Dobleve

We adopted Roscoe from a nearby shelter where he was abandoned on the first day of Semana Santa. Why someone would abandon him we can’t understand; we hear stories of how Spanish people don’t respect dogs in the same way we do and often abandon them rather than pay to kennel them when they go on vacation but I can’t speak to the truth of it.

Roscoe so far has been great, as an approximately 9 month old puppy (who lived at the shelter with 70 other dogs for a few months) he is remarkably well behaved and trained. Aside from the occasional indiscretion with Shannon’s shoes we have had no problems with him.

It seems pretty clear that his previous owners had different ideas about dog training than we do. For the first few weeks he lived with us he would lay down and cower if we lifted our arms; he’s mostly over that now as he has learned we would never hit him. He also doesn’t really know how to play the usual dog games – I’ve been working with him to play “fetch”; initially just picking up a ball would send him cowering on the ground. We’re now at the point where rolling a ball on the ground attracts interest without fear but we’re still a ways from being able to throw the ball and bring it back.

We’re fortunate to live in the oldest part of town that happens to also be a short walk to the river and fields where olives grow and burros roam; on weekends we take the dogs here to walk. Its still amazing to watch as Roscoe encounters new things, from the bulldozer and workmen rebuilding a path to the mountain bikers to the thorny undergrowth.

Here’s hoping fetch gets less scary as time goes on.