Boone-My Anatolian Unicorn

[peteyfoozer]

Boone’s got more energy than I can manage this morning due to elevated pain levels. I have tried snuffle mats but Fen the genius showed him how to lift and dump it…but I’m not one to give up too easily (though I have been known to give up)
Guess what I found out this morning?

He can’t lift up and dump the lawn out back. Scatter in the backyard it is!!
He came back in, far more content

 

[SageHill]

Boone’s got more energy than I can manage this morning due to elevated pain levels. I have tried snuffle mats but Fen the genius showed him how to lift and dump it…but I’m not one to give up too easily (though I have been known to give up)
Guess what I found out this morning?

He can’t lift up and dump the lawn out back. Scatter in the backyard it is!!
He came back in, far more content

View attachment 118429

Love it!! I actually have done something similar with odor detection - tossing a vial into a big grass area and having the dog find it. Made watch for the all important change of behavior and the dog loved it.
WTG Boone-ster!

 

[Baymule]

Boone not only supports your physical needs, he keeps your mind active too. It takes a lot of mental acuity to stay ahead of Boone!

 

[peteyfoozer]

Heading to Burns. Lot of pain this morning without yesterday’s dizziness and balance issues. I was resting after getting dressed ( it’s ridiculously exhausting) when Boone yipped at me. He was laying next to the bed staring at me intensely so I took that as a command to either feed or entertain him. (Who is in training?) so I did both. I scattered another cup and half on back lawn. I left him to his devices and he came back in shortly.
Apparently, he can’t play the game unless I watch. So. Stood in the sun while he layed on his belly, crawling around on his search for kibble. He finally got disgusted and I was appointed to find the kibbles and toss them at him. At least it still wore him out.
I put his pinch collar in and got the e collar charged (he still forgets and breaks long downstays unless I can buzz him with the vibration.) We will have a very long one at the hospital.
I hope its a good day for us as I’m tired and pretty weak. I brought the muzzle and might let him wear it at the ranch store where its more likely we will see loose dogs.
Praying he will be his usual gud boi self as I am totally drained.

 

[peteyfoozer]

Welp, prayers were answered and Boone outdid himself. Every stop we made, someone complimented him. They were always amazed when hearing how young he is to be this far along. The Dr and staff in Burns have never seen him before and couldn’t stop talking about him. He did good stuffing himself out of the way in tight quarters and ignoring then while they walked back and forth and rolled machines by him.

He was patient in hospital and made friends with several Drs there

He was invited back to the room where they did Randy’s EKG because he was being so good

When we went to the ranch store I decided it was a perfect place to practice his muzzle training. We’ve worked with it on and off, getting lots of treats for sticking his nose in. He wore it for about 10 minutes and I took it off for a but then he wore it for 15. He never tried to remove it or had a problem with it.
I am relieved because I get nervous around other dogs that might start something with him and once he’s an adult if it happened he could kill the other dog and they might make me put him down. I would rather sue the other person to pay for his sutures than ever lose Boone.

We stood in a long line to get my meds. People were laughing at him because he would drag himself to his feet, shuffle forward with me a few paces then flop back down on his side again.

He didn’t make any mistakes today except for having a meltdown on the dirt road. He started tearing up the sling and trying to pull the divider down. We both got after him for it and once he laid down I had Randy pull over and I got him out with the new head lead I got and we walked down the road awhile until he was ready to get back in the truck. I think he will have to wear the e collar on that road as I can’t have him tearing up the truck.

It was a very good day and I’m proud of my boy!

 

[Baymule]

Hard day on you made a thousand times better by Boone.

 

[peteyfoozer]

Hard day on you made a thousand times better by Boone.

Absolutely! I couldn’t have done without his help and presence. I laughed because I almost fell at the hospital and an old guy said “that big dog pushes you around some don’t he?” I told him”no, he actually keeps me from falling. That’s why he’s so darn big!”
“Oh! I guess he’d have to be!”
Yeah, a sheppie wouldn’t have been much help at that particular moment.
Our PCP was familiar with both Heath and Fen and said “you got a new dog? I never saw him before! I explained it’s because their rooms are so small he doesn’t usually fit! Plus he’s still training.She had an Anatolia/Pyr she grew up with and showed me pics .

Everyone made a big deal over him. The folks at the ranch store were upset that he was muzzled. His fans were there sticking up for him. He’s been socializing with them and getting free snackies since he was 4 months old.
It was a VERY good day!

 

[Mini Horses]

You & Boone deserved a good day!! Now if you'd pave that dirt road, he'd be fine!!! You both would.

 

[peteyfoozer]

I spoke to Heathen’s breeder who is also my trainer friend and discussed muzzles. I posted on my FB page about fitting muzzles and why I’m interested in muzzle training Boone and tagged all my trainer friends. I guess that means all of THEIR friends can see my post. A guy who is a professional trainer chimed in then said “call me”. So I did and we had a great discussion about training and he pointed out where zi have made mistakes and how to fo better. I learned a lot just from the phone call.

So we went out front and put it into practice. It made a huge difference. So I will do this going forward, in the mean time we will muzzle up until he is proofed