Atticus: Day Two

So, I've noticed a couple things about Atticus in the short time we've been together. Since house-training him is my number one concern right now, it's not surprising that the two things I've noticed most involve his bathroom habits.

I know it's only his second day, but I'm having a hard time convincing him that he needs to do his business outside. See, he's a country mouse; having come from Missouri, he's not used to the hue and cry of the city, and it both fascinates and frightens him. He wants to take it all in, but there's no way he's relaxing enough to actually have a poop and a pee outside with all that craziness going on.

Here's the thing: Atticus is true to his Japanese heritage. He's a Ninja pisser and a Sumo pooper.

Since he wouldn't go outside, he's been peeing in the apartment, but we've had a hard time catching him at it. I realized why this morning. He's not a leg lifter, or even a squatter. He's a poser. Not always, since he's only had a couple "accidents," but generally when I think he's pausing in his constant roaming to just scan the area, what he's really doing is striking a pose and having a pee. Tres stealth.

This morning, after an eventful night that will surely make me the object of ridicule for decades to come (that's a story for another time), Atticus clambered out of his crate and we went outside for a walk. I'd been worried that he wasn't eating a lot, and hadn't had a poop during our five (count 'em, five) trips outside yesterday, so I wanted to get him harnessed up and out the door quickly. Happily, he hadn't soiled his crate (Good Boy!), so we hustled outside and went for a walk.

That's when I discovered my little pup has Sumo aspirations. Just as he doesn't like to squat for for a pee, he's tentative about having a squat to do #2. He sorta spreads his legs a little and prances back and forth on his back legs to shake things loose, sorta like a sumo wrestler getting ready for a match. Without the belly slapping.

Adorable.

Now if I could just convince him to pee outside, too.