As I get over my impatience with some of the tremendous anxiety that Gallagher exhibits, and that he has overcome, I feel humble with this loving, gentle, funny dog. He is so willing to learn, to please me, and for a dog that is not at all food driven, he has shown amazing improvement and growth. He has learned to settle in and lay down inside the house, and he is learning that when I leave, I will return. So his constant pacing is decreasing, and he is relaxing more and more each day. How wonderful to see how a dog can trust and let old behaviors just be a part of the past.
He and I went into Penticton BC, to the Okanagan Lake Japanese Garden, and he met my sons for the first time. They are 21 and live away from home. Gallie did not hesitate at all, and approached them both with head up, tail wagging and lots of confidence! Good boy, Gallagher!! He has shown some reticence with strangers, but he gains more confidence each day. He did whine a little when I handed the leash to my son and popped out of sight for a moment, then he just gave a big doggie grin when I reappeared, wagging his tail like he hadn’t seen me all day, and 5 minutes later he was relaxed and interested in our walk like nothing had happened.
I am planning to find a companion dog for him, and while we were at the dog beach that day, I saw him in action with a young female boxer. He was a different boy than he is with the local ‘boys’ around here. He was careful, never once tried to ‘shoulder check’ her, ran a little slower to allow her to keep up with him, and was quite the respectful gentleman. He tends to be a little dominant with the boys, and they always act as though they are in a competition of sorts, quite rough and tumble and about a second away from a bit of lip lifting, teeth showing and noisy testing of ‘who is in charge here?’ Gallagher was quite wiling to let the girlie pup take charge and was a little enamored, I think.
Here are a few pictures from May 30, 2010: Gallagher wanted to see the turtle that my son pointed out, and you’ll notice the cat telling Gallie that he needs to ‘stay down’ off the couch!
He is doing SO WELL. He is completely trained off leash now, knows to WAIT when I open the door instead of busting out past me, walks like a dignitary on the leash with a halty, and is well centred and truly loved.
I’ve put him on Summit food, the kind with Turkey, Chicken and Salmon, and Imho is on the cat variety of the same. They eat better than me!
Gallagher is the perfect match for me, our lifestyles are great together. Right now he is laying on his round cushion (recovered in a flashy tiger print fleece fabric that used to be on Imho’s bed on the chair in the picture) and he and I just returned from a quick trip to the land fill, watched the dump deer eating insulation (YUCK!!) and then stopped for a run out in the huge field. The neighbours' coonhound Coda stopped by earlier to run huge circles around my yard, while Gallagher ran circles around him! (Gallie can really run!) And the two of them had to stop a few times to let their tongues hang out and just breathe! When Coda ran home next door, Gallagher was a real gent and escorted him all the way to his porch, then turned around and ran straight back home to me. I didn’t even have to call him – probably for the best, since he listens when he wants to so far. We are working on recall!
Gallagher joined me at work on Thurs afternoon and was so well behaved, laying under my desk quietly until I was through my paperwork. He was a little messy drinking his water out of my coffee cup, so next time we will bring our special drinking bowl. The janitor will be happy!
So, off we go. I am thankful every day for the gift of this amazing guy. The local dog trainer pointed out to me that he is actually a little shy, and so I will be aware that he needs to "come" to new people in his own time, to avoid becoming actually shy. He is very attached to this life, and we have a ton of fun togther. No more crate, he is happiest in my bedroom while I work, where he sneaks onto the bed (I can always tell by the indent in my pillows!)
Oh, Imho always takes up the dog pillow, so Gallagher tends to like the loveseat or my bed. J
A quick note and picture of Gallagher, who is an absolute darling and I feel like the luckiest person on earth! I love him to bits and he is a sweet and kind soul, with excellent manners. What a pet!
I’ve introduced him to the local pet store owners, who adore him already, and he has been on 6 long walks in our first two days together. He is almost like a puppy, super playful and full of bounce. We are shopping for perfect fitting saddlebags, so he can work off some of that HUGE energy! His manners on a walk are impeccable already, with the Halty lead, he heels right beside me. Quite a difference in two days - I thought he would pull my arm off when we met on Friday! The long lunge line is perfect to let him play fetch, and eventually he will be off leash, once I know he will come back!
Our first daily walk is just as the sun comes up, and today we watched 3 otters playing in the creek down the road for a while. I think he wanted to join them but after a little while they slid into the water and disappeared. We both looked up and down the creek banks, but they were gone. How amazing and wonderful, without Gallagher I would have missed that.
He is getting along fabulously with Imhotep, who chases him and bats his bum with a pawful of claws, to which Gallagher gets a big grin and leans in for a ‘backscratch’ – he loves it!
Imho sits at the window and stares at Gallagher when he is outside, I wonder if he is hoping he’ll stay out there forever or come back inside to play? I think he misses him because he cried at the door when I came in alone!
Gallagher is going into his XXL crate all by himself to lay on the cushy pillow in there, and is content at night being crated.
He is a watchdog, too, and he ‘chuff’s to let me know he hears something out of the ordinary. I haven’t heard him bark yet, but I bet he has a big voice!
