Aren’t you enjoying this wonderful spring weather?! Riley loves it outside but you must be out there with him. Otherwise he’ll just sit at the door waiting to be let back inside. We have an extra long rope to use that we tie to any tree that we happen to be near so that he can be close by. He watches while we garden or mow lawn. He loves this long rope so he can run a little while playing fetch. He doesn’t seem as interested in birds or squirrels as our previous GR. Though I don’t know what he’d do if a rabbit or cat crossed his path. When we first got him we saw him chase a chipmunk but the shorter tie out caught him fast. We haven’t had any of the loose dogs in the neighborhood come around visiting yet. At the present he has no other playmates than the two old folks in the home. That seems fine with him.

Of course he’s always game for a nice walk. We might walk to the swimming beach in one direction or into the woods on a 4 wheeler trail. There are plenty of fields or swamps to walk by. He’s ready to run when we first start out but quickly realizes that the person on the other end of the leash is more of a walker. So he minds the tug and heels pretty nicely. He has his certain spots where he takes care of business and he squats like the girls. So trees are not a necessity but rough grass is preferred. That’s enough about his business!

We had a rare occurrence the other day – a hawk amazingly hit the window in flight and flapped briefly at the window before turning to the open sky. Well, the ruckus really freaked both FM and Riley. Riley let out some loud barking as he moved toward the window. Plenty of smaller birds have hit the windows before with no attention from Riley. That’s one of the few times we’ve heard him bark much. He did bark some in the beginning when FD was banging doors in the lower level and he wondered where FD was. And he knows what the doorbell means and barks then. He gave a hello howl once for a neighbor dog that was near by. Generally he’s a pretty quiet fellow though.

Riley has pretty much melded into our routines around home. He definitely makes his desires known though when he points with his nose to the ball or the garage door. But he will take no for an answer and “lay down” when told. He was found lying beside his empty water bowl last evening. Oh, Oh – better take care of that right quick! Needless to say we’re enjoying him immensely. He’s a happy guy who just wants to please you.

Riley is such a wonderful family member and we feel fortunate to have him with us. What an affectionate boy he is! We’re getting to know this slender young man who acts younger than his years. He’s always ready to play! But he is content watching or napping while you work or sleep yourself. He just wants to be a part of most every moment of your life. He is very eager to please and is following commands however briefly.

Did I mention that Riley loves playing ball? Of course it has to be a tennis ball - bouncy, easy to get in the mouth and it won’t hurt too much if it bounces the wrong way! Along with a ball he must have someone to throw it. He is very insistent on having a daily partner and several times a day if that is possible. He could play fetch all day long!!! He has had plenty of practice catching the ball in midair also.

He brings it back to you by setting it on the floor by your feet or gently releasing the ball to your waiting hand.

But it ends up in the craziest places sometimes – like the big garbage can. What is a garbage can doing in the living room anyway?! FD (Foster Dad) placed the can on its side but Riley just would not go into that dark confined cavern after it! Finally, finally FD got it for him.

And balancing it on his nose? Did you really think that it would stay there?

Riley never rests without his treasure close by. He even takes his ball upstairs to bed each night. We have taken his ball away and hidden it which he finds an interesting game. When you ask him where his ball is, he quickly goes to find it.

He trusts a lot more now than when he first arrived here on May 30. He allows us to use the electric trimmer to shave fur around his paws. He puts up with some teeth brushing to control the tartar buildup and we bought a hard bone for him to chew. He trusts that we will not put him in a situation where he will be afraid. We are taking baby steps to build that trust remembering that he is skittish in new situations. It was all new the first week but now it appears he is feeling a lot more secure.

The first attempt to get him in the walk-in shower for his first bath here didn’t work. He was so panicky and fought to get away! The next time we ran him first until he was all hot and tired and then headed for the shower. Indeed he did attempt to make an escape but realizing that FM had a tight grip on his collar and FD blocked his path, he conceded and cooperated without complaint.

Oh, what a funny man he was, shaking and rubbing himself all over the carpet to dry. He smells so good! And it’s amazing how Riley is shedding very little at all, at least for now. It is much much less than our previous GR. That’s a plus – not so much vacuuming or furry clothes!

His true colors are coming through too. Mr. Riley has a mischief side! When you’re not looking, he will seize an opportunity - that being eating people food. Well, that’s not surprising! Twice we caught him or did we just entice him! The butter dish didn’t have a lid on it and that bread was just lying on the plate while you were out checking the grill! So we have a “sometimes” counter surfer but only when we’re not looking! We’ll keep our food out of reach from now on! Riley will sit tight between his foster parents while they eat at the table just hoping for a dropped morsel. I’ll bet he was used to this in his former home with two young children around. He never whines, just sits. He loves eating a large spoonful of pumpkin after he eats his own dog food. That’s quite a treat!

Riley is making acquaintances in the neighborhood. He met the loose neighbor dog with a slight warning growl and then they had themselves a staring contest before the neighbor called her dog home and we continued our walk. A neighbor man came running down the road toward us heading for his mailbox. This really spooked Riley who backed up before approaching the man for a pet. The next time he met him, he wasn’t running and that was a more comfortable encounter. He met four neighbor kids who were out playing basketball with the same tiny growl but allowed them to pet him while he wagged his tail. Riley does love people. He’s just very cautious at first. Today he met a new person and walked right up to them wagging his tail.

Walking is good exercise for both humans and dogs. And it’s a chance to explore new places. Riley sniffed at the deer prints we passed today. And then a roaring sound thundered toward us. FM distracted Riley with a sit command and a treat but then there it was – a huge farm tractor only 10 feet from us. Riley just shuddered as it whizzed by us. He lagged slightly behind today as we neared the end of a steady two mile walk. He was thirsty when we arrived home and drank plenty of water.

Riley gets quite excited when he notices the clues that we are going for a car ride or going walking. He does a little happy dance and heads for the door. He hasn’t jumped up on us or others though. And he only puts up a paw or two now and then when we’re sitting, wanting another pet. All in all, Riley is going to make some lucky family a fantastic companion.