Comments on: Bringing home Ty

By: J5

J5 — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:49:29 +0000

@Dave

It is adoptalab.org – they use the Enfield town hall as a pickup because it is central to a lot of the adopters. They come from Indiana I believe.

By: Stormy

Stormy — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:08:21 +0000

Congratulations! Dogs are awesome and they are the absolute best company. Sounds like you and Ty are already having a great time!

By: Dave Foster

Dave Foster — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:39:53 +0000

What organized this dog adoption thing? I am from Suffield CT, which is just across the river from Enfield, it’s rare to see any of those towns ever mentioned anywhere.

By: J5

J5 — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:13:42 +0000

@Sandy

Oh believe me, I’m in total panic mode. Reading up on everything I can and then realizing none of it quite fits perfect I handle panic well so I’m not reflecting that on Ty (hopefully) but given that he is a rescue dog he does have some quirks like he doesn’t like to play with anything except his mole and even that he get bored quickly. I however can not make a move without him following me, but make the mistake of seeing if he would let me close the gate without having him on a leash and he bolts. He is such a mix of well behaved and totally untrained that sometimes I don’t know where to begin. He is friendly and will for the most part ignore other dogs and people when we are walking but if I let him he will sniff the other dog but get spooked really easy.

Luckly there is a petsmart within walking distance and I had picked up their schedule. Next Tuesday they have a beginner class starting at 6pm that I am going to start him on. Thanks for the advice.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:38:27 +0000

Congrats for you two; seems like a great match! Those pictures are ridiculously adorable.

I’ll echo what another poster said: dogs are most comfortable when their leader has a firm, consistent attitude. They thrive on routine. At the same time, one of the most exciting things you can do for them is to take them to a new place with new people and just walk around. If you’re lucky, and you live in a dog-friendly neighborhood, you’ll be allowed to take Ty on errands with you, which is fun for him, good for your bond, and nice practice for his good behavior.

Whether or not he seems to need more discipline, I’d highly recommend a simple training class. With my dogs, I’ve always liked the puppy/beginner classes at Petsmart, which are only about $100 for 8 weeks. Obviously training is good, but working together like that does wonderful things for your relationship. With a new dog, the sooner you get into something like that, the better.

Of course, my dogs started out “difficult”, and Ty looks like an angel, but I thought I’d share the experience anyway, as I was in a total panic when I got my first dog!

By: Máirín

Máirín — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:50:13 +0000

SO CUTE!!!

I can’t wait to meet him

By: Greg DeK

Greg DeK — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:51:05 +0000

Petfinder is teh awesum. We got both our doggies from Petfinder. Cute Bear! Cute Maisie!

By: Andy Wingo

Andy Wingo — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:26:11 +0000

That, my friend, is a cute dog. But you know that already. Have fun together!

By: Diego Escalante Urrelo

Diego Escalante Urrelo — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:23:39 +0000

Awesome, congrats!.
As a former dog owner, my best advice is to /be patient/ BUT /be firm/. That will make it easier for you and the dog, he’s looking at you for clear instructions and actions, if you doubt you will confuse him.

There are lots and lots of reading material in the interwebs. Ethology might be a good topic if you are into psychology.

Good luck!

By: Ross Burton

Ross Burton — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:49:53 +0000

Cute dog! Looks and sounds a lot like our mental lab Henry. I’m sure he’ll settle down to the new routine soon and stop waking every time you move — Henry manages about 18 hours of sleep a day.