Working with Odin

The title of this post is rather misleading. I was working outdoors today and I was with Odin all day, but I wasn't really working with him. Or maybe I was. It's the most one-on-one time that I've spent with him and he's wanted to be with me due to that shepherd need to bond. He can be very annoying, both to me and the other dogs, but it's just because he's a puppy. Kilo tolerates him very well, but I've kept them apart since Odin's neuter surgery on Tuesday. 

I tried keeping Odin indoors and in a cone for the first few days after the surgery. He had a bad case of post-op diarrhea, however, which led to him breaking out of his crate to poop on the hallway floor a couple of times. That's better than doing it in the crate, but it also led him breaking up his cone such that I abandoned that on Thursday. Imodium and fasting have cleared up the diarrhea and he's as energetic as ever, but I'm still preventing him and Kilo from playing together for a few more days. 

Today was hot and humid. No one really had much interest in being outdoors so it was just me and Odin, and occasionally Paisley. There's a fenced area off the back side of our house we call the a/c yard. It's where our air conditioner unit used to be although it's since be relocated on the other side the a/c yard fence. It's an fenced, L shaped area where I can let dogs out for a quick pee, for dogs who are on activity restriction, or for dogs I don't trust elsewhere. It's formed by the house, some wooden privacy fencing, and four 10' kennel panels. 

The four kennel panels were old ones that weren't in great condition to start with and I've reinforced spots over the years with fencing, other kennel panels, and even pieces of disassembled wire crates. It wasn't attractive to start with, but it was functional and on a side of the house that few people saw. It worked for quite a while with occasional makeshift repairs but recently we had a foster who repeatedly got out of the space so I've been wanting to replace it.

Today was the day. I bought a brand new, heavy duty, welded wire kennel from Tractor Supply, consisting of four 10' sections, six feet high, and replaced the old shiftless looking kennel panels. Odin hung out with me all afternoon, although he was hot and tired too. Della didn't see it as a farm dog activity so she stayed inside. I brought Paisley out occasionally on her long line, but she doesn't like Odin and he never figured out just leaving her alone. 

There's not a lot of color in today's pictures, so I'm starting with this one.

The "before" pictures, above and below.

Odin, he's a really good looking shepherd.

Here's the midway point, with the old kennel panels removed

and the grass mowed down.

Paisley liked being out with me, but she doesn't care for Odin.

Paisley goes after the mower and Odin goes after the weed eater.

Neither can be around when there's yard work being done.

Odin got tired and would have liked to go in for a nap, I'm sure.

Here's a few shots of the finished product. 

It was a big improvement visually and it's secure once again.

The igloo dog house is in there because I had it and had no other need for it.

I have occasionally put a dog out here and forgotten, so the igloo will provide

shelter from rain if it happens again, although generally dogs just burrow under the steps.

I finished up just as the rain started this afternoon.

Of course I still have a lot of stuff to clean up, tomorrow.