Dog learnin'

Learning how to deal with a dog, even one that thinks he's part cat, is a process. Aaron is out of town for a couple of days, so it's my first time hanging out with Otto all by myself. So far so good...I bought him a crate today since he's developed the bad habit of pooping on the floor. Yes, it's as gross as it sounds.

His first poop on the floor--actually, his first three--took place the night he got back from getting his butt glands expressed. I know, it just keeps getting better, right? He was heavily medicated and I guess the drowsiness wore off in the middle of the night. The antibiotics plus whatever else must have done a doozy on his tummy, cuz he just did his business all over the apartment. All over.

Then the next night he made a mess all over our bedroom! It was horrible and upsetting. Not knowing any better, we scolded him, spritzed him with water and gave him a time out in the bathroom. We had his best interests at heart, but we learned soon after that it doesn't help to punish a dog after the fact, because they develop anxiety over the poop itself, not the act (I don't know how much I actually buy that theory, but I do firmly believe that they forget what they do five minutes later). That and spritzing with water is better for stopping growling and barking, and time outs aren't too effective because of that whole short-term memory thing (thanks Kristin).

He was good for one night, but this morning there was lots of business by our dining table. Alas, we figured out that he can't let us know that he needs to go in the middle of the night, because we don't let him in our bedroom and keep the door shut. Doh! I bought him a crate today so he can hang out in the bedroom while staying in his own bed.

Btw, right now he's smushed up against my legs fast asleep. He's tilted in a 45-degree angle.

Right, so this dog stuff takes getting used to. He gets playful several times a day, which usually involves doggie type roughhousing, with lots of snarling and teeth and shaking his head so hard we worry about his tiny little brain. It would scare the crap out of me if Aaron hadn't showed me that the dog won't ever bite down hard enough to hurt. It's pretty impressive- he can stick his hand right in the dog's mouth while the little monster snaps and snarls. Me, I wear a thick winter glove, which he loves to bite on. He also loves his little blue ball with a strap attached- he shakes it in his mouth back and forth with such force that the ball actually whacks him on the head. Again, tiny brain issues.

And he's a champion snuggler, which makes me happy.

Oh yeah, and the reason I think he's part cat, besides the fact that he resembles one, is that he's got a new habit of walking across the back of the futon. I live in fear that he's going to fall right over on his head, thus upsetting that whole cat theory.

See, kind of cat-like: