One whole week of Zeke!

Hello again everybody!

I've been at my new home now for a week already! Can you believe it? I'm doing pretty good, and am settling in nicely with my new family. I had a little bit of a rough go because I was so scared of everything. But, my anxiety is lessening by the day and I'm starting to think it's OK to try some new things. I'm still a little scared of the chuckit toy, but I think it's kinda fun to chase the ball. My dad has been working on getting me to bring it back and "drop it" but why would I want to do that after I just went and got it? Hmmm... My mom says that I'm finally learning how to play. Sometimes I grab my hedgehog or my duck and I run as fast as I can around the house making them squeek. Other times I just mouth them, or carry them with me. My mom and dad laugh when I play, and lot's of times they will even play with me. When I'm tired, I like to tuck my toys under my chin and take a nap with them.

At first I wouldn't go in the bathroom for anything, but now I've decided it isn't so bad, it's warm in there after mom takes a shower. My mom and dad were really relieved to find out that I'm not a chewer, and I don't dig either. Mom and Dad say WOO HOO! I also learned how to sit. This was not my very favorite thing in the world, but I do it even though sometimes there is no treat involved. My dad said I was really resistant to it for some reason. I also am learning how to come, stay, laydown and shake. These are coming along nicely and I'm at about 50-60% (sometimes after several cues) of doing it all the time. I also figured out what "out of the kitchen" means. I test my mom sometimes by sneaking over the carpet line and onto the linoleum when I think she isn't looking. Hee Hee. I guess counter surfing is a no-no, and so is getting in the garbage. I'm still tempted to do these things and sometimes I even still get caught. My mom and dad say that I'm quite the little escape artist. I get out of my kenel any way I can find. My dad cabled the whole thing shut though so I couldn't get out anymore, but I sure fooled him! Then my mom put cinder blocks around all of my escape places and today was the first time I stayed in. Usually when mom came home to check on me I was sitting on the back deck, waiting. Mom did find me one day over at Mimi and Grandpa's house, where I was laying in the kennel with Nike and Hannah. I just really like to be where everyone else is. One of my favorite things to do is sit with my mom when she reads her book. Sometimes she even lets me sit in the chair with her! Dad likes to do stuff outside, and I just tag along with him where ever he decides to go. My brother and sister cat things (Calvin and Mama) are starting to like me a little better. Sometimes I think it's fun to chase them, but only until they chase me back. I don't like it when they hiss at me, it's scarry! Sometimes Calvin lets me lay by the fire with him, but only if I'm really quiet. And sometimes if I sit really still the Mama kitty will come up and sniff me but then when I move she runs away from me.

I got tutored this week, which my mom and dad say is a good thing although I'm not so sure. I also had a BB/pellet removed from my right shoulder. I have three stiches in there and so I have to wear a shirt because otherwise I scratch it and make it bleed. I could really care less about wearing a shirt, as long as it's not pink. My mom put a sock on me at first, and I really didn't mind that either. The bummer part is I can't go out and play like I want to. Mom says I have to heal a little more first. Oh! I gained some weight! I'm at 75 pounds now. My ribs still show and my hip bones still stick out pretty far, but I'm looking a little better. My mom says she's glad I'm not shedding so bad anymore. The vet says that she is not sure the scar on my forehead is going to go away so I might have a bald spot there forever, but that's OK. The vet made fun of my snaggle teeth and my overbite too (my overbite is about 1/2 inch wide, and my bottom teeth are crooked). Sometimes I have a little bit of a hard time grabbing things because my teeth are so gnarly, so I usually grab them from the sides. Which reminds me... I'm learning how to take nice. My mom doesn't really like it when my teeth accidentally touch her fingers. That's a no-no too.

Well, all in all I'm doing pretty good!

Love,

Zeke (or Zeekers when dad's not listening)

Zeke Comes Home!

Hello Everybody!

My name is Zeke, and I'm somewhere between 1 and 2 years old. Today my mom and dad came and got me from the doggy clink. I didn't really like it much in there, it was cold and noisy. My mom and dad said they picked me because I was mellow for my pedigree. I just like to hang out and be where everybody else is. I also like to sit on laps even though my Grandpa and Mimi say I'm too big. I really thought the car ride home was fun, especially when we stopped at a pet store! My mom and dad are pretty sure I've never been in a pet store before. As a matter of fact, I haven't been really anywhere but the pound (oh and the little trip out of my yard I took to get there). I was there because I don't have any manners, that's what my mom says anyways. My dad says come on I know you know how to "SIT," but really I have no idea what that means. Actually I don't really know what anything means yet. I'll keep you posted as I start to figure some stuff out. My old name was Beau, but my mom and dad changed it because they said it sounds too much like NO. My Mimi says my new name fits me well.

I'm a little bit of a fraidy cat. I'm scared of even the littlest things. My new brother and sister are 2 cats. They make funny noises, and one of them even bit me when I was sniffing it's face. I don't really know if I like them quite yet, maybe if I lick them they will like me. Maybe not. I also am scared of the computer, my mom riding on the lawn mower, my dad's tools, and pretty much anything else that makes noise. I don't really like it when I get left by myself. When that happens, I cry. I have some scratches from the doggy jail, particularly one big one on my forehead (my dad wanted to name me Dent), one on my ear, and a bunch on my legs. My mom says I'm way too skinny. I weigh about 65 pounds, but you can see all of my ribs and all of my muscles. But, I do like to eat so it shouldn't take long to fatten me up.

I also like this really neat toy my mom and dad got for me. It's a hedgehog. I have a duck toy too! My dad threw some balls for me and I chased them but after that I'm not really sure what to do next. Dad thinks I'll get it with some time and patience. Mom says that she just likes that I'm a snuggle bug. I even get to sit in the chair (and on mom's lap), although I haven't been able to worm my way up onto the couch yet. The place that I get to sleep is like a big cave with a warm bed in it. I'm not sure I'm going to like it, but mom says I have to until I'm all the way potty trained. I guess it will work. My mom also says that I have some junk that needs to be gotten rid of. I don't know what that means, but I hope she doesn't get rid of my toys.

I met my Grandpa and Mimi today for Grandpa's birthday party. At first I was a little hesitant, there was a lot of people there. My grandpa is nice and he even said that when I gain some weight he will take me for a run. My Mimi feeds me table scraps even though my mom and dad say I'm not supposed to have them. She also gives really good hugs. I also met Lindsey, Hunter, Gavin, Aunt Vicki, Cody and Steve. Everybody ate dinner, and I just laid on the floor. My mom said she was really proud of me. Then everybody sang. What's that about anyways? That Hunter kid was pretty nice, and the Gavin kid was too. They sure like to touch me, I think I like it too.

My mom and dad say that after I'm trained I can go to doggy day care once a week. I hope it's fun. I can't go until I at least know my basic commands which dad says are "COME, SIT, STAY." They think I'm going to be a quick study. So far so good anyways.

CIAO!

Zeke