Head to Tail

"About three feet, from head to tail", I told the trainer. My new dog, Sid, needs basic training. I got him last month, from a Beagle Rescue organization. He is slightly bigger for a Beagle. He is sweet and friendly. From what I gathered, he was rescued by the neighboring county police. I wonder if he was oppressed or simply abandoned, as the latter is happening to a lot of innocent animals during this recession. Whatever it has been, now he is safe and he knows that too.
Its been a month and I thought I should start documenting and sharing our adventure together.
As a kid, my idea about an ideal dog was Snowy, Tintin's pet. I guess I have acted a bit on impulse when I got him. Well, that Marley and Me movie was to blame.
July 11th, I drove home with this dog with whom I have spent about half an hour earlier. He trusted me, got into the car on my instructions and sat on the passenger seat. I felt obliged for being so trusted and pondered on the innocence of this animal. He got a bit nervous during the ride, but we made it safe. The next surprise was his inability to take the stairs. The dogs I have seen around here are pretty agile and have not shown any difficulty at taking stairs. Sid, however, refused to climb upstairs. I kind of dragged him up for at that time I thought he was just afraid of being in a new place.
He walked into the apartment, sniffed around. I had got some dog biscuits and a bone for him. I gave him the bone and he politely took it in his mouth. Then he just laid it on the floor. He had a very sad and confused look. He chose a spot under the coffee table and rested. I went to the store to get some dog food and a bed.
That night he slept on his new bed at the foot of mine. I woke up the morning after with a lick on my hand..time to go out it seemed. Well, it was too late, things have happened already. I cleaned up his mess, he looked sorry for what he had done. I did not say anything.
I had lifted him up and down the stairs to go out for walks but I knew he needs to learn how to climb. So my training began. I lifted him and midway, on the stairs, I placed him. He did not move. I placed his front paws on the steps ahead and then the hind ones after that. The practice went on. Within two days, Sid was finding his way up to his new home!
Week one went by, getting to know how Sid functions, his food fondness and his toy preferences.
By that time, he had settled down. I, on the other hand, struggled to keep up with my new schedule.