He's got freckles!

So I've decided that the next step in my quest for a second dog is going to be fostering. This is the perfect way to get to know a dog - I'll see what it's like to actually handle two dogs at once (training and walking Sam and Zoe and sharing that responsibility with my parents was pretty different than having full responsibility for Abby and brother), and I'll learn about any quirks that the dog has that aren't immediately apparent. I can see what he's like to train, how he is with people, dogs and cats, how much energy he has and whether he resource guards or has separation anxiety. I'll see whether it's even possible for me to focus on two dogs at once on a field, or whether my one track mind explodes when I even try. I'll also find out how Abby reacts to a full time sibling as opposed to foster siblings (she and Mia are only together for walks and play time, or when they are being 'babysat' together). And, if the dog is perfect for me in every way, and I decide that I can in fact handle two dogs - he just might stay permanently.

So...I pick up my foster guy on Monday! Next week is my reading break, and I'm driving about 5 hrs to go pick him up. Tycho and his mom will come with Abby and I, and we'll make the trip into a little vacation by staying overnight.
His name is Bandit, but when I saw his puppy picture, the first name that popped into my head was Simon. Now that I've seen his adult pictures, though, Simon doesn't seem right anymore.




Apparently he has an excellent recall, and knows sit, down and stay. He's a year and a half old. He is also an 8 for energy on a scale of 1-10, high drive, and got a 'bit destructive' when left outside his old home. Hopefully that was due to inadequate exercise - I'm not sure how capable I am of dealing with full blown separation anxiety, if that's what the issue is. Or it could just mean that he dug in the yard and chewed on stuff when he wasn't supervised, which I don't think is a big deal at all (the giant craters in our yard are testament to the days when I was too lazy to give Abby a proper run).

-I just got some more info on him from his current foster mom! She said that he crated well last night w/out any fuss, and didn't have any accidents when he was in there for most of today, with a break at lunch. She hasn't noticed any anxiety. She doesn't know how he is with cats as she doesn't have any.

If he thinks cats are fun to chase, I'm sure Peppy will help him realize the error in his ways!

It should be fun to work with another crazy dog! As always, I'm hoping he'll cuddle, but I bet he takes a lot of tiring out before he'll consider stopping for a rest.
Five days and a midterm before I get to meet this guy...sigh.

Here is my list of possible names, depending on what he's like:
-Sebastian ('Bass')
-Basil ('Baz')
-Bagel (ok, ok so I should save that for the unlikely day that I get a Basset or a Beagle or some goofy droopy hound)
-Dru
-Siegel/Siggy
-Smith
-Tag

Yeah, I'm not the best dog namer...
-Mischief, my first cat, was named by my parents (I was 5)
-Peppy was also named by my parents (after the cartoon skunk Pepe La Pew, but we pronounce it like we spell it)
-My hamsters, Houdini, Pelly and Kimmi, were named by me. Enough said.
-Zoe came with the name
-Sam was the name of the dog in my recurring dreams
-Abby was named by my sister because I thought that if I let her name the new dog, she'd be more likely to like the hyper puppy I'd brought home. It didn't work (my sister prefers cats, or older, sedate dogs...). I liked 'Abby' because it was better than 'Bambi', which was the other possible name choice...Actually my favourite was 'Scout', but my mom didn't like the name for some reason.
-Darla was supposed to be renamed Clio, but she got stuck at the transition name of "Darling Clio" and then went back to being Darla.

I did name Tryp, and that's probably the only naming that I've really liked a lot.