Home and happy

I apologize for not updating the blog sooner. I guess I just got a little lazy, since it is hard to sell the idea that I was too busy on Saturday and Sunday to write a little something in my slice of the internet.

Anyway, Miles is home and he is doing great. We picked him up from the vet on Friday. Over the weekend, his behavior seems to indicate that he is feeling fine. We went for a long walk on Saturday and played at the park. Sunday, we all went for another good walk. He is eating fine and seems to have plenty of energy.

While I'm happy to see that he is feeling better, occasionally he displays a bit of behavior that is troubling. During out walk on Saturday when he greeted another dog, he began to growl and seemed to go after the dog somewhat aggressively.

On Sunday, we bought him a pig's ear as a treat. Don't get me started on the idea that he wants to chew on a dried ear. However, after I gave it to him he began to chew it too forcefully and I got nervous that he would end up eating chucks that are too large. I tried to take it away and was met with a pretty substantial growl. I used some of the techniques I have learned from the "dog whisperer." Eventually, he gave it up, but I was not happy about his behavior.

Tomorrow is his first night at obedience class, so I'll see what the trainer says. Part of me thinks it is just his nerves and lack of confidence. Part of it might be that he doesn't fully trust me and thinks he needs to be protective.

I guess time will tell, but even with these concerns I still feel like Miles is a great dog and very well adjusted for an animal that spent almost 2 months in a shelter before coming home.

Maybe tomorrow

Hopefully, the blood work tomorrow will turn out well and Miles will be able to come home. Beth was able to stop in and see him today and she said he is acting a lot healthier. I figure that is a good sign.

Once he gets home, I'll need to start working to train him since he missed his first obedience class. I took pretty good notes, and I think he'll catch on quickly. The one challenge might be finding treats that he likes if he ends up on a special diet. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. First, I just want him to be allowed to come home.

In case you were interested in seeing the bottle that he broke into to start this mess, I have finally taken a picture.

Still in the Hospital

We were able to bring Bodie home on Sunday, but Miles stayed over again since his creatinine levels have not decreased. This indicates that his kidneys have not returned to normal function yet. Luckily, although his levels are high, they are just above the "high normal" range, which means there is hope.

In the past 36 hours I have learned quite a bit about the canine renal system. I have also learned a lot about how much I had adjusted to having Miles at home. I'm really happy to have Bodie back and now that his energy is returning it just makes the house seem like it needs Miles.

This morning, we picked Miles up from the emergency vet and brought him to our vet's facility. There, they restarted the IV which is hydrating him, hoping to flush the toxins. The report from the vet this afternoon indicated that he appears to be feeling better, and is settling into his new surroundings. We won't run another creatinine level test until tomorrow and hopefully the trend will be in the right direction.

I expect that it will take another couple days with the vet before he is as fully recovered as he is going to get. My fear, of course, is how much recovery he will make. We haven't had a conversation with the vet about what the options might be if his levels remain high. I assume dialysis is one. Maybe a very rigid diet. I'm not sure, but I doubt he'll go back to being how he was just a few days ago.

Right now, I can only hope the fluids work and his young body and determined mind are enough to fight off the toxins and allow his kidneys to spring back to health.

Scary Day

Today started off like any other Saturday. We slept in a bit, and had to get my car from the detail shop. I'm selling the Subaru, so if you know anyone who is looking for a 2002 WRX, let me know.

All the morning activities meant that we went for a shorter walk. Oh yeah, the freezing temperatures also contributed to the diminished outdoor time.

After the walk and getting the car, we went to look at a house that just went on the market. I guess this is the first step in the process of buying a place here in Pittsburgh. The house is great, but I'm not sure the timing is right.

Anyway, after looking at that first house and a few more, we stopped in at home before running a few more errands. It was when we got home from the errands that things took a turn for the worse.

Immediately upon coming in the door, I saw the problem. The bottle of Rimadyl that Bodie takes for his arthritis was open and on the floor. Worse, it was empty. It appears that Miles chewed through the "child proof" cap and emptied the container. This was a huge dose of anti-inflammatory. Between them, they ate over 100, 100mg tablets. We later learned that this is about 10 times the toxic level for Bodie and 20 times the toxic level for Miles.

We called the vet and followed their directions. First, we gave both dogs hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. Miles had vomited before we got home, but this brought up a lot more. Bodie also vomited. For both, it was clearly uncomfortable, but in this situation both Beth and I knew that we had to do it to make them healthy. Hopefully, getting the medicine out of their system quickly will prove to be important in keeping them healthy.

Then we took them to the vet. The initial prognosis was not good. In a worst case scenario, this could cause both liver and kidney failure. Needless to say, being at the vet is incredibly tense. The boys will spend the night at the vet and if all goes well, we'll get them tomorrow.

At midnight, the vet called, and told us that Bodie is doing well. He is nervous, but he is eating and appears to be headed in the right direction. Miles, on the other hand, seems to have taken a worse dose. It seems pretty touch-and-go with him, but it appears he still has kidney function and we hope that a night of fluids will return him to health.

It is sickening to think about these dogs getting ill from getting into the medicine. Beth and I have talked, and for all our thought about making the house safe for them, we never saw the sealed container of Rimadyl as a threat. We'll have to review our setup, and double-check the safety of the house for the boys.

I can't believe how attached I have become to Miles. I knew I was attached to Bodie. For the first time ever, I felt like a parent tonight as we waited to see the vet and then to hear from her later in the evening.

I can only hope that this becomes a very scary way to learn a lesson about keeping Miles in the crate and teaching him boundaries in the house. In the mean time, it will be tough to sleep until I get another update on the status of each of them.

Enter the Gentle Leader

Today was the first evening of obedience classes. Actually, it was just an orientation, since the dogs weren't present. Our instructor seems nice enough and appears to have plenty of experience. In hearing the other "parents" talk it seems like the issues we have with Miles are pretty minor.

My only complaints about him are: 1) he pulls the leash constantly on walks 2) when he sits, he is always reaching out his paw 3) He has a tendency to jump up to greet people.

To prevent pulling the leash, the instructor recommended that we use the "gentle leader" harness. Miles did not complain when we put it on him, and it really improved his walking tonight. I think we have found a very quick fix for the walking problems.

The other two issues will hopefully be taken care of as we go through obedience training. I'm looking forward to classes starting next week.

Dog Park

This was a big weekend for Miles. Not only did he stay at the "dog hotel" on Friday night, but he took his first trips to the dog park on Saturday and Sunday.

I was pretty apprehensive about the dog park. While he seems to be fine with other dogs, a large open area with lots of dogs running around is a lot different than a couple dogs on leash at the shelter.

First, I wanted to make sure that the fence at the park fully enclosed the area. We haven't had him off leash yet, and I really didn't want to test the microchip system if he decided to just run and not stop once I took him off-leash.

It turns out the small park is fully fenced, but the large one we have taken Bodie is not. Next, I had to be comfortable with the environment in the park. It was muddy, so I resigned myself to giving him his first bath, and the dogs seemed pretty tame (for a dog park).

He did fine. He shied away from the pack of dogs, and seemed a little nervous, but he behavior was terrific. I'm sure in a few more trips, he'll be leading the charge as the pack races around.

Sunday, we found the park empty which gave me a great opportunity to play a little fetch and run with him in the park. He really seemed to be having fun, and although Bodie struggled to keep up, it was pretty clear he is getting on fine with his new brother.

Things went so well that on the way home, I let Miles run off leash in the big grassy area in Frick Park. It is typical to see dogs off leash there, but without constraints you need to have a certain level of trust.

6am? Seriously?!?!

I set my alarm for 6am. It is really aspirational, since my goal is to wake up, work out, and then get to work. Most mornings, I snooze until the last minute and the sprint to be wherever I am headed on-time.

I wish snoozing were a competitive event, because I think I am especially good at it. If there is one thing I have learned this week, it is that Miles is not good at it. At soon as that first alarm goes off, and it is soothing music not an abrasive start, he is up. Not only up, but banging that E collar into everything and pawing at me while I try my best to snooze.

Yesterday it was fine. We got up at six, went for a run and then started my day. On Monday, we went for a quick run and then I got a swim in before my first meeting. Today, well that was a different story.

At 6 he was ready to go, and all I wanted to do was sleep. We learned who is in charge pretty quickly. By 6:07, I was up and getting ready for a run. Not a happy camper, but I guess it is good for me. And, for the first time, he volunteered to sleep in his crate. I left the gate open, and in the middle of the night I saw that he had gone inside to sleep there. That seems like progress, too.

Once we get up, Miles can go for a little over a mile before he starts to slow down. We walk/jog the rest of the way home. It is a good way to start the day and I think it gets some of his energy out, so he won't mind hanging out in the house most of the day. Hopefully, that will extend as he gets used to it, and eats more. Since we are running, we might as well get a full workout in.

Well, time for bed...the alarm will wake him in just a few hours.

E Collar

Everyday, Miles gets a little more comfortable in his new home. Unfortunately, he continues to lick at his wounds from the surgery, so when he isn't on a leash we have him in the E-collar. I have learned that stands for Elizabethan, for the fashion statement it makes.

Despite the fact that he can't really tell how large his head is and therefore runs into walls, chairs, and people he doesn't seem to mind the collar too much. Unfortunately, while it makes licking more difficult, Miles is becoming adept at contorting his body to allow for a successful lick every once in a while.

While I'm sure this standard for most dogs and dog owners, I still find it funny to see him trying to work through the house (and turn in his crate) with the collar.

Luckily, he is also making great strides (literally) while walking on the leash. He still pulls, still tries to go whichever way I'm not going, but the tugs are lighter and for a few seconds at a time he will act civil. I guess the progress comes in little bits, but at this pace we should be walking like pros in no time.

We went for run together this morning, which is much more his style. He has no problem keeping up on a short run and does a great job of staying on task during the run. It also seems to keep his appetite going.

He didn't eat much the first few days here, but this morning I added a little chicken broth to his food and after the run he dug right in. I can't say I'm happy about him being picky, but at least we found an easy solution.

Tomorrow is Miles' first vet visit with us. Just another mini-adventure with Miles.

Great dog

Well, it turn out I adopted a fantastic dog. He is fully housebroken, and confidently goes to the front door when he needs to go out.

He never barks. Well, he gave out a bark when I accidentally stepped on his foot, but beyond that, he is as quiet as Bodie. He whimpered a little in his crate today, but that settled down quickly.

He and Bodie are getting along fine for day number two. Miles is a really light eater, which is worrisome, but beyond he is good. Since he is licking his surgery scars, I have him in an E-collar when I'm not home to watch him. As you might imagine, he doesn't like it, but I am concerned that the licking will cause the stitches to go away too quickly, leading to worse problems.

Today, we spent a lot of time working on getting him to walk on a leash properly. He pulls, and pulls, and pulls. I tried several drills, like cutting him off and during him around when he pulls hard and giving him a quick correction when he veers off course. We made a little progress, but he was best when I just started running and he had to keep up. I guess I just have to keep trying.

This evening, for his night-time walk we ran around the block twice and then walked around another block once. He wasn't panting at all. After a swim and some weights earlier, then dinner and two glasses of wine, I was a little pooped after our walk. However, as I write this, he has come home and immediately gone to sleep on the floor in front of the t.v. and the Steeler's game.

Ironically, Miles does not respond to a "sit" command, but when he wants a treat, or food, or attention he sits. Unfortunately, when he sits and you do hive him attention he tries to put one or both paws on you. I am working to break him of this habit, but I don't feel like I'm making progress yet.

On the positive side, he is really enjoying all the toys in the house. Bodie doesn't seem to mind sharing, as long a Miles doesn't try to share in his food. The two seem to get along fine together. We are trying to use Bodie to show Miles how to behave, but Miles isn't really paying attention.

Well, tomorrow should bring another short morning run/walk for Miles, and maybe a trip to the park later. Right now, everyone is clearly down for the count.

At work with the new dog

Last night, Miles was so groggy that I didn't have the heart to wake him up, taking him out of the crate, move the crate to the bedroom and then get him back in. So, I left him in the crate in the living room and slept on the couch next to him. He didn't have any problems sleeping, but given his state that wasn't a surprise. He woke up a lot more energetic than yesterday, which is good to see.

Working from home has its advantages. It is nice to be able to spend Miles' first day at home with him without needing to take time off of work. However, I clearly don't trust him enough yet to let him run around the house without supervision. I've tried to keep him within eyesight today, which means keeping him in the office. It is a little distracting, but at least I know he is out of trouble and out of his crate.
I have to admit, I got a little distracted on more than one phone call today. Trying to keep one eye on him, one on the computer, and listen to the call.
Bodie has been funny today. I think he is a little jealous, so he's spending a lot more time than normal in my office. Usually, he checks on me once in a while, but today he has camped out with me.
At lunch I took them both out for a little potty break. Clearly, I need to develop my multiple-dog handling skills. Trying to get them both on leashes and get them to the backyard was quite a trick. I assume it will become second nature in no time, but for now it is a daunting task. I can't imagine what they will be like to walk together.

On the health front, Miles seems good, but he is licking at his stitches, and the area around them is pretty red. I have called the shelter an hope to hear from a vet-tech soon. He'll have a check-up with Bodie's vet on Tuesday, but I don't want him to go too long if there was a post-surgery issue.

Miles is home

Well, the big day arrived and I am happy to report that Miles is at his new home. We picked him up this afternoon, take a look at the picture:

That is him, right when we got him at the shelter. He was a little out of it after the surgery today, but we expect him to bounce back by tomorrow.

We had the crate in the car, which was a life saver since he was pretty unstable during the ride home.

Once we got home, we put the crate in the living room so he could hang out with us. Bodie was very excited to see Miles, but after a quick intro, he went back to playing with his own toys.

One very positive thing was that when we got Miles home, he peed outside before we brought him in. I guess it is the little things sometimes. However, housetraining was a big concern of mine and it is nice to see that we might not have a big challenge with that.

I hope he is happy.

Getting things set

The countdown is on. If all goes well, I'm just 24 hours from owning/being owned by a dog. I just spoke to the kennel and tried to convince them to give him a bath before he goes in for surgery tomorrow. He can't get one for 10 days after the surgery, and he is really in need of one. I even offered to make a "donation" to the shelter if they could bathe him, but they didn't take the bait.



Hopefully, they find a way to get him cleaned up today. Tomorrow morning, he gets neutered and assuming there aren't any complications I'll pick him up in the afternoon.



I registered us for obedience classes starting in the middle of the month. I know I can't do this alone, and even with Beth's help, I'll need professional assistance. So the first 12 days we are on or own.



Unfortunately for Miles, he'll have to spend a night at the kennel during his second weekend with me. I have my team's post-Christmas party at a resort outside Pittsburgh, so the dogs get a little vacation to Mancuso's Pet Hotel http://www.countrylanepethotel.com/. Bodie was there over Christmas and seemed happy, so the boys will go back in a couple weeks.

Welcome to my blog

I've decided to use this blog to track my new life with my first dog. Several months ago, I decided to adopt a dog, but nerves (call it a fear of commitment) and timing forced me to wait until now.

For most of my life, I was scared of dogs. We didn't have any in the house when I grew up and I was actually bitten by a couple dogs when I was in 6th grade. However, about a year ago I met my girlfriend and her wonderful dog, Bodie. Through Bodie I have seen the light. I love having him around, walking him, and taking him to the dog park. And now, I will have a dog of own.

After months of waffling and deliberating, I finally found "my dog" last weekend at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. I saw Milo on their website, and went to see him on Saturday. I spent about half an hour with him, and realized he was the one.

On Sunday, Beth and Bodie came to the shelter to meet Milo. The introduction went great. Bodie was excited to play with Milo, and I figure if Bodie is happy with him, I'm happy with him.

Adopting was simple. I filled out the paperwork, paid the nominal fee, and now I have two days until we can pick him up. I wish I could have brought him right home, but since he hasn't been altered yet, I have to wait until after his surgery.

When he comes home, he'll be known as Miles. Like Miles Davis, 'cause he's just so cool. Or maybe like "run for miles" since I hope he's going to join me on morning runs.

So, since he couldn't come home this weekend, that gives us a couple days to prepare for his arrival. The crate is in my room, bowls have been purchased, and we have a collar, leash and toys for him. I still need to find an obedience trainer and buy him some food, but I'm feeling pretty ready for a new family member.