9 July 2007
Hi Karen!
Just wanted to say thanks again for everything and let you know that
Blackberry- who now goes by Shadow- is settling in wonderfully. He's
starting to feel a bit more confident around the apartment, realizing that
the food bowl belongs to him, the doggie bed belongs to him, etc. He has
claimed just about every garbage can and tree in the local park as his
own, and he's *really* taking advantage of the attention- turns out he's a
glutton for belly rubs and naps on the couch.
Thanks for rescuing such a great dog and thanks for helping us find him.
Libby and Jim
15 July 2007
Hey Karen!
We've hit the one week mark- I can't believe it's only been a week. He
fits in with us so well it feels like we've had him forever! Shadow has
been enjoying his daily walks to the park and has made lots of friends.
Everyone stops to tell him how cute he is. Most of the time he laps it up.
The other times, he seems distracted by all the squirrels he needs to
chase. That is his favorite activity next to cuddling, I've discovered.
Unfortunately the squirrels have caught on that he's harmless, so they
don't take him too seriously as a threat and often stand just out of reach
on the tree taunting him. I have to admit... it's pretty funny to watch.
Other than that, Shadow is doing great at home too. Lots of cuddling and
wandering around, keeping track of where we are. He does have mild
separation anxiety when we go out, but we're dealing with that and it's
getting better. Once he realizes this is his forever home for real, I
think he'll be perfecto. He's a trooper!
I'm attaching a few photos so you can see how he's doing. He's as handsome
a little man as ever.
Take care! Hope you're well. And thanks again for everything.
Libby and Jim
27 Sep 2007
Hi Karen!
Just wanted to drop you an update on the artist formerly called
Blackberry! Shadow is doing great- he's gaining confidence by the day.
With that, however, comes a bit of territorial behaviour- he sometimes
barks at other dogs that show us too much affection (and, subsequently, to
whom we BESTOW affection. Shadow, it turns out, prefers to be a one-man
operation). However, he is also adaptable when it comes to other dogs- I
volunteer to take a dog from a nearby shelter for walks a few times a
week. At first, Shadow had a problem with this, but now, the two of them
pal around quite happily. It's pretty sweet to watch.
Shadow's potty habits continue to impress me- we've only had one incident
of him peeing in the house, and it wasn't so much an accident as him
marking a stack of rather pungent items. But, all things considered, we've
been amazed at his ability and willingness to wait til we're outside at
the park to go to the bathroom. You did well housetraining him!
Shadow has also been travelling quite a bit the last month or two. He's
flown back to the east coast with me to visit my family in Boston and New
Hampshire. He was an absolute gem on the plane- no trouble at all. One
stewardess liked him so much she let him sit in my lap for the whole
flight and she even gave him a free chicken sandwich! Also, we've
discovered that he tends to get cold pretty easily so we bought him a
little grey hoodie with Mickey Mouse on it to keep him warm in the chilly
east coast climate! What a cutie! He also spent a week up in Sacramento at
the Wag Hotel while I went to the Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock
Desert, NV. He stayed in a luxury suite and was pretty much treated like a
little king. He was pretty happy to be picked up and taken home at the end
though. And finally, he has made no less than three trips to Disneyland.
He's become a favourite at the Disney Kennel Club!
He seems to have an old joint injury in one of his legs, and we're worried
that the stairs in our apartment are exacerbating the pain. Fortunately,
we will be moving to a new single-floor apartment in the next month that
has an elevator, so hopefully that will help some.
All in all, Shadow is healthy, happy and we continue to coo and sigh over
his every move and facial expression. He is absolutely perfect for us, and
he just keeps proving that over and over again.
Thanks so much! I hope you're well!
Libby and Jim
