"Dylan is now having a nap in his crate after a very lively morning! He has been on the go a lot, exploring & seeing what he's allowed to chew! He's also been chasing after his squeaky soft ball, up & down the hall. He has also spent some enjoyable time shredding newspaper! So I suppose he is feeling more relaxed now & full of fun, which is a good sign. Earlier on, he was having a little power nap on the kitchen floor & at one point rolled onto his back exposing his tummy, so he must be fairly happy, I think. Sure he is missing you all though.... I do wonder sometimes if he is confused etc, but he's doing very well & getting lots of love. He had another good sleep last night. He was a bit late to bed ( I have to prise him off the family who aren't keen to put him in his crate!) but slept through til 7.30. We put a little wire fence across the patio at the back of the house, so now he can potter out of the living room door & into the kitchen door! Unfortunately, the weather is awful today, so he's not got out much. I think he'll really enjoy going for walkies & meeting his public when he's allowed out properly! Bye for now, love to everyone & a big sloppy kiss fromDylan"

Waiting for his favourite toy

" Dylan is settling in like a dream. He's lovely and seems to be coping well with the upheaval. We have had two good nights with him. I have tried to make his crate a pleasant place to be & he pops in from time to time. He has been happy to sleep in there at night, so I didn't need to resort to taking him upstairs. He whined for maybe a minute last night- we hide out of the way until he settles, then I can go to bed & not worry about him! Saturday, he woke up at 6.30 & this morning it was 6.45. I heard a kind of 'dog stretching noise' followed by a little yap & a tiny quiet whine. That was it! So he has settled very well at night, I can hardly believe it. On Friday/Sat, I kept waking up through the night wondering if he was ok, as he was so quiet. I resisted the temptation to go downstairs at 4am or install cctv, so i'm doing well, too!! He was brilliant at the vets yesterday. There were one or two questions from the vet re choice of breed, but he seemed happy with my answer. He also mentioned hybrid vigour, so that was a relief. As he was examining him, he just said, 'Neutered already?' to which I just replied 'yes'! No further comment! But then he just seemed mesmerised by Dylan! While we were chatting, Dylan just settled down on the examination table, the vet kept looking at him adoringly mid sentence & forgetting what he was talking about! So he made a big impression there, as he does with everyone, of course. We are going to take him back to be weighed before we decide what to do re worming etc. i think the vet just wants to see him again! The neighbours are also in love with him already, and even the cats at no 146 didn't hiss or leave the house when we took him round. You have got him off to such a good start in life, if we can keep doing even 80% of what you've been doing, he'll be fantastic. The toilet training is going fine. He is a bit overwhelmed by the garden at the moment (only putting him down on the patio, although I've carried him down the garden!) but he is doing everything on the newspaper by the back door. We've had plenty of playful moments, and although he can be quiet/calm, he doesn't seem phased by anything new.... perhaps just for a second, but then he gets stuck in. We promise we have been giving him his special behind the ear cuddle/tickle! You can see on his face when you get the right spot! It looks as though he's smiling! Everything seems to be fine, he is a delight. His poo is fine, no sign of the runs. He's eating well, sleeping well (completely zonked after his jab, bless him) He's very alert & responsive, following me around or coming straight away when called. I have to be really careful not to trip over him as if I stand still for more than a second, he lies down near my feet! He also loves being close to the boys. They don't seem to be frightening him at all! In fact, he would've followed them onto the trampoline if he could! They are enjoying taking turns feeding him, brushing him etc & carrying out the socialisation technique you showed us. His favourite toy is the fleecy squeaky cat Tom gave him on Friday, which must smell of your house! He also loves his new blankets & has a real thing for tassels! We still can't believe he's ours, he really is the most wonderful dog. ( as you know!) Hope you like these photos, taken today. I'll try not to send TOO many! He's too photogenic!! Bye for now,"

I think he likes his new bed!

"Dylan was SO good the whole way home. He had a few naps & was very calm. Since getting home, he has eaten a good meal, had plenty to drink (& on the journey) etc etc. He was shaking for a minute when he first came inside, but that didn't last long. He did a wee on the puppy mat, then went back to the same place to do a poo....and he has just gone through to the back door on his own to do another wee! What a clever boy! After a good game of fetch etc (so advanced for his age!)  I popped him into his crate while we ate. He whined for a minute then settled down quickly & playfully rearranged all the bedding & other bits- so everything is how he likes it now! He hasn't wanted to hide away much yet....he looks hesitant for a second in a new place, then just gets on with it. He seems happy & playful, so I think he's ok. He's sitting on my knee as I type. He seems remarkably happy, he's so lovely, we feel very lucky to have such a special dog. We have been thinking about you all. Hope they/you are all ok. I'll send you photos in a day or two- I'll try not to send too many & jam your email! Thank you for everything, it was lovely to meet you all. We'll keep in touch & will definitely see you again sometime. Bye for now"

I wonder who is having more fun?

Left - Another ball punctured!!

He loves playing football & generally getting muddy in the garden with the boys. He's also partial to Rugby, and the supporters of the local rugby club all know him as he and (name omitted) often pop over to watch a match together! He's developed quite a mischievous personality & is great fun.

love to you all

Trying to Escape