Colt- Six month update

Six months already? Wow! Time has been flying by so fast and its truly remarkable how far Colt has come since that faithful day that we picked him up at the rest stop in Connecticut. He is well on his way to a complete transformation from the shy nervous dog we first met. Over the past few months we have seen him grow into a much more confident and happy dog. I mean there are things that he still needs to work on, but I know that my patience and persistence will continue to help him to progress even quicker.

Being a brat and taking up the entire bed! But could you really say "No" to that face? 

Initially, the most important issue that we wanted to tackle with him was socialization. As I've explained in past updates Colt was not socialized in foster care and he had surpassed the grace period of being introduced to many people & dogs as possible. To try to resolve this very difficult dilemma we decided to signed him up for beginner dog training classes at Pet Smart in Plymouth. Truth be told we weren't really expecting much from these classes as far as professionalism goes. These classes were mostly so Colt was able to meet and interact with new dogs and people it wasn't necessarily for formal "training". Colt knows all the basic commands thanks to yours truly. :) Tomorrow is graduation and we have seen some progress, but not the amount that I would like. After about 3 sessions at Pet Smart I decided to contact a professional dog trainer in Kingston. The total cost of the five private lessons in Kingston was about $400. This particular trainer has had such a high success rate with anxious dogs that I didn't mind spending that amount of money. And of course Cory and I agreed that Colt's well being is essentially priceless.

We will do anything we can to make sure Colt is a happy and social dog. He is completely fine at home. Its almost like he is a completely different dog as soon as he sets one paw outside our door. He is so playful and happy at home with us and its such a shame that everyone he meets isn't able see the lovable dog that we see everyday at home. Also, I think that Colt hasn't been getting enough exercise lately either. This has been especially difficult during the winter because taking him for walks in five feet of snow isn't exactly my idea of a great afternoon. He needs to catch up on exercise after this very long winter that we've had. Not only does he want to play in the middle of the night sometimes, but also in the morning when we are getting ready for work. Its almost as if he knows we are leaving him for the day. He literally goes nuts in the morning he runs up and down the stairs wagging his tail, jumping everywhere, and just acting insane!

He began to chew our box spring. Thank goodness I have a bed skirt!

Finally, the issue that we've had with walks before has almost been completely resolved due to this new trainer's techniques. He no longer pulls when we go on walks and overall he seems more calm and comfortable with his surroundings. I'm so glad that he is able to at least find an outlet for all his energy now because before he was petrified of going for a walk around our neighborhood. I'm absolutely floored by his quick progress.

To wrap up this update...there really isn't that much more to say other then Colt has changed our lives for the better. I honestly don't go a day without telling Cory how much I love Colt or how happy he makes me. Cory feels the exact same way. I don't care how much work and training I have to do to get Colt where he needs to be. I would do anything for him. To be honest it seems as if Colt has always been a member of our family. Not only he is my best friend, but he has also been my true god sent since Tucker has been gone. I know it sounds strange, but I feel like I always have a piece of Tucker with me when Colt is around. We are so thankful that he has come into our lives, and after six months he already means the world to us. It gives me piece of mind to know that we have given him the best life possible. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months will bring us!

He is so photogenic!

My two favorite boys at the dog park.

Colt playing at the dog park in Weymouth.

Look at that happy, confident boy!