Friday, December 20, 2024

Cheesecake is ready for adoption

We just call him Cheese. He's about 5-6 months old, neutered male, and is said to be a cross between a Giant Schnauzer and a German Shepherd Dog. The coat and the face are certainly schnauzer-like. Cheese came into the Green Dogs rescue program with a littermate, Apple Pie. Both dogs lacked socialization with anyone other than their sibling, but Cheese in particular seemed almost feral. 

I can't claim much credit for his improvement over the past several weeks, aside from putting up with a few noisy nights, mid-night outings, and crate cleanup. Our household pack of dogs are the ones who have brought Cheese along, brought him into the fold, and gave him a crash course in How to Dog. Bear has been a great big brother to him, putting up with his puppy nonsense and teaching him the ropes. Norman has done his part as well, and Bailey taught him and she's the one who makes the rules around here. The first few days were kind of rough, but his next transition will be a lot easier, both for him and the humans involved. Cheese has learned to use a crate at night, even on long winter nights. He goes into it on his own now, it's his place. He plays appropriately with all the other dogs, having learned who will and who will not engage in play with him. I've taken him on a few hikes and he's learned to walk pretty nicely on the leash. His recall is good, mostly because he wants to be with someone as much as possible, so he's always ready and willing to come when called.

Cheese owes a lot to the other dogs around here, but he has also been giving back in kind by playing big brother to the three younger and smaller puppies from Marvel's litter that we still have. Cheese tolerates their jumping and climbing on him, gives some corrections as needed, but he's also willing to play. 

Cheese probably needs a new name, but what he really needs is a human to bond with and move his training along to the next stage. He may look like a schnauzer, but he's got a shepherd's need for human contact and companionship. I think he will be a very devoted companion once he has a person or people of his own. He would also benefit from having another dog in his new home. Cheese is available for adoption through Green Dogs Unleashed




























Thursday, December 19, 2024

Sun and straw

We've had enough rain that it's time to deploy the winter mud defense system of wooden pathways around high traffic areas of the yard. But that seems like more of a weekend project. Today I just went to Lowe's and got a couple bales of straw, mostly as entertainment for the puppies. 

It was sunny for a good part of the day so I had the puppies in the dog yard in the afternoon. I brought in a bale of straw and they were all over it even before I cut the twine. The puppies think that anything the giant brings is for them to play with or climb on, and they were not wrong. They had a good time climbing on it, rooting through it, and tearing it apart. It wasn't the nicest straw I've ever had, but it served its purpose and I have a second bale that I'll put into their kennel area tomorrow. It will help with the mud as well.

Then I took them out to the pasture with Bailey and Cheese once again. Cheese has become their favorite big dog because he willingly interacts with them and isn't focused on correction. Bailey is more the disciplinarian. Today I introduced them to Bear as well. Bear is still pretty young, somewhere between Cheese and Bailey. He did very well with the puppies. 

Cheese has been the little brother to Bear and Norman, and now he finds himself in the role of big brother to the three puppies. That's good for his own development and the puppies just adore him.
































Late afternoon I took Bailey and Elvis for a three mile hike.