Dog's Happy button has been located!!

If you're still reading this Garin, I wanted to let you know that Beckett has found his "Happy" button finally. Well, considering it takes up to 18 months to detoxify puppymill rescue dogs apparently, Beckett has moved ahead for some reason and I am not going to bother taking the credit for any one thing having done it. I think he finally clued in after months of us working with him.

His trainer, Kim who is with http://courteous-canine.com/ is helping us to help him through consistency and appropriate behaviour training. Clicker training is now underway because both Darrin and I need to uniformly create a bond with Beckett. At this point, Beckett is more playful with me than with Darrin. I attribute it to more romping and running which is more my style as well as Beckett's temperament. Darrin and run because of an old heel injury from track-n-field as a kid. I've been lucky to incorporate Beckett's need to dart here and there into a game of chase. At first I had him chase me or run along side and then past me. Now I have it going both ways. We'll start our walk (run) by me getting in a semi-crouched position parallel to him (looks like I'm ready to start a marathon race) and saying 1-2- and...... 3. As I'm saying this I am slowly moving my body forward in preparation for launching myself forward. As I bolt at '3' Beckett too bolts and runs along side. If I turn, he turns too. Shortly after a few of these warm-ups I'm somewhat playing chase or tag with him. It's good for the cardio I'll tell you. LOL

I'm going to try and get a small video of Beckett being a racing dog one of these days.

It is the change in season for us which means the migration to the cottage for the 'warmer' season. Warmer is relative I'll tell ya! Plus 4 is NOT warm. I think of it in terms of Canadian geese flying home when it's still freezing out and enjoying the arrival of the warmth. I do the same only I sit very near our wood stove in the living room watching tv and working on my laptop until I can go out on the patio and enjoy the weather. LOL

This year our construction project has turned out to revolve around.. yes.. .you got it... Beckett. Beckett needs space to feel free but still be contained. That is no small feat. We have decided to take the corner of the house outside the patio doors and transform it into an attached kennel. He will still have the warmth and sofa of the inside but also the ability to romp out in the sun's rays. This is our screened in private place which will forever be transformed into Beckett's playground. This is the screened in section and will have a doggy door out to and outdoor area which I believe is 10 x 12 or 14. There is also a new doggy door we purchased which is made of glass .

As far as I am concerned, anything that allows Beckett to be okay through the day is all that matters. He is making great strides in his 'okayness' with us and I don't want to set him back unnecessarily. Some things happen and then are things you can avoid having happen. Giving Beckett space is something we can help with in the country. Between Beckett and the horses that will be arriving at the cottage at the end of May, we'll have a full list of experiences this summer. Beckett already enjoys the horses from our little exposure at the farm this year so I'm not too concerned. I wonder if he'll enjoy our walks through the fields with the horses?
Today, as I was getting to the last of the work of preparation for moving to the cottage, Darrin and Beckett came back in from the cottage to visit and bring me breakfast.
After a nice spell with the two of them, I decided to go to down to the second floor level and work on the apartment again. As I was working away I heard Darrin say, "okay, let's go" which, to Beckett means that we're going for a walk. The just as I heard this I remembered that we had left the street level door open to allow the cleaner to come and go as I did my work. The next thing I know I see a fuzzy blur scram past the doorway of the second floor apartment and my heart raced as I realized the street door was open. Darrin too clued in and he was heading down from the third floor at high speed. As I ran down the stairs I was hoping I'd at least catch a glimpse of Beckett before he rounded the block corner so I'd at least know which way he was running.
As I reached the street level door, I halted and pretended to calmly walk out the front door. Low and behold, there was Beckett standing beside my car which was parked alongside the apartment house. I went out, telling him he was a "good Beckett" all the while, and I asked if he wanted to go in the car, in my 'car voice'.. I opened the back door of the car and gave the command for getting in. He came up, rounded the door and jumped into the back seat as though I was not an issue at all. Then as I praised him for coming through the open window I turned to see Darrin sitting in the hallway on the lower steps with the same look on his fast that I had in my heart... Thank Gawd that dog did not bolt away. He was happy going in the car and had no fear of us. I think we're rounding the corner.

Tonight, I'm hooked on to the Internet through my new phone (technology is getting too amazing) out at the cottage. Beckett is asleep next to the wood stove on his blanket with his squeaky toy laying next to him. Darrin is asleep upstairs already and I'm just waiting for that 11:30 'walk' time to keep Beckett on his schedule.

I'll start another journal entry tomorrow on Beckett's cottage life. We have big things happening and this guy is catching on quickly. He still isn't cuddling like most dogs do, but he is on his way to being a happy dog at least. So much now for him to become familiar with all over again. So far.. so good. Wish us all luck!