I figure people on Facebook are getting sick of daily dog updates, so I’ll do a Rufus highlight reel here.

Making Memories
On Tuesday night, we went to Sonic for ice cream (and Beach Boys, mandatory for me at Sonic!). He loved it.

We’ve also taken a few fairly long late-night rambles. He likes being outside at night as much as I do, and to my surprise, he’s more confident than he is during the day.

Health Issues
I’m still weighing options for treating the heartworms, but I’m leaning toward continuing with the slow kill (monthly Heartguard and bimonthly antibiotics) that the rescue started. From what I understand, there’s no great option; both the slow and fast kill (arsenic injections and 6-10 weeks of full crate rest) methods carry significant risks. The vet advises the fast kill, but a woman from the rescue told me several of their members have lost dogs that way, and they’ve had better success with the slow kill.

Another reason I’m not inclined toward the fast kill right now is that Rufus has developed a strong aversion to the crate. Apparently with that method, it’s imperative for the dog to avoid any stress, excitement, activity, or anything else that raises the heart rate. Just being put into the crate causes Rufus extreme stress, so we definitely need to resolve that first.

Unfortunately, until the heartworms have cleared up a bit more, we can’t start behavior training.

The vet did think he was healthy enough to go ahead with the neuter on Friday, and he came through the surgery well. Afterward, I completed paperwork to make his adoption official. Everyone at the vet’s office loved him and commented about what a sweet dog he is.

Behavior Issues
For the first week, we had no accidents. Last weekend, a couple with a female dog moved in upstairs, and Rufus immediately started spraying. I am *hoping* the neuter helps. The last day has been better, but the neighbors and their dog are gone for the weekend, so that might be why. If not, he’s going to be wearing diapers for a bit.

He’s uncomfortable around men. Several people have commented that he was likely abused, so I’m concerned about making sure he has positive encounters with men. The male trainer we’ll eventually work with should help, and I’m also eager to introduce him to a male friend who’s very gentle and loves dogs. Rufus’ response to him should give me a baseline so I know how to interpret his reactions (eg whether he’s fearful of all men or has an aversion to a specific individual).

I do know that he’s terrified of the maintenance guy at my apartment complex. So far we’ve only seen the guy from a distance, like across the pool, but Rufus always runs in the opposite direction. He gets a little spooked by other men but hasn’t had such an extreme reaction to anyone else. We did have an unpleasant encounter with an elderly neighbor, who refused to respect the boundaries I tried to set for Rufus and then made a deeply creepy comment to me. Rufus clearly disliked and mistrusted the guy, and although I was trying to be neighborly and give him the benefit of the doubt, I subsequently decided to keep my distance — and pay more attention next time the dog shows an aversion to someone. (I was interpreting his behavior as fear of all men when it might have been a negative reaction to that particular person.)

Yesterday two guys came from the thrift store to pick up a few large items. When they walked in, Rufus initially trotted down the hall away from them, but then he returned to the living room. He sat behind a chair, visibly shaking, and kept an eye on things. I was pleased that he wasn’t hostile or aggressive and also that he stayed in the room with them rather than running away. I don’t know whether that means he was being protective of his home or me or both, but it seemed like a good sign.

Anyway, he’s starting to relax and seems to trust me. He sleeps a lot, which isn’t surprising between the heartworms and the stress of a new home and the recent surgery. Although he has a stubborn streak, he responds to “No,” recognizes his name, and usually comes when I call. He’s getting the hang of walking on a leash and being friends with cats. From the paperwork I got Friday, it seems he was rescued only about 10 days before I adopted him, so he’s been through a lot of changes very quickly. I’m impressed at how rapidly he’s learning and adapting.

*Spent part of my spring break trekking around a swamp. Photos to come.