Dodger had a big day today! He went to Pet Salon Bark Avenue and was able to take advantage of their generosity in offering him a free grooming session! He got a bath, got his nails clipped, got blow-dried and brushed out, and he looks gorgeous! Then it was off to the vet to get his vaccinations up to date and to check out a hot spot. Then he got to ride along to visit another foster who had helped to bring him from Turkey to Minneapolis! All very exciting for the blond boy.

Dodger went to a dermatologist last week to check out his ear infections. He's on two new meds that will hopefully help get rid of the nasty bacteria in his ears. We go back next week and hopefully get some good news.

Meanwhile, he's doing great around the house and with his pals. He's learned to sit, and he hasn't had an accident in the house for a while (knock on wood). He's such a happy boy and he's a delight to have here. He is happiest when he is stretched on the floor between the two resident dogs, chewing first on one, then rolling over to chew on the other. The cat still looks like lunch to him, but the cat also is not afraid to teach Dodger a lesson or two.

He's doing really well, and hopefully next week we'll get some good news about his ears. Woof!

Dodger goes back to the vet tomorrow to check and see if his ear infections have cleared up, and if so, he'd be ready to be up for adoption! He's such a sweet boy, a little mischief-maker. Things we have discovered:

• He WILL counter-surf. Yesterday, he enjoyed a pricey little loaf of bread from Rustica Bakery meant for a special treat for someone; he thought the cherries and walnuts in the bread were quite good, if not good for him. All it took was leaving the kitchen unattended while I stepped outside for a minute.
• He can be a little mouthy. He's got ample wrestling time here with the two residents, and when they are fully engaged, he will often opt to mouth the hand, leg, or whatever of the nearest human. Never roughly, but as if to engage them. When reprimanded, he responds.
• He still has accidents in the house on occasion. I try to get him outside every couple of hours, and I want to believe that he is learning to go to stand by the door when he wants to go out, but I'm not totally sure if that's true or if I am trying to convince myself. As long as he gets out frequently, he does fine, but he does mess up once in a while.
• The cat is still his Most Interesting Thing. And he wants to chase/eat it. The cat, however, wants Dodger to know that HE is the Mayor of the house and he will not be cowed by a Young Turk. He continues his training program of hissing and swatting, and the cat's bravado is somewhat remarkable; however, I think that Dodger will always want to eat a cat. He met a small dog on Mother's Day, and although I was apprehensive, he did fine with it.
• He will try to climb trees to get to a squirrel. Or try to climb the side of the house to get to the cat in the window....
• He does really well in the car and he seems to like going for rides.
• He's almost learning to sit. He seems to know what "no" means. And he's learned his name!
• He is doing okay with the kennel. At first, it was a battle to get him inside, but now he's doing pretty well; rewarding him with treats and lots of "Good boy!" exclamations seems to help.
• He chases some cars or trucks along the fence line, but not all, accompanied by some marking, but not excessively so. I still can't figure out why some cars trigger him and others don't.
• He really likes other canine company, especially dogs that are not scared off by his rambunctiousness.
• He eats fine, sleeps well, and slobbers his water all over your lap after drinking. He loves people and is becoming a bit of a mama's boy. Other than the cat, and squirrels (and perhaps any other small running thing), he hasn't shown any aggression ever. He has given a slight growl when one of the other dogs has approached his food, but now they share bones and toys just fine. He's never growled at me, even when I have removed a bone or food, or tried to get him in the kennel.
• He's got a lot of energy and is REALLY strong. He loves walks and needs them. He does great on a Gentle Leader and he wears a harness most of the time.
• We're still working on some "trust issues" about leaving him alone in the house; he still gets kenneled. Several weeks ago, while he was unattended, he thought shredding some pillows would be fun. Since then, I have noticed that he will often pick up a pillow and toss it around if he is bored or alone. He will also pick up items of clothing occasionally (this morning, it was my pajamas) and would, I assume, shred them if he could. He will chew on things that he finds (like that electrical cord last week--!!!!!), but if someone is around, or if he is playing with the other dogs, he doesn't try anything like that. But he's not above it....
• He's a really funny, sweet, smart, affectionate boy. And he's so darn good-looking! He needs training and I think he'll do really well with obedience. He's a bit of a project, but that work that he'll require will pay off. He's smart and he really wants to please, and with some strong obedience work, he's going to be an awesome dog!
• A physical fence is a necessity for this guy.

Dodger wants to thank the Jackie Pagel family for their sponsorship! He's grateful for all of the help as he is making the transition from the streets of Turkey to his forever home!

Dodger took a little road trip to St. Cloud this week. He's a champ in the car, as you can see from the pic of him supervising the driver. He continues to do great here. He's had a few little accidents in the house, but that has more to do with me not paying attention and getting him outside every couple of hours. I gave him a bath last week, and he was great--all fluffy like a little polar bear! He's settled down quite a bit in the house, but still lives to romp as much as possible with the residents. He can get a little mouthy when I play with him, but responds really well when corrected. He's going to do great with some obedience training--he's a really smart boy! He wants to respond when he sees anything move. He was watching the movement of some birds on the other side of some glass block windows--you couldn't see WHAT they were, but you could see a shadow of something fluttering, which fascinated him. He would probably love another canine companion in his new home, but that might not be necessary; he does so well with other dogs and they keep his still-puppy attitude engaged and out of trouble! Surgery on Tuesday is just a day ordeal, and once he recovers, he'll be looking for a home!