DUG

(9.24.09) Dug and I are doing FABULOUS!!! Although his adoption started out like a mail-order-bride situation, he certainly has surpassed every expectation I had. I knew when I saw his picture online, that he was the dog for me. First, he looked like my last Boxer, Jake. Then, when I read about his mellow temperament, I was sold---I am a lover of the rescue dogs, but I knew I was not capable of handling a "tough case". His 11 hour trip home to Park City, Utah, was uneventful and really nice. Satellite Radio and Cruise Control made the drive to Santa Fe bearable, and his addition on the way back made it wonderful! He has been in his forever home for 3 1/2 weeks now and I am so pleased. He settled in nicely. The first day back, my neighbors invited us to hike this great trail behind my neighborhood. With his new friends Lucy and Bear (Chocolate and Black labs, respectively), we set out on a morning hike. It was pretty warm, even for the morning, and the altitude (7500ft) didn't help his little sea-level stamina---he ambled up the trail, stopped and gratefully drank a lot of water, and did very well on the hike up to the top. On the way down, and near the end of the loop, the Labs bounded off for the creek and jumped in after the rocks we throw for them to chase---No one told Dug he isn't a Lab, so he bounded right in after them! He doesn't swim like the Labs, but he wades up to his chest, gets his undercarriage cooled off, and drinks the mountain run -off water. He's met neighbors, and friends pack dogs, and he is a GEM with all of them! I wanted to get his diet in the proper place, so we went to our local "Love Your Pet Bakery" where they have raw food for his new diet (more about that later). The owners of the store have 3 GIGANTIC Newfoundlands---in fact, when we went into the store, I still had my sunglasses on and I thought they were bearskin rugs (not uncommon out here); when they jumped up to greet us I was certainly surprised (as was Dug)! He stood stock still and let the dogs sniff him out, then he just laid on the floor with them. He's a mellow man. Our most recent hike with a pack of dogs included a Brittany Spaniel---since no one told Dug he isn't a flushing dog, he just followed the Spaniel into the brush and did flushing behaviors! His diet has made him into a trim and muscle-y good looking boy. As I said, he eats raw. So two times a day he gets a 1/2lb of either Elk, Venison, or Buffalo mixed with vegetables and bone. Once weekly he has a Dairy Day where he gets organic cottage cheese, maple yogurt, and a raw egg with the shell. He LOVES his food! He gets Elk bones and some tendons. His coat is sleek, soft, and shiny. He hasn't shed much yet either. He has good manners, and we're still working on some of them (Jumping on me when he wants attention, and counter-surfing). Otherwise, he is good on the leash, LOVES the car where he can stick his head out of the sunroof and smell the area. He is great with all people, big and small children (he loves the little ones as they taste like the food they've been trying to eat!). We watch "The Dog Whisperer" and get pointers, as well as read anything Cesar Milan puts out! He sleeps in his own bed at night, and never gets up. My job as a Nurse Midwife makes for some odd hours, and often I am flying out of the house in the middle of the night, or returning late in the evening. He rolls with all of the punches, and does just fine. I have neighbors that come over to walk him while I am out, and he never misses a day of exercise. He mostly gets 2 walks a day. I could babble on and on about how much I adore him and how happy we both are, but I will end this Opus of an email. I'll send pictures as soon as I figure out how to upload them to my computer. Dug's previous foster mother is on Facebook, so I send her pics of him when I can. If there is anything else I can say or do, please let me know! --- xoxoDanielle (and Dug)