27 Weeks

Oh, this little growing pain...

The things he has learned, the areas of improvement, are so easily eclipsed by the things he has yet to reliably master. It could be said that his energy level is very frustrating, but the truth is that his excited mental state is what we are actually dealing with. He does much better if I take the time to do things like hold him back so that his sisters can exit the back door first, without him trying to wrestle with, chase, or pounce on them. Things really do go so much  more smoothly if I have him sit and wait til he's calm, and then release him to go after them. Plus, they get to pee/poop in peace. Airlie's reached the point where she won't even go, if he's around. She'll just hold it indefinitely. She's the one who taught him that stalking innocent dogs who are just trying to potty was "fun", though. SHe did it to Leo all those years, and started it with Kal the first week. Payback's a bitch, right?

We're currently undergoing that fear period where everything new and out-of-the-ordinary in the neighborhood is suspect. Last week, it was the bag of mulch propped against a tree in someone's yard, that hadn't been there previously. Kal wasn't walking past it.No way, no how. Just kept stopping to stare... and growl...

Then there was the very large, pasty, bald man sitting on his front steps in his undershorts listening to music/watching something on his phone. I heard the music, but didn't notice the person- the sun being in my eyes. But Kal did and was having none of that, either. Not walking past that house. I don't blame him, the guy was kind of scary-looking...

Tall, broad-shouldered, silver-haired, shirtless older gentlemen out working in their own yards are met with equal suspicion.

This week, he did well when encountering a lawn sprinkler operating in someone's yard, conveniently blocking our path on the sidewalk. He likes drinking from the hose, and doesn't mind having the water bowl filled while he is drinking from it. Baths are improving, though running water is still a source of panic. He will sit nicely while having small amounts of water poured on him, and has graduated to being able to sit still while the faucet is on and I'm filling the pitcher for another rinse. He hasn't been swimming yet, and has avoided the baby pool outside other than his initial foray playing in it when he thought nobody was looking. I was sure the sprinkler (one of those rotating ones that throws water out in a circle from two different ends) was going to be a problem, and, not seeing the person sitting on her front porch on the phone (again, sun in my eyes) said "I know. You're not going through there."

"But it will be fun!" a disembodied voice exclaimed, and then began explaining to the person on the other end of the line (on speaker) about the "lady walking her dog, and doesn't want to go through the sprinkler."

Not me. I wouldn't have minded. I just knew it was going to be a no-go situation. But, instead of walking him off the sidewalk and around it via the street, I let him watch for a while, and, mostly for the benefit of the homeowner, I decided to let him try it. He didn't really mind all that much at first, then took a flying leap off to the side in a last-ditch effort to get around the thing. But, he survived.

Yesterday, we got stopped on the same street by a guy working on his motorcycle (he's usually backing out as we pass by) and his two daughters who were playing in the yard. I stopped to answer a few questions and listen to him talk about his own dogs. The girls didn't seem interested in meeting Kal at all (sort of disappointed at the missed opportunity), but Kal stood for it, albeit straining at the leash to continue on our way.

Today we tried the park, again. I haven't taken him, myself, since Sunday when I ended up losing my temper and giving him an earful- in front of most of the neighborhood. It was a bad combination of heat, humidity, sweat, the end of the walk, the dogs in the neighboring back yard, Airlie's reactivity to barking dogs in other yards- even if she can't see them... and she'll do the same even if the yard is empty at the time. Kal thinks it's all a game and was trying cut behind me to jump on Airlie. Then he made his classic mad-dash attempt right across my path, almost hauling the three of us into oncoming traffic. My hands being literally tied, all I could do was mouth off. Hopefully everyone in the park who heard me had already witnessed the previous half-hours antics, constantly being halted in our tracks for whatever he wants to sniff, dealing with his sudden attempts to dash around behind me and change sides. Every once in a while, DH offers to walk him, sensing my frustration. But he gets frustrated, as well- with  Kal's multiple pauses to poop, even though the dog poops every hour or two, beginning at 3pm, and not ceasing until late morning, with the exception of holding it overnight... for the most part.

Also, Kal doesn't recognize "daddy" as an authority and routinely tries to cheat and end the walk early by refusing to continue on past the point where we used to turn around and head home when he was younger and couldn't go as far.

Or, he'll just lie down and refuse to move- usually in the middle of the somewhat busy street that runs right through the park.

I really, really did not want to be spending my time and energy on this at this point in my life.

This week has been a trial of sleep interruptions. He still doesn't sleep past 6:15, but now he is revisiting the wee hours, whining to get up for no apparent reason at 4am Sunday night... and then was up again at 5, and 6:30... Monday he was up at 5:15... Tuesday it was 12:30... and 5:30... last night, he started barking like mad at 11:30, after I'd only been asleep for about an hour (thank you, Summer Olympics, for keeping my husband (and myself, by default) up past my bedtime... Ugh.). I can only figure this was because somebody dropped one of the neighbors off. They make a lot of noise over there, and it is heard more easily from the dogs' room than our own, though both are on the same side of the house. Something about the space between the houses seems to magnify everything. Then he threw a huge whining fit at 1:30... but when I let him out he just sat there. I figured out that he'd apparently puked in his crate prior to that, and was fussing because he wanted to eat the vomit that had landed outside of the crate, but couldn't reach it.

I think that's what's been happening the other nights, as well, because both the other dogs have been sniffing around his crate of late, and he's been obsessed about scavenging around the edges, as well.

I really freakin' wish they'd all stop with the dirt-eating, and the chewing bark off the tree out back... and I'm beyond ready to discontinue the evening feeding. He's old enough to phase it out, and I've been gradually cutting it back, but DH is refusing to comply with just ending it completely.

Paws crossed for DH going back to work soon, then I can do everything my way.

Because 1/2 cup of food in the evening is just ridiculous- and is also probably what's contributing to the early morning wakefulness.

...and if he's just going to puke it up, anyway...

All of this, mind you, I can hear behind closed doors, with earplugs in my ears,

while DH sleeps through the whole damn thing.

I just want to cry... 

DH has begun wiping Kal down with Hibiclens (which I've been trying to get him to do for some time) which trumps my bathing and coat spray routine for now, but seems to be working. I just wish, when he'd "help", that he'd be consistent about it.

27 weeks
65.8lbs
Seems leggy and skinny, less muscle these past two weeks. Rate of weight gain is slowing. Now feeding 4 and 3/4 c. food per day...