Quincy Ran-Away!

It was a dark and stormy night. The whimpering that had awoken me like clockwork over the past week had dissipated into occasional groans and muted chatter around 3am as if he was reminding me he was still in the room and that I shouldn't forget his bladder was small. We made a quick trip into the cold night air to hurry-up and then he returned to his bed without complaint. Every night he would sleep a little longer, and go down just a little easier, often putting himself to bed before I had the chance. By the end of his first week he had slept as much as six hours without waking to go outside.

His curled tail is like a mood ring. When he is happy or engrossed in a scent or an activity it curls and wags incessantly as if he has suddenly lost all control of it. When he is thoughtful or inquisitive it tends to extend straight out. I have yet to see him tuck it down in submission or fear. He is painfully playful at times, and has shown a strange attraction to my paisley print pajama pants, especially the portion near the bony aspect of my ankle. Although I have offered up a bounty of chew toys and treats as a barter with him to save my home furnishings, he has clearly indicated to me that he much prefers the tassels on my area rug and the unrepaired edges of the termite hole in my living room wallboard to anything that I could ever offer him. Petco has taken most of my extra spending money this week, and in turn has left me only with an assortment of ropes, rubber balls, and nylon bones scattered around the house.

Quincy has blessed me by his having a strong stomach and tolerance of motion as if he knows how much I detest cleaning up vomit and he is trying to make amends for the chewing. Our van rides are frequent, as he often accompanies me on my work day driving, happily snoozing in his crate until it is time to get out and romp, stretch, and play. He has adjusted to the chaos of a house with three loud energetic children, and an older dog who thinks at times he is a puppy too. The two tussle and roll around on the floor almost as intensely as my teenage boys but add more flare to the wrestling match with grandiose slides across the wooden floor and games of cat and mouse around the bar stools.

He never hesitates in his actions. Every situation is approached with unbridled curiosity and an eagerness to participate in some way. He is comfortable with walking on grass, dirt, flooring, over metal grates and uneven rocks. Easily amused with the outdoors, he seems to enjoy a challenge and likes to climb and crawl over and under obstacles.

Quincy's first official training exercise, the "runaway".

I've been grinning since we completed our first team training session together. The youngest of the K-9s, Quincy held his own and showed great enthusiasm for the work. He eagerly chased me after being given his first live-search command, "Go Find", and for the first time actually ate the reward I presented to him, even though he was quite happy with himself without any external reinforcement. He loved being the center of attention. Everyone loved having a puppy around and I am pretty sure he knew it. One at a time he was introduced to the other dogs on the team, and no matter their size or excitement level, he reacted the same ~ with a wagging tail and wet kisses. He loved to follow the other handlers and dogs when he could, as if saying "I want to go where you are going!". When it was time to cut them loose and play he eagerly romped through the fields, pouncing and prancing more like a rabbit than a dog. He explored the shores of the lake as he kept an eye on the other dogs who swam together, as he was curious about their antics in the water.

He has only been with us for one week, but this newly turned 8-week old has already become a cherished member of our family.