Sunday Morning with Rascal

I got home last night from the crop around 1:00 am -- Rascal announced my arrival ( I could hear him bark a couple times as I pulled into the driveway and walked through the gate... good dog!), and barked a couple more times as I unlocked the door and came in. Very happy he announces people approaching. We also brought a friend over for himself to look at her computer, and Rascal was leery ~ when he rolled over on his back for his belly to be rubbed, and T rubbed his belly, she was then okay. :-) And really, aren't we all pretty satisfied when we get our bellies rubbed ;-)

So I got on the computer for a little while after setting up the coffee maker - Rascal had disappeared, and as I sat down to the pc, I see his head pop up from the couch. So he found his bed okay.... *hee hee*

This morning I woke up before the alarm, got up and got dressed and took Rascal for a slow walk around our street. By the time we got home he was completely peed out... male dogs are different for me -- I'm not used to the way they pee and walk at the same time... ick. And now the neighborhood dogs knows he is here.

He had knee-cap surgery 3 1/2 weeks ago - just got his cast off a week or so ago. His foster mom didn't know what caused the floating kneecap - he'd been in a kennel for at least 3 months and FAIR (Foundation for Animals In Risk), the organization we adopted him from, rescues animals from the humane society as well as strays and "Found" animals and they never put animals down. They must have just rescued him within the last month or so. He's been neutered, microchipped, has a 3-year rabies shot, and his other shots.

When we walked into Petsmart, which has FAIR come in with a few animals every Saturday from 10am to 3pm (or something close to those hours), we both spotted Rascal and knew he was the dog for us. The dog in the kennel cage next to him was barking non-stop and being kinda hyper in his cage, and Rascal was just laid back, nonchalant and not letting the chaos get to him. We watched a lady come put a pink tag on the outside of his cage, and both of us thought that meant he was spoken for. I went over to read more closely what it said, and it was just his information (Name, weight, age, breed, personality & special needs if any). The lady who had put the tag on the cage starting talking to me, and she was his 'foster mom' who'd taken care of him after his surgery, and had had him for over 3 weeks.

It was hard for her to leave, you could tell she loved him... I don't know if I could foster animals like that, it would break my heart! She just raved about him as just a love of a dog -- and he is. He isn't needy -- but every 15 or 20 minutes he'll come over to whatever I'm doing and need a pat or attention for a few seconds, then happily goes on his way. Perfect. Helps me keep track of time, but isn't whining or destructive with the attention his needs.

He doesn't know how to walk on a leash... right now it is more 'going for a pull' for me - he's 60 lbs, 2 1/2 years old, a Lab/Shepherd/Pit Bull mix. We loved his name so just need to get used to it.

He slept through the night, was happy to see me when I came into the living room and said good morning -- nice his nose wasn't in my face at 6:30 am :-) Though once he came back inside from going outside, he nosed himself up... *hee hee* -- so himself was up early (7:15 am or so).

I think after church I'll give him a bath... we'll see.