BHRR’s Barkley is healing really well and I took a new picture tonight of his incision area and will add ASAP. He has had a small ‘bump’ just on the side of his incision as it has been healing and it has not pained him yet tonight I noticed it was larger and took a closer look at it. It causes him no discomfort to examine or touch, is not red, swollen etc. yet I will feel better to have a recheck done on him and shall see about getting him in on April 30th if I can when I work that day. Probably just scar tissue inside. I also want to get an updated weight on him to see how he is doing! Tonight, Sean also held him while I did his nails. This was the first time we have done his nails for we had them done last time when he was under having his obstruction surgery. His back nails no problem at all but his front nails…not so good. He was scared and slightly peed the poor dog and he was full of ‘bluff’ growling and I had not even started doing those nails yet. A lesser experienced person would have been intimidated. It made us sad to see him that way yet Barkley had a strong constitution to try to ‘bully’ and ‘bluff’ to get us not to do his nails, yet that was not going to happen for it is clear that in the past in his own home(something his previous owners had also mentioned to me plus is in his file at KAH), this behavour had been used and he ‘won’ and got his way. He was reassured, patted and I went along calmly to get his nails done. When I was done, he wanted in his crate and we let him in as that is his ‘safe’ spot and I gave him a special treat which he took with that really cute wagging nub of a tail. This was confirmation that he had to have had some bad experience in the past, he was nervous and that by trying to be intimidating, he had been given his way. The wagging tail and willingness to take the treat proved that he is just a big sweet baby in the right hands and that the ‘bluffing’ and attempting to ‘bully’ is not going to be tolerated YET how we handled this inappropriate behavour was most important. We did not get upset, angry, panic or scared. He was given a calming word, touch and onward bound we went. NO big deal is how we handled it and to Barkley after he was in his crate, it truly was not a big deal. We shall see what next week brings when it is time to do his nails again, for I want his front feet handled often with those clippers. So, for those wanting to understand this behavour, Barkley exhibited both fear and ‘intimidation’ in regards to his nails. This boy still has some mental rehab to do before he shall be ready for adoption and he shall not go to a home that is inexperienced with Dobermans. I woud like to see him in a home with at least one other dog, male or female is of no matter as long as they are compatible with BHRR’s Barkley in respect to sociability and his playfulness level. Barkley has loved all the dogs and kids and people he has met to date. Barkley is just completely enamored with BHRR’s Porridge and he and BHRR’s Storm could walk in circles all day long as they keep trying to sniff each other’s rumps! LOL For those that have been to our home, you will most understand what I mean in regards to his comfort zone with our hardwood floors from just at Sean’s desk on the main floor to the TV on the other side and from the water bowl at the fireplace to the door to the sunroom. That is his ‘comfort’ area and he will not venture further at this time. At one point, he found himself close to the kitchen area and when he realised, he froze, did that ‘Dobie’ whine and scurried back into his comfort zone. Barkley now has a Kuranda Bed in his Crate, compliments of BHRR’s Potter lending him his as in his ‘feedback’ to me at one point when I put him into his crate for a ‘time out’, he decided to try and shred up his blankets for the first time and so, bye-bye blankets! The look on his face! LOL Dobies can be notorious for chewing and ingesting things they should not and his new home is going to have to be really careful about what Barkley has access to. When we go out, even if it is for me to put the kids on the bus; he is in his 45″ collosal crate. There shall be no opportunities for Barkley to be put into a situation of failure here to obtain another possible obstruction. He is not allowed stuffies and all toys that he is allowed to play with and he loves to playbow and play when he feels like it; are closely supervised. Barkley could eat all day if you let him and I now feeding him three times a day and he is getting his hill work every morning with me to build up muscle. He has gotten much better about sharing the water bowl and if a dog is strong enough to call his ‘bluff’, he backs down gracefully and waits his turn or shares the water bowl. GOOD boy Barkley! It is clear that he will test you and does test us, more myself than Sean and that the more guidance and consistency of training he is getting, he is becoming that much better with his own behavour stability. I cannot wait to see how things are going to be once we take the e-collar off him and he is also out of his honeymoon period! It is also going to be very revealing to see how he is when it comes to bath time for as the spring mud is drying up, the dogs are a bit dusty and with the warmer weather comes baths! YAY! We are still trying to raise another $822.78 for his BEGGING FOR BARKLEY Fundraiser and deepest thanks being sent to everyone that has believed in him to reach out to support Barkley! If all goes well, my hope is to have BHRR’s Barkley placed up for adoption within the month.  🙂 This will depend on how far he has come more with his mental rehab and his obedience for Barkley also likes to get into that ‘selective’ hearing mode. OMG! It is so funny to see yet as I have often been told ‘Gwennie invented the word stubborn’and he has more than met his match in that department!  😉 😀 I am having so much fun with Barkley in the house! He has been a real treat to have here with us! Something that I have not yet mentioned is that from the very first night he arrived, I found his ‘spot’ and it is just under his chin and he loves loves loves to have it rubbed. He will lean into you and just sigh with pleasure.  🙂