"Boo!"

Meet Boo, the newest member of our pack. We got him last week and I wanted to wait and be sure before I posted about him. He was listed as an aussie mix, which I don't think he is at ALLLLL. When his ears prick, he is totally dobie and so is his build - all legs and lean form.

He was named "Malibu" but we thought it was silly, and given his hate of jack-o-lanterns and halloweenish adoption, "Boo" seemed to fit.

Boo is a year and a half, and weighs 70 lbs. He's all legs right now and all puppy. He was left at the vet a year ago with a broken leg, and the vet office called a local shelter to take him after setting his leg. Ironic, its the same leg that Rusty and Mocha had trouble with. He is 70 lbs of un-mannered goofiness right now. But I can change that. He's very very sweet.

On close examination, Boo is quite obviously a dobie mix. He's very playful, full of energy, and very very inquisitive about everything. We brought him home at night, and he HATES jack-o-lanterns (he almost refused to walk by the leftover on our front porch), and he is pretty sure his own reflection needs to be put in its place. We all had a hearty laugh at his antics in front of an empty mirrored display case in our den.

Ginger is NOT sure what she thinks of him right now, except that everything and everyone is suddenly "hers" alone. She's 11 and been a tad territorial, but she was neutral in her first meeting at the shelter (we took her with us). Neutral when first meeting is just as good a sign as playful.

After the first week, she has decided at least I am hers, if not everything in the house. And she is starting to play with him some in the back yard. She's also stopped hoarding the food dishes and toys, and she's stopped halting him at the dog door. We've tried to remember that this is a big change for her too having lost all her pack this year (Gypsy, Mocha, and Rusty all 3).

Boo is being respectful of her age, but he is really a big goof with no manners. He's also extremely sweet-natured. We've already tested being able to take treats and bones away from him. He's also not chewing up things he shouldn't like shoes and such - yet.

The big surprise was how much my father-in-law fell for him. We think we way underestimated how much losing all 3 dogs this year made him feel his own immortality. He ADORES this dog. When we can't find Boo? He's in Dad's room. We have thought that perhaps we just got Dad another dog without realizing it. Apparently he adores him and its his new pal. That's ok though, because I truly feel that dogs always teach us something - and this time its generosity. We have to share Boo with dad.

He was at the shelter for about a year, and we took him for a vet exam. We apologized to the vet for his lack of manners, but they said he was a sweetie. He had a secondary infection from some flea bites, but he's thriving now.

Now if only Ginger will "come round" and embrace having a pack-mate to bark at the neighbors with. I think it will actually make her like him more - his ability to deter outsiders and protect the home (in her head anyways).

Our next thing is a training class to get him some socialization and manners.