Scruffy 5 day upate

Normally I do an update at one week, but with the crazy weekend ahead, I thought it might be a good idea to do this today.

 Keep in mind that Scruffy only just arrived, and the things listed below can change as he settles into his new life.

Housetraining – After a couple of mistakes the first two days, Scruffy has now been accident free for almost four days. I could tell from the beginning, he had a strong grasp of the concept. He just needed a little reminder of how things worked and he soon figured it out. We are using the belly band less and less. I think by the end of this weekend, we will put it away. He has not tried to mark anything since day one, but we use it when both my husband and I are busy and can’t keep our eyes on him 100% of the time.

Crate- Scruffy does well in the crate, although we occasionally need to negotiate to get him in. He is not fooled by the toss of a treat, and we are working on finding what works best. Once inside he doesn’t seem to mind and is comfortable, quiet and is resting nicely when we get home.

Leash- What a difference a few days makes. Scruffy does great on the leash 90% of the time. The other 10% he seems to forget he is connected and will follow a scent or bunny trail and is suddenly surprised when he feels the jerk at the end of the leash. (ha ha) It’s kinda cute. He listens and takes direction very well. This will be a piece of cake very soon.

Food/Eating- Scruffy has a good appetite and is not at all particular about his food. He is eating a dry kibble that was donated to the rescue and is doing well on it. He likes treats of all kinds and takes them nicely from my hand. He is fed in the same room at the same time as our resident dog without issue and is not irritated if I approach or touch him while eating.

Socialization- You would never know that Scruff spent time in a shelter. He is friendly to both humans and dogs. He and our Charlie immediately hit it off and are best buds. We had several guests over the past few days and he approached each as if he knew them all his life, did not jump up or get over excited and seemed to really enjoy the attention. He did a great job. He also seemed to really enjoy a short ride in the car.

Personality – Friendly, playful, gentle and very adaptable. He seems to learn quickly and has a desire to please. Comes when called and takes direction well. Loves his toys, especially if they squeak. Scruff is a well-balanced, all around great guy. We have only heard the occasional bark.

Coat/Size Sorry, I have not yet taken any measurements, but I promise I will soon. You can see from the pics and videos that he is a nice medium size. You know….. just big enough to get in and out of the car himself, but not take up too much room once inside ;-)    His coat is a great read color with a small tuff of white on the very top of his head. I can’t help but wonder what he would look like after a day at the groomers, and although is coat is rough now, I bet after some love and good food, it will be beautiful.

Will post new pictures soon !!!