At home: Valen's starting to get comfortable, pushing a couple boundaries and daring to try a toy his foster poodle-brother keeps talking about ("You mean I put this in my mouth and it squeaks?!"). He's eating much better, even stealing from his patient, foster poodle-brother's bowl. Most exciting, Valen had his first "good" number two (there was much fanfare)! With a couple people helping to keep him safe and calm, he finally got his infected ears shoveled out and new medication put in--thanks, Dr. Skog! His first tentative "woofs" were heard: not real barks yet, but good first tries! He's had some bumps and concerns with recovery from his surgeries but we're keeping a close eye and hopeful he'll stop scaring us soon. Best of all, he is starting to solicit, not merely tolerate, a chin scratch from dear ol' foster mom. Meeting New Friends: Overall, Valen was very ready for and did well on his first, short, training trip to Petco. He gave the impression that until that moment he had never considered the possibility of the world having more people in it; and the idea was a marvelous discovery. The only time he ventured more than a foot from my side was to watch someone disappear around a corner. His curiosity was nothing short of precious: for all his neglect, he is drawn to people. Sadly though, he has no idea that children are people too; seeing a preschooler--even thirty feet away--was downright terrifying. He will need to do a lot of work to become comfortable with his littlest admirers. Adults who volunteered to get down and offer an outstretched hand got a much less terrified response...he even met a Facebook fan and made a friend! | Out and About: Valen had his first uncrated car ride. Getting in and out of the car is scary stuff but, once moving, his concern was the quiet type. There was much for him to see and marvel at in his first Petco foray. Despite going at a quiet time of day, after only a few minutes he began giving subtle hints he's had enough stimulation for one trip. Rising above his obvious caution, it was sweet to see his two-year-old curiosity do battle with his fears. In time, this will be a very inquisitive boy! |