Zefran reminds me of a Doberman mix my now brother-in-law had when we were in college named Byron. One of the best dogs I've ever seen.
Well, Zef is a sweetie...but...he does bite! (Just like a Shepherd, or a Dobie, or a Collie will.) We have to be real careful about trying to keep him away from something he has decided is his (like a dropped fork!).
How we got him is interesting:
After we lost the two oldest, I went preview shopping at the SPCA. The first dog I looked at was a gorgeous black Lab/Pit mix 6 month old puppy - unfortunately the pit in him was very predominant and he played really rough, even for me. Moose was a month older, and a lot calmer and didn't play quite as rough.
I did mention to the Animal Tech that I felt a bit guilty looking at a dog I though they would have little trouble placing and that I usually aimed for animals that might not have another chance. Well, sez she, let me show you Moses (to be renamed Zef). He was calm and gentle - the main difficulty was he had major vision problems which meant you had to approach his facial area from the side - a dog treat shoved right at him seemed threatening in his blind spot.
I came home and told Woody about both dogs. The next day, we both went to the pound . We were visiting with Moose in an outdoor pen. The tech brought Zef to an adjacent pen to meet Woody and then brought him into the pen with Moose and me to see what would happen. Zef sniffed, Moose puppy pounced and Zev said "You're on" and the two of them took off romping around the pen. It was amazing watching this elder dog, recenly recovered from heart-worm treatments, with eye problems and hips that were really showing signs of age, happily playing with a 7 month old energetic puppy!
So... Woody says - I guess we should get them both!
Woody had brought Buster and Bonnie in a separate car and they went out back to meet both Moose and Zef - both of whom they treated with benign indifference.
Woody had to get to work so he took the Blondes and left for me to finalize the deal.
Now - to finalize the deal, the SPCA needed proof that both Bonnie had been neutered (one look tells you that Buster has lost his manhood). The SPCA tried calling the VET in Long Beach where Bonnie was neutered and got no answer. The local Vet where Bonnie has been treated had changed hands and did not keep the old vets records! The Vet Tech said that Bonnies' shot record would indicate if she had been neutered, so I said I would try and find a copy of that (she had been vacinated at a pet-shop clinic two years before. So I arranged to return on the morrow with the papers and pick-up the new dogs
The next day I went back and produced the proof of Bonnie's un-fecundability ( I wisely failed to note to the clerk that the "Neutered" check on the Vet- signed shot record was because I answered "Yes" to the "Has she been neutered" query.).
I hooked both Zef and Moose to leashes and got them in the back seat of the car.
They both adapted to the car ride immediately - Zef likes to look out the rear window.
(Car trained - CHECK!)
I wanted to delay taking them home until Woody was off work because Flurry had come to visit and I wanted help getting the newcomers used to the chaos which is our home.
I parked to car in the lot by Woody's store and got them both out to try going for a walk. They both took to the leases easily and enjoyed exploring the lot
(Leash - trained: CHECK)
They both enjoyed going up and greeting the customers coming and going.
(Socialized with strangers - CHECK)
When Woody was released, we took them both home to learn about their new environs.
They had no problem adjusting to the rest of the tribe and discovering the food and water dishes.
Zef and Flurry
Zef only needed one shove out the doggie door to discover the fun of the backyard (the rear stoop is his favorite place to sun himself).
I found a "deposit on the rug" cleaned it up with paper towel, shoved Moose through the doggie door, deposited the gift in the back yard and gave him the "here's where we poop" talk.
The next morning, I caught him starting to pea in the hall - I yelled at him and point to the rear door_ he scampered out and we've had no "accidents" since.
(House Trained - CHECK!)
Moose and Zef wrestle ever day - I'm amazed that Zef puts up with it, but he does.
Moose grows by the hour:
der Brucer
