It’s been a full week since we adopted Ranger from the Sevier County Humane Society, so I thought I would jot down some tidbits about what I’ve noticed about him so far.
- He doesn’t like to be left alone. This is probably a given, since his previous owner passed away, leaving him and his mixed-breed brother. He’s an “in-your-pocket” kind of dog.
- He’s tolerant of pretty much everyone and everything. The day we got him, we took him to PetSmart, where he met several new people and a few dogs. He never batted an eye. The next day I took him to the barn to meet Hank – he was cautious of being stepped on, but never offered even the slightest hint of a growl or snap at Hank (which is great).
- … Except for fire. He’s scared to death of fire – when you combine this with his otherwise confident and friendly personality, it’s making us think that he might have some limited service training.
- He’s a cheeky guy, but he listens. The other evening he disappeared in the house, only for us to find him a few minutes later on my parents’ bed – with clean sheets. Needless to say, my mom was a bit upset (while my dad and I are still giggling about it).
- He’s lost some weight – which is good. When we picked him up, he weighed a whopping 73 pounds. While that’s well within the norm for his breed, he didn’t look especially healthy with that weight. Since he’s been on a recommended diet and is receiving plenty of exercise, he’s dropped a few pounds. Since he hasn’t seen our vet yet, I would venture a guess that he’s around the 65 pound mark right now, which looks a bit better on him.
Anyway, that’s where we’re at right now. He’s living his best life right now, even though he’s still settling in.
Roaming Appaloosa 