We Are Moving!

It's finally time for us to get out of apartments and move into a house! It's been a very long process, but we're excited to finally have our own space.

We're not moving too far, actually less than 2 miles from where we live now. But we will be off the busy road we live on and more in a neighborhood. We've been looking for a very long time, and almost 2 months ago we found a house that would be perfect for us. It especially includes a backyard with a beautiful privacy fence. Perfect for a little pooch we like to call Macho!

It's been a stressful week packing everything up, and I can tell that Macho is confused. I'm trying to make the move as easy as possible for him. We are packing a truck with all of our things on Sunday, then we are moving everything into the house on Monday. We decided that it might be too stressful to have Macho at home, so we are taking him to my parents' house overnight. Then we will be bringing him to the new house for the first time! I think he will like it even though it will be something he will have to get used to.

This leads me to some questions- What can I do to make the move easier on Macho? Is there anything I should do when bringing him into the house for the first time? Have you ever moved a dog who marked into a new home? I'm really concerned that Macho will go crazy peeing all over the house to mark it. He doesn't do this anymore, but I am wondering if he will start again in a new space. The previous owners did not have any animals, so there shouldn't be any scents in the house, but it still worries me. Any advice would be great!

Alert! Dog Thefts on the Rise!

I had never heard about anyone ever having their dog stolen until this year. My friend's cousin came home to find her house broken into. Burglars broke into her home and stole a lot of items- including her bichon frise. A news story about this event is here for anyone who is curious. It made me sick to even hear about this. It's hard enough to lose a pet, but even more hard when you don't know how they are being treated and what they were stolen for.

This week I saw a news story that dog thefts are on the rise. When I heard about this, I didn't understand what someone could want to steal a dog for. Apparently they can be stolen for many reasons. Some steal dogs because they can resell them just like any other object they steal. As if it couldn't get any more sad, I found that this is how most dog fighting rings find their dogs. They want to get a dog as cheap as they can, and I guess a free dog is the best dog.

It is recommended that you keep your eyes on your dog at all times. I've heard that the people stealing dogs will go right into your backyard if you're not outside. I know a lot of people don't leave their pets in their cars in the summer, but the news has said that dogs have been stolen right out of cars while their owners were inside a business.

It's very scary and sad to think about. In case you haven't heard of this, the story is here for anyone who wants to read it. They have other tips and information about what you can do to keep your dog safe.

Why Doesn't Macho Bark? +Video

Since Macho's last post wasn't such a great one, we wanted to update to say that Macho is doing great! He was fine once the weekend was over, which made me really happy. No more people food for Macho! Ok, that's a lie, I still sneak some to him. But it's not as much as I was feeding him, and it's food that I know he is able to eat. I checked to make sure he is still allowed to have french fries, as they are his favorite. Luckily it was on the list of safe foods, and a baked potato was actually suggested as a once in a while treat.

Anyway, this weekend while Macho was sleeping on the couch, he started barking in his sleep! We have only head Macho bark twice since we've had him, so this was a rare occurrence! However, it makes me curious as to why he doesn't bark. Is it common for rescue dogs to not bark? I know that it is common for a scared dog to not bark, but once he/she is comfortable in their environment, don't they begin barking?

Believe me, I am thankful that Macho doesn't bark all the time. But to hear him every once in a while would be nice. When he is scared, he runs to a safe spot. I guess this must be his way to protect himself instead of barking? But don't all dogs bark eventually? I've never heard of a dog that never barks. It's almost like a cat!

I leave you with a little video of Macho doing some damage to a bully stick this weekend!