Yep, I'm a stalker

So this week we've been in Missoula for a work meeting.  As we were leaving today, we decided to stop at this city park to let the dogs out for some pottying and water.  Then I realized, the couple I adopted Milo to was in this neighborhood.  I said, "Let's go find Milo!!!"

Surprisingly, I somehow managed to find the house.  I went to their house once, a year ago and I have not come back to this neighborhood again.  This was shocking.  Seriously, I get lost trying to find my way out of parking lots sometimes.  Anyway, we had driven into the alleyway behind their house and WE SAW MILO!!!

He was sitting in the yard, watching us as we drove up.  I looked straight at him and he was watching me.  B said he must recognize me.  I thought he wanted to bark at me.  But he didn't, and just sat there quietly watching us.  I should have rolled down my window and called out his name (not sure if they kept his name or not).  He's really a beautiful dog.  Sometimes I'm sorry we didn't adopt him.

I couldn't really tell if he recognized my car and our smells at least.  I guess he did spend quite a bit of time in my car.  When I've pulled into daycare sometimes, I hear Clyde start barking as soon as I drive in.  He knows the sound of my car and what that means.  Pretty neat.  So I kind of wonder whether Milo remembered.  It was so long ago though.  I wish I had taken a picture.  But that would have been even more creepy x10.

I hope Milo is happy and enjoying his life.  I have no idea if anyone was home.  There was another dog in the yard with him.  I certainly hope he doesn't just stay outside in the yard all the time...oh he probably doesn't.  I feel lucky I was able to see him.  I think it's a good sign at least.  I know they didn't just dump him somewhere else and the fact that they are still living there is good too.  I'm pretty sure he is with an awesome couple.

Thinking back on it, I really do feel my training helped a lot in finding this couple to adopt him.  If he had been completely unruly when the guy first met him, maybe that would have turned him away.  I can't know that, but I'm sure it didn't hurt that Milo was very mellow and well-behaved when he first met them.  Shame on whomever dumped Milo and his sister at the truck stop in Idaho.  They could not have known the potential they both have.

I would love to foster again but that might just be a little too much dog right now... :(

A Training Update for Milo

Things I've Started On:
Sit
Down
Spin
Twirl
Roll Over
Touch
Focus (aka Watch Me, no verbal yet)
Leave It (no verbal yet)
offleash Heel (to the left, indoors and outdoors with little distraction, no verbal yet)
Go Potty
Walking nicely on leash

What he's got down verbally (mostly):
Sit
Down
Spin
Touch
Go Potty

And various other things that I just can't think of at the moment because I DO it as a normal routine.

Milo

For would be adopters:

Milo was abandoned at a truck stop in Idaho. A rescue group over there grabbed him out of the kill shelter and he made his way over to me for fostering. :) Milo is approximately 10 months old. He is probably a border collie mix (maybe with pit bull terrier?) and currently is about 25lbs but will fill out a bit more. I think he'll be a perfectly-sized dog -- not too big, not too small. He gets along with other dogs and my two cats. He is probably too playful for cats who aren't used to dogs though. He's not aggressive towards them but sometimes he'll try to get them to play.

He came to me untrained and unhousebroken. He's definitely a very smart dog. I've had him less than two weeks. He's got the housebreaking thing down pretty decently now, he can sit, lie down, touch and has the beginnings of spin and roll over. And of course, he knows his name. :) He's got surprisingly good tolerance for his training sessions being so young (I get a little carried away sometimes;). He is definitely very eager to please and listens to you when he realizes you're talking to him. I say this because sometimes he is bouncing around too quickly to realize you're asking him to do something (or rather, not do something;). This boy has lots of energy is always ready to GO! On the other hand, if everyone else is being pretty mellow and lazy, he seems to know this and follows suit. :)

Right now, Milo appears to be a velcro dog. No matter what, he always gets up and follows me around (oftentimes even in the middle of eating meals or playing with my dog). I think part of that might be he's still feeling insecure and worried I'll ditch him somewhere, so he may grow out of this. He definitely loves people though and I'm pretty sure he'll grow into a first class lap dog. If you don't like snuggly dogs that want to follow you everywhere, he probably won't be a match for you. He would make an excellent agility dog, as well as a running/hiking companion. If you don't have an active lifestyle and don't want to do much training, he might drive you crazy. Milo will really thrive on a good combination of training and exercise. If you have another dog he can wrestle/run around with, all the better!

This guy is really smart and willing to work, so honestly - I want him to go to a home that will really work with him and let him shine!  He probably shouldn't be in a home with younger children who also require a lot of time. I love dogs but I know this much is true - when it comes down to it, your children are much more important. For those with young children, I recommend adopting an older dog. Your stress levels will be much lower. I'm not trying to lecture or discourage anyone from having dogs. It just makes a lot more sense to get a dog that fits your lifestyle and if you've got young kids, you probably don't have enough time for a young puppy unless you live to be stressed out 24/7!

Edit - This guy was adopted out to a nice couple in Missoula, MT.  :)