break

quite unexpectedly, we had to go abroad and leave sam in a kennel. HELP! we were definitely not ready -- that is to say, we did not think he was ready to be left in a kennel and be trusted to behave decently.

but death waits for no dog, and we really had to go to that funeral. we scoured the net and the neighbourhood for good, professional yet friendly, kind yet strong dogsitters. the search was successful, and we left sam behind bars, slightly nervous that he'd destroy the keepers, their stuff, our reputation, or everything in one go.

after he'd spent a night there we hadn't received any angry calls, so we left, hoping for the best. after a week, i went back to pick him up.

"best" may not be the best way to describe sam's behaviour when he saw mOHBOYOHBOYMOMMYDOGHASCOMEFORME MUSTJUMPMUSTPULLMUSTJUP! the kennel owner also mentioned that he might benefit from classes because he had, it seems, pulled them around a bit. but there was no destroyed stuff and, as far as i could tell, no traumas. success!

after sam's big, bouncy welcome-home hugs, including one where he literally bowled over my daughter, something he's never done before, i was a little afraid he'd forgotten the few good habits he does possess, or even developed new, bad ones. however, once he'd been home for a while, he settled down very nicely. he almost seems calmer than he was when we left. perhaps he thinks if he's very good, we'll never send him away again?