a bite, a car and a pork hock.

This morning was a bit of an adventure! Finally, something to write about.

I've got the boys into a nice routine now of going out at 730 or 8 for 5 minute pee, then letting me sleep till 9 or so. We went out to play ball and all was pretty normal. I've been meaning to start West's car DSCC, since I'd like to start bringing him places as soon as he's up to it, and I don't want the car to be a bad bad place.

I came in and without thinking, let both boys in together. No problems. Tucked archie away with a pork hock and grabbed one for West. Headed out to the car. He stayed with me nicely until I opened the hatch, then he took off. I just called him back, showed him the delicious meaty bone and sat on the edge of the car. He hopped in!!! I expected I'd at least have to shape him in.

It took him quite a while to relax enough to eat the bone, but he did. I played a bit with closing the doors while he ate, but that put him too close to threshold (he quit eating), so I just sat with him. He then decided it would be good to try and see if he could take his bone OUT of the car. Obviously, that destroys the point, so I just got the bone from him (i had him on a short leash, but wasn't using it except when he was out of the car, to keep him from taking the bone far far away!) and put it back in the car, and waited. He always decided (eventually) that bone+car was better than no.bone+no.car. I felt he was a bit scared or upset by the leash tightening though, so I decided to hold his bone so if he left the car, he couldn't bring it with him.

Long story short, this pup has NO bite inhibition. No idea that human skin isn't biteable, and is quite fragile. He sunk his canine deep into my right (of course, my dominant hand) pointer finger, and I hollered OW! ... Then he ran to the end of his leash, quivered, and didn't want to come near me OR the car :(

Sigh. Next time, I'll put the bone on a rope, and tie it to the car. And also, won't yell at him. And also, will probably have to start all over again, since now he probably thinks the car is where I trick him into going in then YELL AT HIM. Jeez. Poor dog.

We came inside and I put the GL on him and gave him the rest of the bone. He doesn't seem to care about it at all as long as the bone is there. I tried the makeshift calming cap first, but it was way too much for him to eat with it on, so the GL is a better solution. Plus, he's already chewed it up, so if he accidentally BITES IT, no one will mind.

On the bright side, at least he's cute? AND the boys CAME INSIDE TOGETHER and Archie didn't eat West. That is a good thing! I think the car process will go pretty quickly, actually, as long as he doesn't feel trapped before he's really happy there. I'm lucky that I have a LONG driveway, so if needed, I can drive slowly with the hatch open and if he gets uncomfortable, he can have the option of leaving. .. After I've redone everything from today, to undo the Yelling-car association.