Me and Cesar. I wish I could channel him, for real. He didn’t come. I wasn’t as Calm Assertive as I needed to be. More like Anxious Tired Impatient Giddy. Pack Leader? ha!
On my way home from Portland, last night, I picked up “Bandit” (now “Buster”) from a sweet girl who had found him two weeks ago. He’s been living in a cool storage shed in their backyard. I don’t think he’s a puppy and I don’t think he’s a Rottweiler. And he’s not fixed.What I should have done: Sat in the back yard with him alone (without the other dog and without the girl) for whatever amount of time it required for him to get curious enough with me to check me out and calm down. Then quietly attach the leash and go home.
Nope. What I did: Stood in the back yard with the girl and the other dog. I got a couple of passes, he was curious. Then I was freezing. So I suggested we walk them together. (mistake #1, it was 11 in a strange town with a new dog) Almost lost my arm. He totally looks to this girl as his leader and was not willing to attend to me. I bypassed the walk (BIG mistake #2). Still breathing and conjuring my own “Calm Assertiveness” – though not affectively. He’s in the car, we ride to a rest stop where we have a nice calm potty break.
He resisted getting out of the car. I waffled between commanding he act on “my terms” and thinking that the whole meeting thing should be a do-over. When he got out, I directed him to the back yard, he used it (yay!) and we went into the house. He scouted and sniffed for a while and Hayden invited him on to the sofa.
He got a greenie when he calmed down, so far so good… When he started to get excited, we set out on another walk. He’s never been leashed, tied up most likely, not walked He sat, attended me, and as soon as I walked he was pulling. I stopped, he sat, he attended, and as soon as I started walking he pulled. I stopped, he sat… did I mention this was 1 am after a full day at a homeschool conference? when he pulled the next time, I reversed direction, again and again, and again and again, we covered about 5 feet of sidewalk over the course of 30 minutes. did I mention it was freezing? like the grass was crunchy kind of freezing? I stopped, he sat, he attended and he sniffed with more lead the entire front yard and the neighbors’ too. He came back into the house and commandeered the sofa! I led him to his cushion and asked him to remain there. He was NOT happy, did not calm down. He was on alert the whole time he stayed there. Around 2:30 he scratched at the front door, I took the lead and led him to the back yard, calm gentle… and I left him there and came into the warm house. (yeah, I know Big Freakin Mistake!) He’s gone. Probably got out to get laid.My son cried for three hours. I was crabby, mad at myself… I found compassion for Hayden, both for losing his dog immediately and for having a mom who let it happen…Today I suck. I don’t even know what to do. (besides, obviously, continuing to look for this dog… and gettin’ me some Calm Assertion for real)
Bodhicitta 
Oh my gosh, Diana, that’s terrible. I’m so sorry for you guys. 😦 And I really really hope he’s coming back. I have no words. I’m just very sorry for you guys.Ute
Oh, Diana! I’m so sorry to hear about the escape! Hopefully you’ll be reunited soon. Buster’s a cutie.
Hi Diana,First I wanted to tell you that Matthew and I and Annie really had a blast meeting you on Saturday. Thank you for sharing your life so openly.Second, if you don’t find the dog, it’s not your dog. That is reality. Your dog will come when the time is right, you’ll see!Diannathehomeopathicway@blogspot.com
If he dosent come back then he wasnt meant to be there. My very first cat, Sparky, decided very quickly after he was mine that he wasnt actually mine. He ran away and He moved down the street to the neighbors house to get laid. They had lots of cats but we had no others. I was heartbroken. After him, my next cat Nicky I had for all of his life. I saw him being born and he was as attached as I was from the start. I got him when I was nine. He died when I was 22. He filled the broken heart with so much love and I know that someday soon this will be yours and Haydens blessing too. There is a dog out there for you, you need to let the dog choose you.
Well I don’t know if he came back or not but I have to agree, if he didn’t he wasn’t the dog for your family. He maybe cute and he may need a family but maybe just not yours. I am sorry you and H are in pain about it though. Just remember what we went through with Bow and how miserable we all were. Now Bow is a Queen living with Tom and Paul in Sioux Falls, happy and content and King is living with us, more than happy, deeply in love, and the best dog friend we could ever hope to ask for. Love and miss ya!
I was gonna chime in but others beat me to it. With that dog’s restlessness, perhaps he’s still on his path and needing to be free, REALLY free. I just hope that works out for him, poor pooch. And poor Hayden. And poor you!I’ll send *find doggie* vibes right quick.
David says to make sure you are hitting the pound regularly to find him. He worked in the Portland pound and says that if the Corvallis one is as good, they’ll find your dog.
Hey Diana,Feel free to e-mail me if you need some tips in picking up a dog for Hayden.I would start by buying Cezar’s book and watchin g a lot of his shows (which I think you all ben doing it).I wish I was there to help!!!
Hey Diana,Feel free to e-mail me if you need some tips in picking up a dog for Hayden.I would start by buying Cezar’s book and watchin g a lot of his shows (which I think you all ben doing it).I wish I was there to help!!!