My new dog

Ok, I suppose it's about time I wrote about Devon, my new(ish) dog. It's been over two months since I rescued him from the shelter, so the time has come to introduce him to the world. And here he is!!!



So what can I tell you about him? Let's see...

  • He's a cattle dog - labrador retriever mix (at least that's the consensus so far... between his vet, the shelter, and the doggie daycare people)
  • He's about 18 months to two years old
  • Very smart, but can be stubborn sometimes
  • He has mild separation anxiety, so I had to crate train him, but it's not so bad and it just makes him all the more loyal and affectionate
  • This dog runs F A S T!!! Maybe it's the cattle dog herding instinct in him!
  • He is very friendly with other dogs, although sometimes he can get carried away with his playfulness. He's a little coward with big dogs that bark, though.
  • Hardly ever barks. Almost never. Yippee!!
  • Sheds like a motherfucker. Wherever he goes it's like a big hair bomb exploded. Hopefully it's just because he's shedding his winter coat right now.
  • He's a total treat whore. Extremely responsive and eager to please when he knows you have a treat in your hand.
  • Knows that any food on the dining or coffee table is off-limits. He will sniff and sniff and sniff but won't steal the food. Good boy!
  • Knows "sit", "lay down", "shake hands", "come", and, most importantly, "NO".
  • Has one major and highly annoying neurosis: He will NOT poop or pee on-leash anywhere except for one place: a dog run that's 1.1 miles away from my apartment. On normal, dry days this isn't a problem, because walking him there and back is my exercise. The big problem with it is when the rains come. His little toilet spot becomes a freakin' mud pool, so I have to go through this whole rigmarole of taking him there, finding a dry spot, cleaning the mud and yuck off his paws and drying him up before I can let him back in the car and the apartment. Ugh! Why can't this silly dog poop where I tell him to poop???
  • Of course, the upside of the above is that Devon can "hold it" better than any dog I have ever seen! Which means no accidents at home! Yay!!!
Bill is great with the dog, too. They get along famously. Bill often comes in the morning before work to play with Devon and take him potty. That way, when I get home from work all I have to do is play with the dog because he's already done his business. Once in a while Devon also sleeps over at Bill's while I am at work. Fun fun fun.

I have a doggie! Woo-hoo!!! Yippee!!!