I Didn't Know About Dogs: Part 2

Read Part 1 here.

So having a 65-pound animal the height of my waist walking about our house initially proved a little intimidating for some of us.  

For the first 30 minutes, that is.  Once Turkey quit racing around our house trying to check out where he'd be staying for the weekend, we all (and by we all, I mean myself and my girls) got a little braver. We started reaching out to him and let him lean up against us- a sign that he thinks you're okay and would really like to be pet by you.

Thankfully, we really had no other plans that weekend except church so we spent a lot of time getting to know him.  We learned to read his signals.  A paw up on your leg means, "Please take me potty." Two paws up on your leg (or chest) meant, "Please take me potty, NOW," or, "I'd really like to lick/kiss your face and since you're standing, I need to put my paws on you to reach."

We learned that he's obsessed with squirrels and rabbits and will race from window to window, trying to get the very best view of any varmints he spots out in the yard.

We learned that his request to go out to go potty is very similar to his request to be taken out to chase squirrels and rabbits and that some of us aren't quite strong enough to keep him from taking us along with him (sometimes scooting on our bottom while calling for help- our youngest learned this one best).

We learned that Turkey had been SO well trained and loved. He respected our possessions, didn't beg at the table, doesn't bark (unless asked to speak or to let us know someone is at our door) and entered his crate obediently any time we asked.

We learned that he loves to cuddle- beside us, on top of us, between us...you name it.  We learned that he knows tricks and loves to perform them whether we have treats or not.  We learned that he loves to run and that even when Jamey sprints, Turkey seems to only need to trot to keep up.

It still felt a bit odd to have an indoor creature- especially one that seemed so large. But in spite of this and the what-are-we-getting-ourselves-into feeling, when the time came to give him back to his owners at the end of the weekend, we told them that if they chose us, we'd love to be his new family.

We think he felt okay with the idea, too, because when our whole family stood in a circle visiting with the father of the owner family (Turkey's favorite person), Turkey made his way around the circle, taking turns to lean on each of us- something his owner was surprised to see.

Within hours of dropping him off and after tears and pleas from the kids like, "He just has to be our dog", and, "They have to pick us," his owners messaged us that they did indeed choose us.

In one week, Turkey would be ours for good.  To be honest, I was still a bit nervous.  But that dog...I was starting to understand a little bit about dogs.

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