Bentley and I crashed out on the couch together at 9 PM or even a little before, and slept through 'til a bit before 10, when I took him out in the misty San Francisco night for his last walk of the day. My life has been reduced, overnight and hopefully temporarily, to being really pleased that he both peed and pooped on said walk. I cannot count the times I've contorted my vocal cords to create the "silly nice voice for talking to young children and pets" today, to say "GOOD BOY BENTLEY!" Much reassurance and praise is required while he makes this transition, along with some judicious and meaningful use of "NO!"
We had a rough start, with Bentley erroneously asserting himself as the alpha dog in this household by jumping up and peeing on my bed about 10 minutes after we got home last night.
Think again! I tossed him unceremoniously off of the bed and pressed him onto the floor, with some very stern language, and then quickly hauled him out into the garden to instruct him as to the one and only bathroom for him on this property.
So far, so good; he didn't attempt another bed takeover today. He seems to realize, at least for now, that I have my luxury "crate" (the bedroom), and he has his much more sparsely furnished one, and that in fact, if I want his crate too, I can have both of them. He cannot have mine.
No room for him in this home if he's going to play at being the alpha. I am the alpha!
Strong talk, and I believe it, but I suppose we'll only see over time if he believes it too.
Anyway, after a difficult early morning, begun at 6 AM, and punctuated by vomit and a romp into the neighbor's garden, with accompanying poop right in the middle of the neighbor's patio (gah!), Bentley has been settling down nicely.
Pictured here is his first nap in our home, significant because it meant he was finally too tired to be overwrought and jumpy. He had a few more good snoozes over the course of today and this evening, received a lot of lovin' from myself and a few visitors, and kept down his dinner. And now he's quiet in his crate, out in the kitchen, and I'm in bed, and we're both exhausted.
I'd best cut this off here, as I imagine he'll be up again at 6 AM tomorrow, and I can use all the sleep I can get before then.
We had a rough start, with Bentley erroneously asserting himself as the alpha dog in this household by jumping up and peeing on my bed about 10 minutes after we got home last night.
Think again! I tossed him unceremoniously off of the bed and pressed him onto the floor, with some very stern language, and then quickly hauled him out into the garden to instruct him as to the one and only bathroom for him on this property.
So far, so good; he didn't attempt another bed takeover today. He seems to realize, at least for now, that I have my luxury "crate" (the bedroom), and he has his much more sparsely furnished one, and that in fact, if I want his crate too, I can have both of them. He cannot have mine.
No room for him in this home if he's going to play at being the alpha. I am the alpha!
Strong talk, and I believe it, but I suppose we'll only see over time if he believes it too.
Anyway, after a difficult early morning, begun at 6 AM, and punctuated by vomit and a romp into the neighbor's garden, with accompanying poop right in the middle of the neighbor's patio (gah!), Bentley has been settling down nicely.
Pictured here is his first nap in our home, significant because it meant he was finally too tired to be overwrought and jumpy. He had a few more good snoozes over the course of today and this evening, received a lot of lovin' from myself and a few visitors, and kept down his dinner. And now he's quiet in his crate, out in the kitchen, and I'm in bed, and we're both exhausted.
I'd best cut this off here, as I imagine he'll be up again at 6 AM tomorrow, and I can use all the sleep I can get before then.
