are walking 4 dogs, but when one human is away, we have to plan ahead. Cooper spends much of the day in the living room crate so he can see us. Remington wanders between the Carriage House and the living room. Gambol is free ranging and will to go on any walk but stays with me if he thinks I'm going. We keep Buddy with Cooper as a soother. Remington can't walk with Cooper. Then, Cooper is in his living room crate and Remington is lounging on Paul's living room chair.  So, put Remington in the bedroom (and hope he doesn't hop on the bed.) Take G, B, and C  for their short walk up and down the top of the driveway.  Return B and C to the breezeway and crate C Let R out of the bedroom and take him and G on their long meadow walk and hope that B can keep C quiet so his heart rate doesn't spike.  Whew!
On Cooper's out-of-crate free time, he loves to flop on his back and wiggle. He knows where his toy box is and enjoys anything his can toss around. They don't have to squeak. He's a big chewer and loves his Kong bone. He can do uncarpeted steps easily, although we discourage that for now. He hasn't marked in the house for weeks, although I still don't trust him yet.
I can't say that this treatment has affected his behavior or his personality at all. He doesn't seem to know he's sick.
I got my thumb on the wrong side of Cooper's leash as he saw a shadow on our last pee break. He usually just walks out the door calmly.  Not this time. Very painful and blue.