Letter from Max & family

Hi Paul and Sarah

 

Just to ask if you would kindly allow us to register to post on the forum.

 

Also to let you know about Max (who we are calling Jim - or even sometimes Jimmy!)

 

Things have settled pretty well here.  As I texted yesterday evening, they travelled back fine and had a nice walk together before we brought them home.  They are fine on lead together, walk along as if they have known each other forever!  Jim doesn't pull half as much as Rosie, despite Rosie's year and a bit of training!  

 

When we got home they played ball in the garden, not actually together as in sharing, but each with a ball and not fighting or getting possessive about who had which ball.  We took Paul's advice and put out half a dozen new tennis balls so there was always one that they each could have without any problem.  Jim loved the garden straight away, he has explored thoroughly, sniffing and sniffing and being so excited!

 

We fed them and they settled for the evening, both quite tired, Jim likes to lie with his head (or bum) on someone's foot... he had a couple of times he came to one of us for reassurance when the bossy baggage (otherwise known as Rosie) barked... not necessarily at him, she's a barker at almost everything.  She did tell him off a couple of times, but nothing like as seriously as she did at WIccs... I can only think that either she was more stressed than we realised with you, or else that being on her home ground made her feel more confident and less in need of asserting herself.  Jim stood up for himself a couple of times, and I think that helped too.  

 

Anyway, peace reigned all night.  We borrowed a crate from a friend to give him somewhere safe to sleep, and he was glad to have a rest.  About three o' clock this morning we woke up to hear him playing in his crate, but otherwise he and we slept through till 7. 

 

This morning there were a couple of mild grumbles about who was who, but it has quickly settled down.  Rosie is a bit subdued, but we have had two more walks together and they are fine out and about, and in the garden together.  We are making sure Rosie has her usual routine, and Jim is fitting in beautifully with that.  Jim is very waggy tailed today, he seems to be settling remarkably quickly considering.  He does like to be with one or the other of us, but he is asleep now under my chair and Nick and Rosie are in the other room and everyone is happy! Funnily enough, she doesn't mind him sitting next to us or us patting him.  A couple of times today she tried to get him to play her sort of running about games, but he doesn't seem to understand that idea too well.  It was quite sweet though, because twice today  Jim has given her the ball or nosed it over to her, and she doesn't understand his game!  No doubt they will get it in time!

 

I did pop him in to the vets to get weighed and for a swift visual check... not a proper visit because we didn't want to stress him, but just so we could have some idea of what his weight was.  Paul and Nick are very good guessers, because he weighed 14.6 kilos... (Nick said 14, Paul said between 13 and 15!)   We have registered him with our vet, and we will go back for a proper check when he has settled a bit more. 

 

His eyes are a bit less mucky today, the vet did give us some ointment but we will wait and see, because I think it is clearing without needing too much interference.  Just feel a bit happier to have something in hand in case it worsens over the easter break.

 

We have put him on gluten free food and he has certainly poohed a bit less today... yesterday it was 4-5 times after we met him, today only 3 times altogether  Of course, yesterday no doubt all the stress of moving made a difference to his belly, but he has eaten well and been very bouncy, so I think the change has not disturbed him too much. 

 

He has been clean and dry in the house from the start, we aren't really sure yet what signals he gives to ask to go out, but we have been making sure he can go out frequently and he has been great.  He certainly has got good bladder capacity judging by this morning's first wee!

 

Probably that is enough from me for one day... but just wanted to reassure you he is doing ok, and the bossy baggage is coming to terms with her new companion.  A few more days and I think she will be begging him for attention!

 

hope the hot cross buns were ok... just about to try out another batch

 

Claire and Nick Gradidge