Sleepy Deepy Deepster Dog

Finally! It has taken 12 days, but I believe Sleepy has finally accepted me as a member of his pack, in Ken's absence.

Due to his arthritis, Sleepy gets two meals a day, each laced with a medication cocktail which keeps him as active and happy as possible. However, sometimes he is not so interested in the meal.

As shown above, he is put in "jail" in the kitchen until he eats. Most days, he is pretty good. Ken has given him the Job Title of Dogfood Disposal Technician. All dogs like a job to do, don't they?

Once he has performed his duty, he is let out of jail.

For eleven days now, as soon as he has been let out, he has run as fast as his gimpy little legs could carry him back to his station by the back door to wait for Ken to return. He waits and hopes pretty much all day every day.

Sleepy has had zero interest in spending time with me. I've tried putting one of his dog beds by my desk. I've tried talking and singing to him, which as anyone who has heard me sing knows, is a sure recipe to drive someone in the opposite direction. But, hey, I had nothing to lose. And who knows a dog's taste in music? I've tried closing the door to the utility room where he likes to hang out. I even tried bribing him with dog biscuits. Nothing could convince him that there were better options than waiting for his alpha.

I'm not sure what turned the tide, but this morning after he was let out of jail, he hung out with me in the kitchen while I finished my breakfast. I think he may be starting to think I have some minor value.

Then of course ten minutes later he hustled out to the back door bed.

We are still looking for someone to be a foster parent to Sleepy during the two years we'll be in Australia. I can attest to the fact that he only takes about 10 minutes a day to care for. And given another twelve days, I'll bet he'd actually change his loyalties.