I have to say, 1st night home for Nikki is not easy... We have got no shampoo, no food, no toy, basically nothing for Nikki. But we can't go straight to pet shop after getting him from the shelter, as we need to bring him home straight to let him settle down at new environment and reduce the stress of moving to new place. In fact we were worried that he can't adapt to it.
A tip to every new dog owner out there...
When moving your dog to a new environment, please walk around the neighborhood to let it do all it's business before going up to your house. This is the initial step to train your pet to be grass-trained...
Once home, Nikki start roaming around the house and we got to faster prepare water and newspapers to put all over the house just in case he is paper-trained and wanted to do his marking at the new house.
Nikki actually spent 40mins non-stop walking and sniffing around the whole house... I'm like "Nikki, can you please stop and at least have some water before u continue???"
(This is him, smiling when I tell him to drink water...)
Silly boy just make my heart melt.... But still!! U need to have a good bath and dinner, so to have a good night sleep...
Instead of leaving him alone at home while we go out to get his stuffs, stupid me actually think of bringing him along... (Maybe can let him do a full groom too)
From my house to the nearest shopping mall if were to stroll, it will only take less than 20mins... But this "old man" took 40mins!!! At that moment, I've actually forgotten that he is already 14, which is human age of about 98 with osteoarthritis!! Oh my god!!! I'm so sorry, Nikki!!!
When reached the grooming salon, no one wanted to groom him as it's already over their working hours... So we got no choice but to buy all necessities and took cab home and bath him ourselves...
Once home again, I quickly let him have a nice warm bath... He got dirt all over him. The water is grey. And luckily he is super tamed. Due to his weak legs from osteoarthritis, he can't stand up for a long time... He need to lean against the wall to support himself... My heart hurts seeing him like this...
Bath is done. And it's blow dry time! To my surprise, he just lay on the ground and let us blow dry him...
He literally fall asleep while having his blow dry... He is so comfy that no matter how we move him, he won't wake up... He is even sleeping while we are looking out for any ticks on him... The easiest blow dry ever!!!
After which I can't bare to wake him up to have his dinner... But this greedy boy actually woke up immediately when I'm preparing his food... Was thinking to prepare 1st, so when he woke up he got food to eat immediately. But I never expect so fast... Good nose you have there, greedy boy!!!
(This is him after a good nice bath and dinner...)
Handsome boy isn't he? Just in case you all were wondering, where he sleep... He sleep with us in our bedroom... In fact it's not us who tell him where to sleep at night... He knew where he's sleeping and he walk straight to our bedroom and sleep beside the bed automatically when both me and my hubby are still watching TV at the living room...
I always wonder... Why is he at the shelter in the 1st place? He got no attitude problem, not barky, not mischievous, he don't pee around the house... But why just because of No Time and have to give him up? He don't need much of an attention either... Is it really just an stupid excuse or is it that he is sick and old? But still, whoever you are out there, if you happen to read this blog, I would like to say a big THANK YOU!
Thank you for not throwing him out to the street instead, and let him starve, fight with other big dogs out there or got into a road kill... Thank you for letting me meet him... Thank you for letting him go, so he can be at a place where true love is all around him...