Dueling doggie cuteness

Crusoe and me on June 4th

Crusoe is adjusting well to his new home and has become very attached to my mom. My dad says that whenever my mom leaves the house, Crusoe whines and howls for a bit, then flops down by the front door and waits for her to return. Except for one incident in which he chewed through a new harness my mom had bought for him, he's been perfectly well-behaved and is just the perfect dog for my parents.

Achilles on May 29th

Achilles is officially on a diet. He had his annual exam about two and a half weeks ago. At last year's exam, he was already considered obese. He weighed 84 lbs. at the time and is supposed to weigh closer to 70. For the past year, I've been careful to measure his food and cut back on his treats, and yet he gained 6 lbs! Yes, my dog weighs 90 lbs. now, which is really dangerous for him since he has joint problems as it is. I have cut his kibble rations back to just a cup and a half per day on the vet's orders, which seems like a really tiny amount, but she says it's plenty for him. He also gets a third of a can of wet food every evening, down from half a can. For treats, he gets only banana chips and chicken jerky -- no more biscuits. Fortunately, aside from his weight he is perfectly healthy, and the vet remarked on how far he's come in his socialization. He even ran right up to her to be petted when she walked into the exam room, which is great progress for him. He used to be afraid of everyone who wasn't me. With any luck, after a few months on his diet he'll be as trim and fit as Crusoe up there.

Crusoe

Two Mondays ago, on May 23rd, my parents went outside to help my little brother, who was visiting them, load up his car for his trip back home. There was a dog lying in the grass at the side of their driveway. He was covered in mud and one eye was crusted shut with goop. He was weak and malnourished but very sweet. My mom gave him some water and called animal control to take him to the shelter.

Crusoe on the day my parents and brother found him in the yard

When my mom told me the story a couple of days later, I encouraged my parents to adopt him themselves, but they didn't seem interested. The following Saturday, my cousin told me that she'd had dinner with my parents the night before and they couldn't stop talking about the dog. They did want to adopt him, but didn't think they'd be able to afford his medical care. I called them that evening and told them that if they wanted to adopt the dog, I would pay for any and all expenses associated with his care. My cousin offered to chip in, as well.

On Tuesday, we went to visit the dog at the animal shelter, where my parents filled out an adoption application and were told they could pick him up the following day after he'd been neutered. Crusoe went home Wednesday evening.

Crusoe at home on his blankie

I went to visit him this evening. This is the sweetest dog EVER. He is so gentle and laid back, and he loves to be petted and to give kisses. He's already housebroken, indicating that someone owned him at some point, but we'll never know how he came to be a stray or for how long he was fending for himself. At feeding time, he gulps down his kibble like he's afraid he may never see food again. I hope once he starts to feel secure in his new home, that fear will go away. My mom tells me that he spends much of his time on his blanket behind my dad's recliner, but that last night for the first time, he slept on a rug at the foot of their bed overnight.

He seems confused by toys and was even a little afraid of the squeaky ball I brought him, but maybe he'll learn to play after he gets settled in. My parents were afraid he might be too much of a handful for them, but apparently he's been perfectly behaved so far. I'm so happy that he's found a home and that my parents have found a dog.

Crusoe getting some love from my mom