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When I first saw Milton, I said to the lady that met me that I wasn’t sure he’d need to find another home.
There was a certain something about Milton. A glint in his eye, a smirk on his face, and a constant smile along with his friendly demeanor, that was just entirely too lovable.
As Milton settled in at home, Mali approached him and didn’t get chased, and really liked that. Elka bullied Milton and he learned how to handle her and diffuse the behavior without my help. He had accidents in the house, and he resource guarded; but he learnt easily not to resource guard, and he house-trained well, and learned tricks galore due to the combination of food and play motivation.
But I hesitated. He had ongoing digestive problems, constant diarrhea, always itchy. I didn’t want a second special needs animal even if it was simple allergies.
But…. I couldn’t give him up if it was something that I could manage. Friends told me that they knew he was never leaving. Compound this with a grave regret over adopting out another foster, and the very real fear I’d regret it if I let Milton go… and 2 months after I got him as a foster, I adopted him.
The day I put the check in the mail, Milton chased Mali for the first time.
Milton plays with Elka more than she likes. He hangs on precariously to her collar, removing it constantly in their play. She taught him to shake as part of play, and he shakes her with wild abandon, moving her collar and scruff (but not her body) wildly from side to side. When Elka lays in bed with me, Milton grabs her and demand barks hoping she’ll give up and play.
We could learn a lot, as handlers and trainers, from Elka. She never gives in and Milton gives up quickly.
So, when I adopted Milton, I knew he was a young, high energy, incredibly annoying young dog. I knew that I liked him a lot that he had a huge amount of potential as an adult, and that he was hugely irritating right then.
I knew that I wouldn’t bond with him - not for real - until he was an adult. I figured at least 2 years old for that. He’s one year old this month.
Over the months, I’ve watched Milton annoy the hell out of Elka and myself and wondered what I had done. Then a few minutes later he would do something completely goofy and clownish and remind me why he was still here. All the while, Elka’s face would show a combination of happiness and irritation. It was as if Elka, too, couldn’t decide if Milton was annoying or fun.
But in the last month, things have really turned around. I finally trust Milton as “house trained”. He and Elka play a lot but he settles in the house really well. I can leave him and Elka in the house, un-crated, knowing that they are happy and safe. He’s even gotten better with Mali without any actual training. Mali approaches and cuddles with him all the time, which is very telling.
And for the first time since Milton came into this house, I really love him. I look at him and know he’s mine. It took 7 months of tolerance, patience, and befuddlement, but it has paid off - and he’s not even two years old yet.
Milton is a complete clown. He does the funniest stuff and when he gets a laugh out of me, he purposefully continues that funny stuff. If I stop laughing, he’ll come over and nudge me to make sure I’m engaged. Today he learned that if he brought a piece of a felt toy and put it in my hand, I would gleefully throw it, and he continued this game for over an hour, to the constant tune of “whee!”.
Milton is very attuned to me. When I get frustrated with work or life or whatever, Milton comes over and requests play, if only for a few minutes until my mood is turned. Milton has single-pawedly stopped a few too-blunt forum posts and sales emails from being sent. He has been my patience, and my temperance.
Elka and I, on the other hand, have a more serious relationship. She gives me attention on her own time (unless I’m very sick in which case she wont’ leave my side). Elka adores me, no one that sees us together can doubt that, but it’s more in the way my cat adores me: on her own schedule. I love Elka, she and I have a bond that goes beyond words. Elka won’t work with anyone else; she barely will tolerate her leash being held by anyone else. But she has that husky independence.
Milton will work with anyone for some food, anyone can handle him, but he and I are undoubtedly bonded in other ways.
I find it fascinating, the different relationships that I have with each of my dogs (and the dogs with each other, and with my cat). They are so incredibly different, and our interaction is so different. How they relate to my moods, how they respond to my being sick, or distraught, or happy - they both respond, always; but it’s always different.
And they undoubtedly love each other. They share the same bed (when I don’t have guests anyway). They often sleep in the same space on the couch.
I always worried that if I got a second dog, that dog wouldn’t get enough attention. How could I possibly love another dog the way I loved Elka? She and I spent all my free time together every day (except when she zombie’d into another room to sleep). I didn’t think I could do that for two dogs.
But Milton and I are so bonded, it’s amazing. And all of this without detracting from my bond with Elka. Sometimes I wonder if my cuddling with Milton upsets her, then I remember that, well, Elka never really was a cuddler. Her behavior hasn’t really changed.
I never understood how people have multi-dog households; but now I have one, and I understand it with amazing clarity.
Milton has “grown up”. Only at the year mark, and his behavior could change as he continues through adolescence, but I really feel that he’s reaching that adult dog potential that I saw in his puppyness. Elka has a companion and is very happy. Mali even loves the dogs, and goes to them to make sure they’re ok.
Everything is really turning out extremely well. There are some pieces missing, but they’re (my Odin and my Kayne) in my heart. I really do have an amazing family here.
-Lisa, on November 19, 2010 at 9:32 pm