Jackpot: Day 2

Turkey Tracks: August 30, 2022

Jackpot: Day 2

Jackpot decide to bond with me yesterday!

He was my shadow all day.  And after his breakfast and playing with his toys, he started “resting” near or on my feet or the legs of the chair I’m using.

The daily puppy schedule that is emerging is as follows:  go out and pee/poop, breakfast, play with toys in kitchen while “she” is typing at desk, nap, outside adventure (car), outside time here, lunch, long nap (“she” naps too and then does household chores), another outside adventure (car), time outside and inside, dinner (“she” eats too), downstairs time, bed about 9 for both.

Yesterday morning we walked the nearby Erickson trail, which is about 1.5 miles.  It is a looped trail.

This trail is so lovely.  And it’s a target rich place for a dog who wants to smell EVERYTHING.  At first we went really slow—at his “smell this” pace.

Then I took him off leash—about 1/3 down the trail.  He LOVED that—and we got up a good pace at times as he stayed right with me—no more than 6 feet away at any time.  This kind of walking will build up his leg muscles so he can handle the stairs in and around my house.

As we neared the end of the trail, I re-leashed him, and he used up the length of the whole leash, so was clearly feeling more comfortable about hiking with me.

After lunch and his longer nap, we explored in town a bit, until his new-puppy vet appointment at 3 pm.  We tried to walk a local residential street (Pearl), but the cars and noises scared him to death.  He was sure he was going to be killed or hurt.  Next we went over to the Laite Beach park, which has a cool, shady serene grassy area.  We sat on a rock and just relaxed until time to go to the vet.

Here’s our view—of the OUTER Camden harbor, which is full of boats.

Here’s how he rides in the car.  You can see the short chain that keeps him safe.  He is quiet as long as I have a hand on him.  Otherwise he tries to crawl into my lap.  

The vet appointment was good.  He needed his ears cleaned—and trust me, he so did NOT like that.  But he got a bit of cheese when he was all done.  And if he was going to be a biting dog, believe me, he would have bitten “those people.”  Either of my rat terriers would have tried to bite at least one of “those people.” Meanwhile, I hated, hated, hearing him cry.  When I got him back, he curled into my body and hid his his face in the crook of my arm.

They also trimmed his small, sharp puppy nails.  I thought it was better for them to get the rap for that chore rather than me.  Terriers HATE having anyone touch their feet.  The hound part of JackP seems to be ok with having me touch his feet.  BTW, those big feet are webbed nearly all the way to the ends of his toes.  They are, basically, swimming paddles.

We were both worn out afterwards and went home to recuperate emotionally.

When we went downstairs last night, it was clear that Jackpot was really tired.  He kept looking for a spot to crash.  At 7:30, he went to the bottom of the flight of stairs—which he avoids still—and went up two stairs and turned to look at me.  He was clearly asking to go upstairs and, I think, go to sleep in his crate.  He did not fuss at all when I put him there either.

I stayed up for another hour, and then I crashed too.  I woke at 6 this morning, got dressed, and went down to get him.  He had peed, but he didn’t pee in the house when I let him out, and had a long pee and good poop outside before coming back in for his breakfast, which he inhaled.  There was lots of happy wiggling and kisses and showing me his belly.

Here was my lunch yesterday, which I didn’t really eat as I needed a nap more than I needed to eat.  So, it is waiting for me today.  And I had food to reheat for a nice dinner last night.

So far, Jackpot does not like to cuddle on the couch with me.  He likes to play with me on the couch and gets “jacked up” (pun intended).  Today is only full day 3.  He will hopefully learn to cuddle over time—and to let it relax him.  

He is a very busy, very smart, very happy puppy.