It has been quite a journey! Alfie arrived with lots of anxiety and lots of love.
Things he's learned so far:
- Dogs do not get on our furniture.
- Dogs sit (or down) during human meals.
- Dogs don't need to bark at every squirrel/deer (but most still get alerting)
- Dogs don't need to bark at all melting snow thumps (but most still get alerting)
- He will survive if he isn't petted every moment of every day. (First night, 12/30/22, it didn't seem like he believed that and my teenager struggled with the effects on his game-play: https://youtu.be/e5gf1h-5xo0)
- Sit, down, and stay aren't that complicated.
- He can sleep on a comfy dog bed instead of a human bed.
- Licking human faces is a no but elbows and ankles are fine (and we've learned he seems to find about ten minutes the minimum).
- Licking Tracker-dog is almost always patiently tolerated (and the same time minimum applies).
- Snakes aren't that interesting and they run away when you lick them.
Things we have learned.
- It was worth the teaching. He's a sweetheart.
- The kitchen counter is not safe for leaving food and massive GI upset results! (Tissues are apparently also delightful to eat and have the same result.)
- This dog can hamster wheel a pop up crate!
- We can make progress against the barrel-Lab shape.
- His tail is a powerful tool for thwacking everything (and he doesn't care).
- He likes guys best... Cameron and Andrew are much more fun than I am (but I'll do in a pinch because petting is petting and it is required often).
I'm sure we'll learn more about this sweet puppers who has found a forever home.
