| Unexpected houseguest |
[Apr. 4th, 2008|01:55 pm] |
Last night, a few tornadoes tore through the area. I'm fine, but I'm now in custody of a stray dog.
Since I'm not used to dogs, Kim has been a huge help. The dog ate some leftover Easter ham and got a bath in the kitchen sink, and he stayed awake all night. He's very quiet and seems extremely well-trained. He doesn't bark, doesn't bite, doesn't snap, doesn't growl, doesn't beg (although he wants to), and listens when he's told "no." He knew well enough to urinate on newspaper, which my floors and I appreciated.
Kim and I went to the dollar store and got him some food and bowls, a leash, a collar, etc. Got him a chew toy, too, but he's too well-behaved to chew.
As soon as I saw the dog, I was like, right, okay, he can stay here for the night - - I can't send him out in a tornado, of all things - - but he's going to the pound or the shelter or something, somewhere, in the morning. Then Kim told me that if I take him there, he'll most likely be killed in ten days. The next plan is to put up a sign saying that I have him, spread the word to acquaintances that I have a dog if anyone wants one, and hand him off to someone else.
I didn't plan to have a dog. My lifestyle isn't really conducive to pets, and I wasn't planning, financially, on taking on any dependents. He's really well-behaved. He's not demanding at all, other than when he's asking for me to pet him for another four hours. Still, I wasn't planning to pay for the feeding and care of a dog, much less vet bills, etc. (His breath is horrific, his nails are way too long, and there's a small pink lump on his stomach that should be checked out.) So I'll probably have to give him away. Since he's so well-trained, I'd imagine that his previous owner is looking for him, but he didn't have a collar and his nails are so long, it doesn't look like anyone's been taking care of him.
Anyone have any tips on freshening dog breath? (No, seriously.)
He hasn't slept at all - - we think that it may have something to do with having been homeless and on guard - - but I guess he'll get tired enough to rest, eventually.
The best part about this is that if you'd seen the new story that I've been writing this week, the irony of me suddenly adopting a puppy would boggle your mind.
Edited to add: This is the most informative guide to cutting a dog's nails that I could have asked for. |
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| Storm puppy update |
[Apr. 4th, 2008|08:56 pm] |
The tornado puppy still loves to be petted. Whines sometimes, and I'm not sure why. I kept thinking that he might have to go to the bathroom, but whenever I took him outside, he just seemed pathetically, horribly cold. Finally, he started to urinate inside, on the carpet, so Kim hustled him outside while I mopped up inside.
He won't eat the dry dog food I got at the store. Kim gave him a hamburger, and he scarfed that right up. When we mixed some of the hamburger meat with the dry food, he picked out the hamburger and just ate that. If he's been homeless for a while, which we suspect, then I imagine that he wouldn't be picky about what he eats. I'm guessing that he might have a problem with his teeth, and the dry food is too hard.
Or, he's just picky.
I really want to get him checked out by a vet, at least for his teeth and nails. And, although I swear it goes against most of what I stand for, I want to get him some clothes to wear, so he won't be cold all of the time, so I can get him to urinate outside and not on my carpet.
He seems very sexually frustrated, but we think that he's been neutered, so there's little chance of him impregnating the towel he's been humping. |
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