Xavier (Bones) Update

Bones is doing really well here.  His name isn't going to fit him for much longer.  The weight is coming on easily, as I expected.   I started adding puppy food into the regular dog food.  He is responding well to the extra calories that it provides.  He is still pretty boney, but definitely looking much better.

Jonathon thinks we should have called him B.J. for Buddy (Jax) Junior because he reminds us so much of young Jax.  He is all legs and totally clumsy.  He runs into things and slips and slides across the floor.  During chase, his long legs often outrun the rest of him which sometimes results in total wipe out.  He is just a hoot.

My buddy and me!

Despite his not so intelligent antics, he has wonderful attention and is very eager to please so leash training has been easy.  His loose-lead walking, sitting, and watch me are near perfect in this short time.  He is also learning to read the dogs more and is playing a little more respectfully with them.  He spent an entire day at the office wearing out Derby (Yes, Derby my previous foster) last week and joined in on a play date with the neighbor dog as well.  He loves everyone.

We are still struggling with separation anxiety.  Although he is safe in the new crate, he is obviously still very stressed out about it.  He chews and salivates so much that his blanket is completely soaked when I return, which makes me feel horrible.  Therefore, he comes to work with me every day.  Yesterday, Jonathon and I were over in the neighbor's backyard helping her fix her fence and our dogs were in our backyard.   Bones knew we were there, but couldn't see us.  Within minutes, he scaled the fence to get to us.  He just hates being away from us.  I have ordered the famous "Thundershirt" to help alleviate some of the anxiety. I am skeptical, but some of the rescuers I know, as well as big-time animal behaviorists, swear by it.  The idea is the same as the pressure wraps and weighted vests used by doctors to treat people with autism, etc.  Fingers crossed.  I am at a loss on how else to help him overcome this issue. 

If I was unsure before, it has become clear to me that the poor puppy was surely beaten in his old life.  We have seen him absolutely melt down, flattening to the ground and whimpering, just waiting to get hit when he thought he was in trouble.  This reaction is not normal of a dog that has been merely "spanked" (I personally don't believe any physical punishment is appropriate for dogs because that is not how they learn, it's just a human way of releasing anger or frustration) but the reaction of a dog that is expecting serious physical pain.    It's enough to break any decent person's heart.   Being shot in the gut was awful for him, but it may have been his one and only ticket out of an unfortunate life.  Perhaps a blessing in deep disguise.