New Digs and a Fear Conquered

Three months? Has it really been three months? Boy, is my hair red ;)

But rather than brainstorming a list of excuses as to why you haven't had your Shadow fix since spring, why don't I just get to divvying some out?

The Shadow-meister took quite a big step this month, crossing state lines with the rest of his family and moving into a brand new home that (once fenced) will provide him with the outdoor space he's always deserved.

In typical kid fashion, the moving days were filled with sulking eyes and pulled back ears... but they didn't endure. Not only is Shadow now at peace with his new digs, he's got a new favorite spot... far away from where his "parents" are the majority of the time. (All he needs are some punk rock CDs and opposable thumbs so he can lock the door, we'll have a typical pre-teenager on our hands.)

Scaling these stairs was a tall order when Shadow first arrived.

But it wasn't all fun and new discoveries. Hands down, the hardest part of the transition was something I never expected would be even a blip on the radar: Stairs.

Our old house had them, and Shadow was fine. He's always been iffy at our in-laws, but those are open stairs. These new guys are completely enclosed. But did this make Shadow feel better? In the words I think he'd say if he could speak human, "Not a chance in hell, man."

We tried everything - physically helping him up one paw at a time, bribing him with toys and treats (even peanut butter!), giving him a running start, putting his food bowl at the top of the stairs - but nothing worked. For weeks, when bedtime rolled around, Shadow would tense up like a brick of ice with his back legs on the first floor and his front paws on the steps, and proceed to bark and whine until my husband ultimately carried him up like a toddler.

We read tons of forum posts and articles about this fear - not extremely rare in dogs. Some writers advised leaving him alone, suggesting he'd eventually just get lonely and come up. Others said to keep helping him past the fear. (The knee-jerk "just give him treats!" theory was dead in the water.)

When we finally decided to give the first theory a try, Shadow spent the entire night curled up at the base of the stairs while his bed waited a short climb away. That morning, I assumed he'd never conquer his fear. Still, we continued to help him - one paw at a time - once or twice a day.

THEN one fateful day while I was unpacking on the second floor, a furry grey figure came strolling in beside me as if he hadn't a care in the world. Used to having Shadow be my constant shadow in our old house, I didn't even realize what he'd done right away.

A couple weeks later, he races up and down the stairs like they're nothing but wrinkles in the floor.

Shadow discovers the view is sometimes worth the climb.

What's more... remember that new favorite spot I mentioned earlier? Second floor window. It's his lookout tower.

Better Than a 'Welcome' Mat

A few hours after deplaning and napping, we were in the Bavarian Alps outside Schliersee, Germany. Hours without Shadow: 23. Hours without sleep: 28.

An unforeseen benefit of having a dog, I recently discovered, is the tempering of that tragic feeling that usually accompanies the end of a vacation.

Don't get me wrong - getting back to work, to everyone else's problems and to the self-imposed pressures of everyday life is never easy. But it's a lot less difficult to board that plane knowing someone's been waiting... all week... to welcome you home with more enthusiasm than winners on "The Price is Right."

My husband and I just returned from a week in Germany and Austria. We had a wonderful time exploring King Ludwig II's "crazy castles," sampling Bavarian fare (beer, sausage and pretzels), cruising through the mountain valleys, and navigating the winding streets of Salzburg. But it would be a lie to say we didn't feel like part of our family was missing most of the time. I will admit turning my cell phone on far too often to see this pitifully cute mug (see photo above) staring back at me asking "Are you coming home yet? Geez. What's taking so long?"

Shadow woke to Day 5 of his vacation as we headed to the castles

Prior to this trip, Shadow and I had never been apart for more than one night, and I worried how he would fare with strangers for eight whole days. Would he cry the entire time? Would he think we abandoned him? Would he be scared? Would he have fun or would he be locked in a small cage wondering what he did wrong?

Neuschwanstein Castle in Hohenswangau is a real life fairy tale

I searched high and low for a good kennel that was nearby, trustworthy, reputable, and was run by people who seemed to really care about dogs. I had already tried daycare at the local animal hospital, but was so disenchanted with that experience that a week-long sleep-over there was completely out of the question. I finally settled on a kennel that came with solid recommendations (from friends of my mother – the big time), that let him have his own food, toys, bed, and indoor/outdoor pens. As a plus, it was only a few feet from the house in which the owners (a family with beloved dogs of their own) lived.

The Bavarian royals sure picked a nice spot for their retreat

About a month before our scheduled departure, I visited the place and met Hank, the man in charge. A few weeks later, Shadow got his test run – one night to familiarize himself and to understand that we would always come back for him. It was a complete success, and made dropping him off on the way to the airport a million times easier for everyone.

Innsbruck, Austria, is full of winding streets and painted houses

It also lessened the guilt for Chris and I – while gazing at the snow-covered peaks of the Alps, lifting a liter in the Hofbrauhaus, or waiting for the Glockenspiel start moving – to think that Shadow was having a wonderful vacation of his own back on the familiar side of the ocean.

When we returned, Shadow just about popped with excitement. Circling and jumping (a temporary lapse after a week without our rules), licking and wagging his tail like it was a propeller, he was thrilled to see "his people" again. And we were thrilled to be back with our puppy.

Eventually, the sun set on our week in Bavaria and we returned home not to a cold empty house, but to one bursting with joy and excitement. Full disclosure, this photo is actually from Day One, just a few minutes after the one at the top of this blog entry. How's that for full circle?

No dogs allowed...

My apologies for not updating the blog earlier this week, but as you can see, I was spending a few days with animals of the not-so-cuddly kind up in Cape Cod.

Don't get me wrong, being away from my Shadow did make the hissing geese and sticky-fingered seagulls somewhat more palatable... but only when they were flying/swimming/waddling in the opposite direction.

Yes, this year I had to not only cut short my family vacation, but go without half my family because Shadow is:
a) a dog, and hence not allowed on many public beaches (what a drag)
b) not yet fully trained, and thus not ready to be left anywhere while Chris and I cavort around said dogless beaches
c) not yet ready in my overbearing motherly opinion to be left in a kennel (and certainly not for this sort of trip, i.e. not overseas)

On Day Two of the trip, I grabbed one of those handy dandy Cape Cod guides at Cuffy's to do some research on "dog friendly" places for next year, and was sorry to see that most were parks or -- get this -- the parking lot by a beach. A few sandy stretches do allow dogs, but one quick drive past Flax and Cliff ponds in Nickerson State Park told me I'd rather turn the hose on him in the backyard. (Crowded doesn't even begin to describe it)

So now that I'm home with the little guy -- who even in 85 degree heat makes for an excellent furry toe-warmer, I must say -- I am diving back into my writing and on a mission to find some great dog vacation solutions for those of us who would like to bring our furry buddies with us sometimes and who can't fit them in a purse. I'll let you know what I find.

In the meantime enjoy a few photos from the trip which, although short, was very nice :)

Photo rights to these and all others appearing on this blog (excluding Amazon.com links) are the property of the creator of "Me and My Shadow" and may not be used without consent.

Country Dog Goes South

Shadow spent Saturday with his aunt and uncle on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Brooklyn, NY. Being a country dog, Shadow's curiosity was on overdrive from the moment he hopped out of the car.

This is how I imagine his thoughts during the first 20 seconds: No squirrels? No trees? What's with all this tan grainy stuff my paws keep sinking into? Where's the grass? Where do I do my business? Who's that? What's that? Ooh, another dog!

Also at my aunt's house was Casey, a seven-year-old pug. Shadow had never met a pug before, let alone a quasi-city dog. And while Shadow had it over Casey in terms of weight and teeth (they grow back really fast!)... it was 16-pound Casey that called the shots, at one point even swiping Shadow's bully stick!

As usual, by time we headed home, Shadow and Casey were as civil as at the start of the day, when Casey's curly tail was wobbling back and forth like a bobble-head and Shadow was curiously following him around with his tongue half out.

Today, Shadow is a sack of potatoes, using only enough energy to eat, poop, and move to another spot on the floor. For such a little guy, Casey sure did a number on his younger, larger "cousin."

Oh, and Shadow requested I make a special shout-out to my cousin and his new biggest fan (of course that's you, Em!), who spent the previous weekend hanging out in our neck of the woods. He's counting the days until he can jump on you again (or hopefully show you how well-behaved he's become by NOT jumping!)

Check back later for the myriad videos I just discovered sitting on my camera. (Aye, there's the rub with digital technology... I have almost unlimited space, but it's so easy to forget I filmed anything at all!)

Freedom on the Fourth

Shadow, off leash and free for the Fourth, gets some fresh mountain air in Maine.

Shadow reentered New Hampshire last weekend for the first time since we picked him up from Blue Diamond way back in February. I don't know if he recognized anything, but I do know that he was an absolute angel for the entire 7-hour drive to Maine (and back again a few days later).

Moose prods his cousin Shadow to get back in the game.

It was an impromptu Fourth of July family reunion, and Shadow couldn't have been more thrilled to see his buddies Moose and Artie, whom he'd been missing for nearly a week.

I also couldn't have been more thrilled... to have the ability to play with my puppy without worrying about cars or moss (his favorite food), and to be able to wander around with my camera knowing he'd be safe with his cousins, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc.

The sunset was spectacular on Independence Day...

...and I had a blast taking photos...

 

...while Shadow played with Moose and Artie.

The difference between Maine and suburban New York -- the former with wide open wilderness and a generally easygoing attitude toward dogs, the latter with its plethora of boundaries and rules regarding where, when and how dogs may place their paws -- was readily apparent from Day One. At one point, the little guy was so relaxed he actually fell asleep in his water bowl outside.

Under the table and daydreaming

In Maine, Shadow get to take his first swim (a no-no in most places down here), and to enjoy the fresh mountain air and warm sun without a leash. (It kills me to have to put it back on him now that he's home.)

I opted not to take my camera into the "swimming hole" we went to on Monday, but there is video of Shadow's very first dip into the river on Saturday. Check back for that and some more choice Maine photos in the coming days.

Just one more for good luck  ;)

A Not-So Harrowing Journey

Thank goodness for technology. While away from Shadow for the first time, being able to actually see how he was doing was a Godsend.

Packing light has never been my strong suit. Even as the town car sat outside waiting to whisk Chris and me away on our Italian honeymoon last year, I was kneeling at the top of the stairs struggling to re-stuff the suitcase that had taken me a week to fill and that I’d just discovered was over the weight limit.

In the process, I left a pair of Chris’ most comfortable sneakers across the ocean. Instead, I brought an assortment of women’s sandals for every outfit and fashion level. A few never actually made it onto my feet, and I’ve since carried the guilty memory of my new husband walking about 10 miles a day in 90 degree heat in arch-pounding shoes.

To some extent, that spurred me to begin reforming my over-packing ways. But it wasn’t until our little silver Labrador entered our lives that it even occurred to me I could fly anywhere as an exclusively carry-on passenger. (Previously that had the same ring as: “You can run the NYC Marathon tomorrow.”)

This past weekend, Chris and I flew to Ohio for a family wedding. While we’d been looking forward to it for some time, Shadow’s later-than-expected arrival meant he would only be 11 weeks old when we left. (True, that’s about 2.5 in human years, but I’m not sure how comfortable I’d feel about that either!)

I would have done anything to get home to my baby sooner, and tapping my toes at baggage claim simply wasn’t an option. This was going to be an in-and-out travel experience, with a tiny grey wagging tail at the finish line.

First up was the sitter, and thankfully my brothers happily agreed to watch the little guy. Like me a few weeks ago, they also have several decades of pent-up puppy yearning. They’d been versed in rabbit, guinea pig, fish and turtle, and had fed and walked our neighbor’s dogs several times, but this would be the first time a) with a non-housebroken puppy, and b) spending the night.

On the morning of departure, we woke up super early to feed and walk Shadow. Ordinarily, he’d be up by 5:30 anyway. But sensing that we couldn’t sleep late this weekend anyway, Shadow decided he’d snooze until we had to wake him up. Har-dee-har, Shadow. Very funny.

By the time we passed the little guy off, our house was sprinkled with sticky notes describing each treat and when to give them to him; the dining room table was covered with every dog-related item we owned (Bitter Apple, Nature’s Miracle, “Out!” cleaner); the freezer was stocked with peanut butter-filled bones; the basket atop Shadow’s crate was stuffed with his favorite toys; and a six-page instruction manual was awaiting each of the eager dog-sitters.

Needless to say, I was a tad reluctant to let go.

I was concerned about what he would eat if left even for a few seconds, where he would have accidents, what he would do to furniture, whether he’d get so wound up from male bonding time that he’d hurt himself, and whether he’d be so hyper that my brothers would never want to watch him again. During the week, I jotted down every tip and instruction (on meal time, safety, the bathroom, etc.)  I could think of as I went about my daily routine. “If I never spent much time with Shadow or another dog,” I asked myself, “what would I need to know?”

It’s a bit long to post here, but if you’re interested in getting a copy to use as a template for your own travels, e-mail me at LauraShadow219@gmail.com and I’ll send it right over.

The guide definitely helped settle my mind, as did having my brothers stop by the day before we left so I could go over a few things and show them around. I trusted them completely… but there was another four-legged factor of which I was wary.

At the wedding, I carried my cell phone everywhere, constantly checking for texts and wondering whether no news was good news. I was relieved at cocktail hour, when I got a photo of Shadow slumbering with Sam, his stuffed chicken. I quickly shared it with Chris’ aunt, who was on the same pin-and-needle cushion, having left her six-month old light cream Lab back home as well.

While we should have taken better advantage of a dog-less night’s sleep, Chris and I had a great time at the wedding, made it from runway to house in barely an hour, and came home to find everything and everyone intact.

Even better, Shadow didn’t seem to have regressed much being away from his training for a couple days. (Though his babysitter looked like he could use some recovery time!)

Thanks guys, for looking after my puppy. He says let’s do it again soon ;)

Get the latest immediately by following LauraShadow on Twitter.

Did you miss something fun?

Video: Shadow the Silver Lab Comes Home

Video: Silver Lab Puppy Meets Kong

Video: Singin' in Shadow's Room

Photos: Shadow Gets Pretty

Photos: Snoozing

Photos: Our Retriever Learns to Retrieve

Photos: A Whole New World

Photos: Growing Up

Tips: Some Tidbits