Random Randy Bits for July
I thought it might be good to write up an entry about all things Randy. I haven't updated much about him. truly, he is the second child.
lessee...
well, I mentioned the rabbit thing. we had a wee baby bunny that seemed to live under the hostas on the west side of the house. it would come into the yard and eat our clover. this is all in the past tense now, of course. the wee baby bunny is no more.
I saw Randy tear from the far end of the yard over to the corner nearest the back door [SW corner], and before I could do more than notice, I heard the squeak. when I got out the back door, the bunny was in his mouth.
he didn't really know what to do with it after that. he just went after it because it was small, furry, and moving. ah, instinct. he took it to the middle of the yard and put it down, nosed it a bit. walked around a bit. nosed it some more. I don't know if it was alive right then, but I was a little nervous about getting too close right away; I was a little freaked.
eventually, I gave up on calling him and had to go over and take him by the collar. the bunny didn't look very injured from what I could see, so I was kinda hoping if I took Randy in, it would get up and limp off. no such luck. when David came home, we finally went out together and checked on it again. that was when I found the wound on its side and the blood. it was quite dead.
***
I'm pretty sure there will come a time when I can comfortably say that Randy will eat anything. whether or not he actually likes it is another question entirely. so far, he hasn't had much in the way of fruit, and he didn't do the carrots, but he did eat a few olives and various other things that have landed in his bowl.
I love, love, love the fact that he likes ice cubes. that is the awesomest. talk about a guilt-free dog treat. and cheap, too!
***
he has managed to come down the stairs by himself a few times now. he's okay with going up, but he seems to want a spotter coming down - someone to stand at the bottom of the stairs. in the course of our reorganizing on Sunday, we were up and down the stairs many times, and he had to follow of course because he wants to be near his people.
***
he's really enjoying the meet and greets over at Colette's house. we only had a few dogs there this past Sunday, as noted in my previous entry, but the very shy Reba [who is not a greyhound, as opposed to the greyhound named Reba, who is owned by another person in our group...] has taken a shine to him and has initiated play with him a few times. she seems uncertain about the muzzle, and Randy is a bit clumsy.
[he ran right into me just tonight, giving me a head butt. ow.]
we do have to have him muzzled, though, until he gets used to Reggie - the little terrier mutt who loves, loves, loves to chase balls. Randy likes to chase Reggie. luckily, Reggie by now is pretty used to being around a herd of greyhounds, and does stand up for himself.
***
Randy did quite well at his first vet visit a couple weeks ago. that is, he did well once we got him inside the door. he walked right up to the building to the door, and stopped.
eventually, I just had to pretty much bodily shove him over the threshhold. I think I sort of picked him up a little while David helped him in. we think it was the tiled floor that was the problem, possibly coupled with the unfamiliar building.
he doesn't have any parasites, he got a 3-year rabies shot, his ears checked, and his anal glands expressed. [and wow.]
anyhow, he's very healthy, apparently, and quite easy to please. friendly with everyone he met, and he totally won over both the tech and the vet. a very laid back and sweet boy.
***
he's picked up on routines pretty quick, too. after he goes out for his final pee in the evening, he goes upstairs whether or not we go with him. Randy says it's time for bed!
in the morning, he starts whining right around 6:00, when I usually get up. actually, the past few days, it's been a bit before 6:00.
I take him back upstairs to the bedroom so he won't get into trouble after I leave for work but if David's not yet up. but of course, it doesn't work out so well because Randy whines after I put him in the room. he goes upstairs willingly enough, sometimes even before I have a chance to take him up. hopefully he'll quit with the whining.
[though... it works.]
lessee...
well, I mentioned the rabbit thing. we had a wee baby bunny that seemed to live under the hostas on the west side of the house. it would come into the yard and eat our clover. this is all in the past tense now, of course. the wee baby bunny is no more.
I saw Randy tear from the far end of the yard over to the corner nearest the back door [SW corner], and before I could do more than notice, I heard the squeak. when I got out the back door, the bunny was in his mouth.
he didn't really know what to do with it after that. he just went after it because it was small, furry, and moving. ah, instinct. he took it to the middle of the yard and put it down, nosed it a bit. walked around a bit. nosed it some more. I don't know if it was alive right then, but I was a little nervous about getting too close right away; I was a little freaked.
eventually, I gave up on calling him and had to go over and take him by the collar. the bunny didn't look very injured from what I could see, so I was kinda hoping if I took Randy in, it would get up and limp off. no such luck. when David came home, we finally went out together and checked on it again. that was when I found the wound on its side and the blood. it was quite dead.
***
I'm pretty sure there will come a time when I can comfortably say that Randy will eat anything. whether or not he actually likes it is another question entirely. so far, he hasn't had much in the way of fruit, and he didn't do the carrots, but he did eat a few olives and various other things that have landed in his bowl.
I love, love, love the fact that he likes ice cubes. that is the awesomest. talk about a guilt-free dog treat. and cheap, too!
***
he has managed to come down the stairs by himself a few times now. he's okay with going up, but he seems to want a spotter coming down - someone to stand at the bottom of the stairs. in the course of our reorganizing on Sunday, we were up and down the stairs many times, and he had to follow of course because he wants to be near his people.
***
he's really enjoying the meet and greets over at Colette's house. we only had a few dogs there this past Sunday, as noted in my previous entry, but the very shy Reba [who is not a greyhound, as opposed to the greyhound named Reba, who is owned by another person in our group...] has taken a shine to him and has initiated play with him a few times. she seems uncertain about the muzzle, and Randy is a bit clumsy.
[he ran right into me just tonight, giving me a head butt. ow.]
we do have to have him muzzled, though, until he gets used to Reggie - the little terrier mutt who loves, loves, loves to chase balls. Randy likes to chase Reggie. luckily, Reggie by now is pretty used to being around a herd of greyhounds, and does stand up for himself.
***
Randy did quite well at his first vet visit a couple weeks ago. that is, he did well once we got him inside the door. he walked right up to the building to the door, and stopped.
eventually, I just had to pretty much bodily shove him over the threshhold. I think I sort of picked him up a little while David helped him in. we think it was the tiled floor that was the problem, possibly coupled with the unfamiliar building.
he doesn't have any parasites, he got a 3-year rabies shot, his ears checked, and his anal glands expressed. [and wow.]
anyhow, he's very healthy, apparently, and quite easy to please. friendly with everyone he met, and he totally won over both the tech and the vet. a very laid back and sweet boy.
***
he's picked up on routines pretty quick, too. after he goes out for his final pee in the evening, he goes upstairs whether or not we go with him. Randy says it's time for bed!
in the morning, he starts whining right around 6:00, when I usually get up. actually, the past few days, it's been a bit before 6:00.
I take him back upstairs to the bedroom so he won't get into trouble after I leave for work but if David's not yet up. but of course, it doesn't work out so well because Randy whines after I put him in the room. he goes upstairs willingly enough, sometimes even before I have a chance to take him up. hopefully he'll quit with the whining.
[though... it works.]