It’s a Grand Adventure!

Well, the first rule of road tripping with your new Corso is that all the rules you’ve taught them so far will be left at home. This is because home is all they know! We arrived to the Residence Inn at the Nashville Airport and got our room. It was an awesome room, the Penthouse, they called it. I highly recommend them if you are traveling with your pet!

So, I realized quickly that Tiesto did not know where the boundaries of our new home were located. He started barking/growling at everyone that moved because he logically deduced that he was the ruler of all that he saw. I walked him around and made him do his training like he was at home or in Pet Smart. This quickly helped him to associate the people there like the people at Pet Smart, potential petter/treat givers! Even towards the end of our three days he was fine with people when we were out and about, but gave warnings to those that came close to our porch. Although they became more and more half hearted warnings until they were tiny throat rasps of “I don’t think you matter but just in case” sounds. Tiesto is a natural protector and so he tries to figure out people’s motives, where they are supposed to be located and what my boundaries are. That is what I have noticed.

So I have taken it upon myself to teach him that my boundaries are very penetrable. Another words, I try to meet people and talk to them when we are out and about. This gets him to understand that talking is okay. I try to introduce myself and shake their hand, this gets him to understand that there are acceptable forms of touching. People lift and love on Joshua, so Tiesto understands that there are people who can pick up Joshua. This whole time, Tiesto is learning what nice people “look” like and feel like. He is noting their stance, smell, emotional climate and mine as I interact with them. These are great notes for a natural protector so they know when they see the real thing – a bad person! This is all part of socialization, however, if you choose a natural protector dog it must be done all the more intensely.

He liked the neighbors and thought Shitzus were funny. I told him not to be intimidated by their looks, maintenance level or their size, he is perfect just the way he is. I thought that it might be good to clear that up, in case, Shitzus were the dog world equivelant of supermodels! Haha

We left after three days and he was a smashing apartment dog. Now, grant it, we sought out grass to play in but Tiesto adjusted quickly to the smaller living space.

We arrived at my parents’ house in South MO and they have two dogs. One is absolutely adorable and lives outside, that is Babe. One is cute, lives inside and is 18 years old, that is Wrinkles. She is slightly cantankerous is that one. I figure at 126 years old in human time, she can be as cantankerous as she wants. Tiesto does not understand why she doesn’t like him. He is Italian and handsome, but she does not want him around and this baffles him completely! So I have to continually tell him to stay away and he is learning. He tries to taste test the toys here, in case they aren’t off limits here like at home. I have taught him, nope, Joshua’s toys are off limits here too. He wants to play with Babe and Wrinkles outside, I tell him no and had to crate him because in 24 hours he has learned to open the front door and was attempting to do just that. He is sad that he is left out. Babe is bigger than Wrinkles but smaller than Tiesto by a lot! So she was playing with him but then realized that he wasn’t really a dog, he was a monster and didn’t want to play with him any more! So he is on his own and I can tell he is sad by that. However, we’ve been relearning house rules, training in the yard and in the house. We have been playing lots of fetch and he is getting his energy out from the long trip. I figure after a few days he will settle, just like at the apartment. I will write more on that later.