Gus

What have I done?
     On March 12, I adopted Gus, a Lab mix, from the Humane Society. He was 3-4 months old, according to the info card on him.  He was one of 4 in the litter at the shelter.

     I had been looking for a dog for a while at the local shelters in the area. I was undecided on getting a mature dog or a puppy. I figured that a mature would come with "issues." On the other hand, I would be able to train the puppy and in time he would adopt my "issues." I finally decided on a puppy and began looking for the right one. I did not know how I would know, but I knew that I would.

    I took him to the vet the following day to initiate a relationship with the local vet and to have Gus's eyes look at. He was oozing stuff. That vet said that Gus had a congenital defect in the eyes. The bottom folds into the eye, causing the hair to irritate the eyeball. This of course could be remedied with surgery, similar to an eye-lift. There was also a concern about distemper and parvo virus. Yikes. Color me scared.

    That night he started coughing and gagging  I was close to taking him to an all-night clinic. Early the next morning, I took him to a different vet. I did not care for the first one. Again there was great concern about Parvo and distemper. I had already read up on these and was very concerned. The vet wanted to keep Gus in the hospital with IV, antibiotics, and isolation. I picked him up for days later. The symptoms for distemper and parvo never developed.After 2 weeks of antibiotics, he seemed recovered. His appetite recovered and his behavior seemed more normal to a puppy.

I want to make sure that he gets enough exercise to allow him to develop as he should. The vet predicts a large dog. The daily routine is an early breakfast, a 3-4 block walk, some freesbie fetch, some yard roaming and cat pestering. The he goes back inside for a nap. There is another walk and yard play in the late afternoon. He does not seem to understand that I have a bad knee.

For now he has been spending much of his time indoors, because of his size and maturity. Although I don't think he will run away, he cannot be trusted outside without supervision. Is he chewing on a plant, on paper, on bugs?  Will he challenge the cat to within an inch of his life and maybe lose an eye? Once he gets older and has found his boundaries, he will have more time alone.

 House training seemed to be in his genes. He has his spot for #2 in the yard. He is now on a semi-regular schedule of when he needs to go. I am still getting up in the middle of the night (3-4 a.m.) to allow him to pee. I am thinking he could hold it but I have not dared to take a chance. I know he won't poop.

If I was advising someone on adopting a dog from the shelter, I would ask more questions about the birth mother and home of origin. I would ask about the other members of the litter.

Gus keeps me moving. I am not a walker and certainly have no need to walk four blocks twice a day.  I now know that people are meant to grow old with their pets. Old people should not adopt puppies. He is good natured, well behaved, and has now started barking. He may be a good guard dog. I will keep you posted.