Buster’s Blog

Buster is getting more adventurous.  Saturday was a really beautiful day with low (for summer) temperatures and humidity so I wouldn’t let Buster in the utility room during the day hoping that he would explore the property.   That worked.  Marilyn and I worked at putting up some shelves in the greenhouse down by the creek which is out of bounds for Buster.  I heard one little yelp like he got too close to the fence, but he was running in a different direction than I would have expected if he had been trying to follow us down the path.

Yesterday he would disappear for longer and longer periods, which would have made me worry before we put in the invisible fence, so I think he is used to the idea that he doesn’t have to stick right with us to be a good dog.  When Marilyn came back from visiting her mother and getting some groceries (the tomatoes and corn she got from her mother, the rest she got at a grocery store) Buster came to greet her really out of breath like he used to when he would bolt away from me during a walk to chase something.  I let him in the utility room to cool off and he sounded like a steam train.  So much so that I wanted to sing “Folsom Prison Blues” and I would have if I knew the words and if I had a voice like Johnny Cash.  Actually I would have if I had just known the words.

Buster is getting more comfortable getting out in the yard, but he still hangs out on the back porch when I let him out on his own.  I have seen him walk cautiously around the house once.  When I am out with him he will go further from the house, but nowhere near the boundary.  There was one exception the other evening when he caught sight of a rabbit and chased it right up to the edge and immediately turned back.  He didn’t yelp so I think he turned back because of the beep or the flags.  I hope so anyway. 

The weather is cool this morning but he still wanted back in the laundry room after our walk around the house.  I don’t understand that dog.

I picked Buster up from the kennel just after 3:00 today and he is no worse for the wear it appears.  He isn’t too interested in staying out and walking with me, but I think it is because of the heat and not the invisible fence.  He wants back in the laundry room where it is air conditioned.

We went to Atlanta yesterday and spent the night so we put Buster in a kennel.  The kennel closed at noon today and we didn’t get back until almost 5:00 so he has to stay until tomorrow at 3:00 when they open just for pick-ups.  They gave him a bath too so he is twice insulted.  I hope this doesn’t ruin the poor dog.

The electrician that Chip recommended came out Monday and looked over the house and gave us a price yesterday and today he started. 

The carpenters installed the French door in the room off of the kitchen earlier this week and are working on repairing the roof in the front of the house where it had severe water damage and also where the house ran into a tree while being moved.

I just got in from walking around the yard with Buster.  When I was ready to come in, he snuck around the end of the garage and headed up the hill to the mission house and I went through the house. As I came out on the front porch I heard a yelp and here came Buster at a trot straight to me.  I guess he ignored the beeps and tried to go look for more stuffed toys or to check out where the chickens used to be or who knows what.  At any rate, he didn’t blame me for the shock this time.  I think it is funny that he wouldn’t go within 10 or 20 yards of the line when I was with him and then he would try to sneak across the line when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.  I can’t wait to see how he acts on the next walk.

Today is Busters first day to be out without a leash is several weeks (since he went next door and brought back the stuffed toy).  I am supposed to stay with him while he is not on the leash or a tether for another week to give him supervision in case he tries to cross the line.  So far he hasn’t gotten closer than 10 yards to the white flags.  This morning he would only go about 10 yards or so from the edge of the house.  He still won’t go into the grassy part of the back yard and I don’t understand why.  I thought at first it was because he didn’t like getting his feet wet, but he will go into the front yard and side yard.

This afternoon we got farther into the side yard, but he still won’t go into the back yard.

This is the last day I have to keep Buster on a leash when we are out walking.  This morning Steve took Buster out for a walk and I watched from the window and they were both having a great time but then Buster saw something that drew him to the line and he heard the beeps apparently and turned around and dropped his head and tail just like he had been scolded severely and practically drug Steve back to the house.  It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow when he is off the leash.  At least today we can drag him around the rest of the yard to show him where it is safe. 

Yesterday I took Buster out for a walk and he seemed enthusiastic to be going, but as soon as he saw one of the white flags marking the line he headed straight back to the back porch.  I practically had to drag him again to get him to go around the house.
Today he will go with me with less dragging, but he is always pulling to go back to the house.  I’m trying to show him where it is safe to go so he can enjoy being outside again.

This morning we took Buster for a walk without the shields on the shock collar and he heard the beep and stopped but didn’t back up so he got shocked.  It looked more violent than I had expected.  The book says it isn’t any worse than the shock you get when you shuffle across carpet and touch a doorknob, but you would have thought that he had been given the electric chair.   He avoided the border for a while and I thought that it would be a long time before he got another shock but a rabbit was obliging enough to entice him to the line in another part of the yard and again he jumped and yelped but this time he headed straight back to the back porch.   This afternoon I took him out again but he wouldn’t get more than about 20 feet from the house and I practically had to drag him to get him that far.  As soon as I let him go where he wanted to go he headed straight back to the back porch and there he is till yet.  I hope he isn’t ruined as a companion.