Buster Update

I write this hesitantly, but I feel that Buster has turned a new leaf and I feel that I can once again trust him. I admit that I give him far more credit than any one dog deserves, but I still feel that he has had a mental revelation and now chooses to be a good dog.

It happened about two weeks ago and it appears to be a change that happened overnight. One day he was just different—like he turned 30 in doggie years and decided it was time to grow up. He seems calmer, more relaxed, not so needy and anxious. He seems mature and refined.

I can’t exactly describe the change. I can only really sense it. The one change I can describe is Buster’s reaction when we come home from work. He would usually be very excited to see us; overly excited. He would howl and whimper and jump incessantly until he was picked up. It would take him forever to calm down from this fury he worked himself into and if you ignored him there was trouble.

Now. Well, now, he is still extremely excited to see us, but he is more calm and relaxed. I get the feeling that in his mind he is saying, “I’m glad you are home. I am happy to see you. I wanted to be picked up and I would love attention, however, I will wait for it.”

He hasn’t gone to the bathroom in the house for weeks either. Now this is not to say that I am going to give him free range when we get our new carpet installed. But I do feel that I don’t have to watch him every second he is in the house.

I think Buster has come to terms with his future and he is now choosing to embrace his role as big brother rather than act out against it. I think he knows that behaving well will only serve to better and enhance his life and that acting out will only make his life miserable. Tell me…am I giving him too much credit?

I don’t know the mental reasoning behind any of it; I just know that Buster seems better behaved and more grown up than he did a few weeks ago. Whatever the reason behind it I’m thankful. I am now looking forward to being one big happy family.