The Chihuahua pack

Baxter and I walked over to AJ's today to get something and Baxter went in the house and met her pack of 5 ankle biters. He was patient and didn't get on any of them. 2 of the females tried to give him a hard time but AJ put them out. They were hassling him and he ran at the front door and knocked open the storm door. Apparently the little Chi's don' t do that but a 65lb Baxter needs a wooden door between him and getting away from the yapping little dogs. I got him to come back in and things were fine.

New "Adopt Me" vests

I got 2 adopt me vests in the mail this past week. I put one on Baxter to walk him. They aren't too big and are of good quality. http://www.houndgear.net/images/VestDetailSnap.jpg I got a medium and a large figuring that he should just fit the medium. He does. We put the large fully adjusted out on Baloo this weekend at Petco. Baloo is a Great Pyrennes mix, a big boy.

Chow hound

Baxter has always been extremely food motivated. He is really into treats. Unfortunately, he is getting a bit overly interested and I need to get some advice on how to curb his behavior. I caught him counter surfing last week when I left a sandwhich there and he is always right on top of Ben when Ben has pizza. He also comes right up to the table when we are eating and tries to check out the food. I have gotten up and backed him up and gone back to sit down and eat, but he comes back. If I put something in his Kong, it will distract him while it lasts, but that isn't the ultimate solution.

Crate

Well, I have stopped crating Baxter during the day. He has settled into a pattern whether I am working from home or not of laying around during the day and not being overly active and then expecting me to be active with him in the evening. I haven't been crating him at night either, though I am having some second thoughts on that. Ben had a couple of friends and their computers over last night and Baxter wanted to come sleep on the floor in the bedroom so that was fine except that he wanted to get up and wander around the house and I had the bedroom door shut. I put him back out of the room and he came pounding/scratching on the door to get in. Overall, not very successful. I should have just put him in his crate and said good night.

Went running/walking with Baxter this morning. For the first 1/2 mile or so he was a little ahead of me and wanted to stop here and there and sniff and pee. Then we walked a bit and then ran the last mile home and he stayed right next to me or a foot behind me the whole way home. I prefer him to stay beside or just behind me.

Long hot shelter weekend

I took Baxter to the shelter Friday evening so I could have some quiet time and so he would be there on Sat/Sun. I came to find out that we were indeed going to be closed on Sat (4th July), but decided that I was going to be there doing work anyway and so to leave him. Also, I was headed to Houston early on Sun so better to have him at the shelter. Just picked him up and he is happy to be home. He is laying on the cool floor chilling. Ignoring the month plus that I had Cassie, Baxter has basically been here about 6 months. Not sure what to do to "market" him better, but it is time to do something. He is a lovely dog. He has settled in to my routine of hanging during the day and then gets "energetic" in the evening when I am available. He will make someone a good companion, but we have to find that someone.