KUMA UPDATE

 

          Last Friday, Kuma was neutered at Seattle Humane. I drove him there before the crack of dawn; and have come to the realization I do not like driving in the dark in unknown locations. We made it and arrived about ten minutes early even though I made a wrong left turn and had to reverse my direction.

          When the young woman came to get Kuma, he eagerly greeted her at the car window, stepping all over me in the process. She put on her lead and I took off Kuma’s leash. Did he hesitate to leave the car? Nope. Did he look back as though he was going to miss me horribly? Nope. He went off with this strange woman, stopping to sniff at places other dogs must have peed. I have to admit I did feel a bit abandoned.

          It was no longer dark on my return trip from Bellevue. Back home, the house seemed strangely empty and silent even though I usually put Kuma in his crate when I have to leave, so he wouldn’t be rushing to the door to greet me anyway. I had jokingly said I was going to loll around and enjoy the lolling since Kuma wouldn’t be there to try to sit on my I-pad, eat my magazine, or place his paws on my keyboard. What I did after having breakfast was go back to bed. I didn’t get up until noon.

          Then, I had lunch and did read until it was time to pick up my friend who was going to ride along for the pickup. We arrived in plenty of time to go to the other side of Seattle Humane and look at all the dogs and cats up for adoption. My friend would really like a dog at some point. I find visiting these animals very hard because I want to adopt every single one and bring them all home…not that Seattle Humane would allow that. I just feel so bad, especially for the older animals who probably were given up out of necessity.

          Kuma was glad to see me, although he didn’t do too much jumping around. I had put his crate in the car and put him into it so he wouldn’t be climbing around the interior. He didn’t like that at all and did some whining until we got underway. When I dropped my friend off, I backed down her driveway. Kuma equates backing up with going into our garage. Once again, he wasn’t happy because I didn’t turn off the car and let him out.

          Back home, we tried both the hard plastic shield and the soft doughnut around his head to keep him from licking his stitches. He shook the plastic one right off, so we used the soft one. He didn’t wear it Monday night or Tuesday when I went to river exercise and didn’t lick the stitches.

          The instructions said to pick up all his toys and put them away. I watched him traverse the house more than once looking for them. He finally found one I missed and wanted me to throw it for him so badly, but I said no. His only source of joy has been his yak chew bones. Since I won’t hold them once they reach a certain size, he’s taken to tossing them up in the air. I can’t believe the loud noise when that bone hits the floor. Then, he pounces like there’s nothing wrong with his behind and tosses it again. It’s nice he can amuse himself.

          Kuma has been trying my patience no end, not that I had much to begin with; but, our inability to go play and work off some of his energy is taking its toll. Monday night, he almost got a serious case of the zoomies, but I was able to halt his bouncing off the furniture and beds before it got too bad. He doesn’t seem to think he has a problem, but the instructions say he has to be careful to not pull the internal stiches before he heals.

          On Tuesday, I was busy at the computer and Kuma got up and took an avocado off the counter. When I discovered what he’d done, all that was left was some skin and the seed. He’d devoured the rest, but did leave some spots on the carpet which I had to clean up. On Wednesday, even though I’d moved the fruit bowl to a location I thought was out of his reach, I turned around and he had an orange on the floor.

          Kuma has also taken a great liking to the fringe on my chenille bedspread. Whenever he disappears and it’s quiet and I haven’t yet made my bed, he’s in there pulling and chewing on the fringe. On what’s become my side of the bed, almost all the fringe over about a foot of the bedspread has been chewed and pulled off. I have to cut the loose pieces off. I don’t mind too terribly much even though I really like the bedspread. I bought it at a garage sale for five dollars and planned to make a bathrobe for myself…probably not going to happen.

          Then there was the cute little plush lamb I'd saved for Kuma. I gave it to him about 10:00 am and before the end of the day, the lamb was completely gutted, and I was picking up clumps of stuffing all over the house. It's hard to believe just how much material is in one of those things. He got the squeaker out and chewed the heck out of it, and I took it away before he could swallow any parts. Before bedtime I picked up the last of the stuffing as well as two drained pieces of the lamb and put it all in the garbage. In the past, Kuma hasn't completely gutted a plush; and with the exception of once, he's never taken the squeaker out. I guess the poor puppy is frustrated too.

          Next week we begin Kuma’s Intermediate Puppy Training class. I have high hopes he’ll learn how to heel and behave himself so we can go on walks without him lunging and barking at every person/animal we come across.

          Don’t get this post wrong. I’m still extremely happy I got Kuma. I wouldn’t trade him for anything. I still find him fun and delightful most of the time. It’s just that this past and coming week, we can’t get our needed exercise and it’s driving us both a bit batty.