The first week with Prince and King went smoothly. They ended up having to wait a week for grooming because of the massive snowstorm that hit us on the 14th. King did well with the grooming, staying standing is the biggest challenge. Prince, on the other hand, was more stressed. Remaining in one spot added to the challenge of grooming him. With their long coats all groomed up, they tend to get a bit cold and we had to put sweaters on them while they adapt their new hairstyles.
During this week, they have warmed up tremendously. Gone are their anxious behaviors and general nervousness. They have learned what the good life is and there is no going back. King has already found a new nickname for himself. He is so sweet and cuddly that we call him King Snuggles. Prince has yet to find a nickname but I suspect that he will as time goes on. They made some new friends and we have learned that they tend to be a bit insecure around other intact males.
The second week, they went to the vet for their wellness check, vaccination, and microchips. During the exam, they found that both dogs will need dental work as they have dead/rotting teeth. Prince also has a mass on his neck that will need to be removed. Their next visit to the vet is for neutering and to have the mass removed from Prince's neck. Prince goes on April 13th and King goes on April 14th. I am not sure when they will be getting dental work but for some reason, they can't do it at the same time as the neutering.
They seem to have picked up house training reasonably quick. They are still in the male wraps for a bit longer but they have stopped trying to mark things inside and sometimes even ask to go outside. The key here, like with any training goal, is consistency. We establish the protocol and follow it exactly. Having the other dogs already on board and fully house trained helps too because dogs are social learners.
We have discovered that they love chasing the tennis ball. Both dogs, despite their age, have a lot of energy. With the weather improving, we hope to take them on their first walks with us soon. Now that they have acclimated to being with us, we will also be starting work on their basic obedience. They have lived outside for so long, that house manners aren't up to snuff yet.
As always, we will keep you posted as time goes on and until they get adopted.
We foster these dogs on behalf of NBRAN and provide their training free of charge. If you would like to help NBRAN with their expenses, please consider a donation. All donations are tax-deductible and are used for food, medical care, etc. Please visit https://www.nbran.org/donate today.
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