The Benny Update - One Year Later

About one year ago, to the day, we picked up Benny our beagle from the foster home. He'd been out of the research labs for about a month and was just getting used to life as a dog, and not a lab rat.

How could we know what we were all in for?

The good parts were experiencing a lot of firsts with Benny. The first time touching snow and grass. The first time he ran at full speed. The early thunderstorms that freaked him out. The first hot, summer days when he couldn't figure out that sitting in the shade would be better than laying in the sun.

The bad parts, too. House training him (gross!). Finding out just how sensitive his stomach is (vomiting). He's scared of everything!

But, overall, he's been a very good dog for us. He tolerates the girls and all their "attention;" Be it, dressing him, chasing him, Alice is particularly fond of rubbing his nose with her finger. He will occasionally snap when he's had enough. But that is very seldom. Otherwise, he's pretty happy when someone is touching him.

The irony of it all is David wanted a dog for male companionship, in a house so full of females. He wanted a buddy to take on walks and play fetch with outside. This is not the dog we got. Benny doesn't want anything to do with David -- even 12 months later. He's more friendly with David outside, but insides, he avoids being in the same room. At the same time, the dog is still really attached to me. He cries when I leave. And, I can take him off the leash for walks to the bus stop, because he always (usually) comes when I call.

Otherwise, he's got a pretty sweet life. He sleeps all day. Enjoys his walks with the neighbor-dog-walker. And has discovered that if he hangs out in the kitchen while I'm cooking, and if it's chicken or turkey, I might just drop a few scraps for him.





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