The good news is Rusty is smart. The bad news is he managed to break out of his crate.

I’m actually amazed he didn’t destroy anything in our bedroom other than the doorstopper. My shoes, favorite blanket, and clothes are all intact. We are confident that as we continue to feed him in the crate and reassure him about his environment, he’ll grow more accustomed to it. He is excellent when out of the crate – just lays by your feet and sleeps.

He also came through his neutering with flying colors. We are keeping an eye on the patches around his ears, but we expect the skin to grow back. Rusty has tested negative for skin and intestinal parasites, which is a relief. He received his first bath over the weekend, and was scared to death. This was a big change from Tom, the Guide Dog Foundation puppy we raised. Tom once joined me, uninvited, in the shower, and never met a sprinkler he didn’t like. Having Rusty around definitely helps with not missing Tom as much - he returned to the GDF for formal training last month. Here is one of the final pictures with Tom before he went to New York.