Stinky Toodles

Thursday after leaving work early I came home, got an oil change, and picked up the doggie. He was so sweet and didn't freak out on me, and just lay in the backseat all of the way home. My sister came down that night and we took him to the Chickamauga Battlefield park where he was perfectly well behaved. He walked on the leash excellently, rode in the car like a pro, and didn't care when another doggie came by. He is, however, afraid of doors and thresholds. It is getting better though as he realized our house was his new home. Friday I took him out to the dog lot and gave him a bath. His hair was so fuzzy and smelled like, well... um... the shelter and such. He still kind of stank after the bath, but he looked fabulous. He has not had any accidents and we have been persistent to take him outside before he even has the opportunity to let us know he needs to go outside. Other than a few walks a day, he tires really easily and I think that may be because of being cooped up in the shelter for months. He comes in and sits beside us or on the floor and just sacks out. He likes to lay around. We still haven't heard him bark, he is just a mellow and laid back dog. We named him Toodles. He could care less what we call him, he is just that serene. YaY. Saturday when my home bathing didn't work too well on the smell I broke down and took him to PetSmart and let them groom him. I had an appointment with a better groomer in town, but they couldn't get me until Monday morning and he was stinking! They did an OK job on the cut, and the smell was a heck of a lot better once he got most of his hair clipped off. We tried to brush his teeth, but we caught him in an active mood and he was having none of it! I am just so glad he is such a well behaved dog! He has learned a few commands, and is not the overwhelming burden of issues I was prepared to deal with in an adopted dog. Again, YaY! I am instinctively waking up after only 4 hours of sleep and making him go outside. Can you believe my scaredy-cat butt is out walking the dog at all hours of the "dark" night?! Yep, he is helping with all of those phobias. Although I can't sleep longer than 4 hours at a time, he has been good to go to the bathroom for the night and not whine or anything, we are truly blessed. This morning when we went to Mass we left him out in the dog lot, which if he tried hard enough he could either climb over, or slither under and he did just fine. It was the first time we left him outside unattended and he was OK. Here is hoping tomorrow won't be too traumatic for him being home alone for an entire work shift. Mom and Dad came over for lunch today and Matthew and Dad changed out the outside light. I am so excited to be rid of this huge humming monstrosity on the side of my house and now have a sleek, modern flood light.