Sunday the 11th. Homecoming day.
2:05 pm
We finally got out for a walk. It was just me and Buddy walking, leaving Bubba passed out in the bed by the fireplace. I thought it must be urgency to get to the bathroom, but we took our time getting there. However, after every 4 or 5 feet of walking Buddy would stop and look back to see if a bribery treat was being offered. We walked through the memorial, and he stopped to poop just after the memorial. Then we continued on, getting as far as the stairs where he usually wants to cut up and home. He stopped, and seemed a bit unsure of what he wanted to do. I suggested a compromise, and started walking back home, but the long way out of the park, instead of up the stairs and across the parking lot.
One more bribe was offered before we got back to Selva, and then it seemed like the association kicked in. Without the bribes, he wanted to continue walking, and he took us up the hill. We didn’t go all the way up the hill, but made it to the entrance to the switchbacks down to the beach. For us, it was a good walk. Our walks are usually 5-10 minutes at the most when we walk without Buddy.
I’ll need to read and watch vids on the training for more details, but I’m happy with the first trial success. When I first started working with the guys, Buddy usually wanted to go out, and our walks were always long. I want to get him back to where he enjoys taking long walks again so he can get more exercise.
1 pm
The guys have done nothing. Bubba has dragged himself out of bed one time to go to pee, then went right back to bed. Buddy refuses to go out. He hasn’t pooped since the 9 am walk the day before – he has to be just about ready to explode. He ate a ton of food last night, and has put a good dent into today’s day food. I’m in agony just thinking about it. I tried some techniques to fix walk resistance (with one person vs no resistance with another), and the bribery worked just long enough to get him to put his harness on, and then ended.
The sun came out for a while, and was perfect temperature and atmosphere for walking, but he won’t even run out for a bathroom break.
8:50 am
I was too early for the guys. Buddy looked exhausted, like he didn’t have a great night. But then 10 minutes later, he was up and looked fine. He probably looked exactly like he always looks early in the morning. I was looking for signs that he was showing, so I saw signs where there were none.
I almost marinaded the day food with my coffee. I’m dangerous if I go out in public before finishing at least one coffee and giving the caffeine time to reach my brain. I may not have noticed. It would have been absorbed into the food and cooled off by the time it was served. I don’t know if the guys would have eaten it, having the bitter liquid added. But it would have made for some interesting gaming later in the day. I don’t know if I could survive the dudes hopped up on stimulants.
There were no accidents, but the pee pad had been battered. I changed it immedately, and Bubba came to make a statement, and pooped right in front of me, then returned to bed. I guess I’m being blamed for the rain.
The windows were all closed, and the window fan that was exposed was pushing air out, not sucking it in. I had turned it to exhaust mode, to push out the pocket of hot air parked in the corner by the MODX, and suck the cold air from the AC into that corner of the house. But then I forgot to turn it off, which was a mistake that turned out well, and none of the backstage passes got wet.
Both guys got up (or back up in Bubba’s case) but when harnesses came out, they ran to beds. They aren’t interested in walking yet. It’s wet out, but not raining.