He was agitated, and didn't want to eat at first. We tried to
cheer him up with some of his toys (brought over from his home),
and eventually there was some tail action (wag wag wag).
Juimiin and I brought him home on the evening of 1998-10-08. On the way home, he alternately put on a brave face (looking around in the car) and a non-brave face (lying down). I showed him our little back-yard, went for a quick walk outside, and later brought him into the house.
He was agitated, and didn't want to eat at first. We tried to
cheer him up with some of his toys (brought over from his home),
and eventually there was some tail action (wag wag wag).
We have a room in the house exclusively for him - vinyl floors for the inevitable drink-time slobber, a private place to sleep, etc. How naive it was to think he'd be comfortable there. With blanket, food, water, toys, Pyper was still restless, and a bit whinny, and it was getting very late.
So what is a new dog lover to do? I pulled over a sleeping bag, and rolled up on the floor with Pyper, so as to sleep together in his room. Pyper liked the company.
The brat woke up frequently to change place in the little room, so I did not get much sleep either. (He is quite large for a collie, and in this room, there was no way for me to be unaware that he was walking.)
Several times, he lay down right beside me, or heated my feet with his panting, or gave me a lickathon. Other times he would listen for outside movement, then suddenly collapse into a sleeping lump of fur. He barked only once or twice. Sometime around 3 AM, he finally ate and drank. A noisy process, it was a good sign.
It was a night I will remember.