Every dog has its day

I'm sitting at my computer desk with one leg sticking out at an awkward angle because there's a leash around my ankle. No, this is not a weird fetish post from Master Seth's Love Dungeon, it's a way to build a rapport with the hound. The idea is that we'll have him here for a couple of weekends before training starts so that we can get acquainted without the pressures of training and a completely new environment for the dog. While he's here he'll be either on a leash which I'm holding, or he'll be tethered to something solid. The only exceptions will be times when he's let outside.

Where-ever I go, he goes, and his bed comes too. Thankfully the bed is a light, well sized thing which is a bit like a thick doona. It has made doing things a bit interesting tonight; we've had to put some thought into sitting down for dinner because he needs to be tethered before we serve food, and we have to clear the plates away before we un-tether him and put him back on the leash. Seems obvious, I know, but we had a bit of trouble working it out. We have to look in each room for a potential tethering spot - the object has to be solid, but in an area with enough space for Ashton's bed and then some extra room, because he's an absolutely huge dog and doesn't quite fit on the bed.

I've seen Ashton a couple of times at work in the last couple of days and I think he's settling in here better because of it. He was really happy to come here and get lots of pats from both me and Matt, and he's now curled up asleep. My impression is that he's a fairly easygoing dog to begin with, and the fact that he's been through this process before probably makes it easier again.

I'm really not looking forward to sending him back to the kennels on Monday morning.