Dog Name: Simon
Dog Information and Overview:
It has been five weeks since I picked up Simon in North Bergen New Jersey and brought him home to West Brookfield, MA. The following days were a blur of activity, and Simon was in sensory overload, new food, the vets, housing, sleeping, area, and another dog, Lola. Our trepidation over how the two dogs would interact was solved outside the house. I used the 75’ training lead I made was on Simon, while Lola has the run of the land. If Simon were too overbearing, Lola could escape, while Simon could be restrained. It worked. They are still trying to figure out the pecking order and their play is who is boss. Lola, while smaller, gives as much as she receives, and it usually ends with her spitting out a mouthful of black fur. But occasionally we see each giving the other a lick on the muzzle or ears.
Speaking of black fur, we had forgotten how much we find in all the crevices of our house. We find black hair in our food, plates, my pipe tobacco, etc. The wonders of owning a black dog never ceases to amaze me.
We see Simon as a combination of all our Belgians. We have named all his antics after our former friends. Dewy (sneaking up behind us, and faking going into his crate); Jack (the clomping and stumble walk); and Homer (sometimes shuffling his feet).
The following weeks started his formal obedience training, while I read through C.W. Meisterfield’s books on dog behavioral problems. Simon has more “will to power” than “will to serve”, but there is promise. He loves people, but his exuberance is still overwhelming. He is still a somewhat stubborn dog, but calm persistence is paying off.
Each succeeding week showed greater progress. Simon began calming down more quickly in the house, follows more commands, became better at healing on walks, his sits, downs and stays are now more pronounced; and he shows more manners to Lynda, me, and Lola and is now rarely in his crate except when we both leave the house. What is more amazing is that Simon is sensing that this home is different than all the rest. Here, he knows love. We know that he will be a great dog.
