Long time no blog

Things have fallen into a busy pattern around here and I just haven't seemed to find time to stop and blog. Herme's has garnered some interest at the shelter, but he just hasn't seemed to hit it off with a full family yet. Have had several sets of folks who have looked at him seriously, but he seemed standoffish to one of the couple or they to him. He is shy and it takes him a bit to warm up to you but once he does, he is very loyal.

We haven't had any big chewing incidents. My schedule is very erratic. Some days I can work from home more and/or come home in mid afternoon to work from home or finish my work later in the evening, but lately I have been working more hours at the office. I don't go in right away, so Hermes is here with me until 10 or so, but then he is out in the yard. He gets board out there. It is the Jewish holiday of Sukkot and we have a sukkah in our backyard. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a temporary booth structure where you can eat your meals. It is a friend's sukkah, but that is another story. Hermes has been leaving it mostly alone, but he has taken down a few of the fake flowers hanging in there and played with them.

I have been busy in the evenings and haven't been getting him out for as many walks. He gets playful and if I take him out back and toss a ball or a stick or his big tuff toy, he will run laps around the yard until he exhausts himself.

I picked up a harness at the shelter this weekend. I had gotten myself a hands-free walking setup from REI. That consists of a belt for my waist which is adjustable and has a metal ring on each side to attach leashes to. It came with a leash that is adjustable from 3-6ft. and which has the snaps on each end like you hook to the ring on the dog's collar and to the ring on the belt. Hook the dog to this and go for a walk or run (hopefully) with your hands free. Well, to take any strain off the dog neck, I figured it was best to not hook the dog end to Herme's collar but instead put him in one of those dog harnesses that go around the head and under the front legs and have the ring on the dogs back. He is afraid of it and runs from me when I want to put it on him. I did hook him up on a leash the other day and then put him in the harness and switch to it and we went for a walk and it worked great. Much better control. Now if I can just get him to put on the harness as willingly as he goes for the leash.