Sabir is settling in. He has learned an awful lot in the last 3 days. He has learned his name, and where he lives, and what cats are,and that they have a scary business end that they will not hesitate to use. He has figured out what dog treats are. He has learned what a home is. He never lived in one before. He has learned about blankets and furniture. He has learned to go up and down stairs. He has learned that there are approved times and places for excretion. (He gets it right about half the time,) He knows who the family is. He has figured out that there are some things he is permitted to chew or eat, and some things (electrical cords, litter boxes, books,) seem like they would be fine and gain him a sharp 'NO.' He has found that human toes are fun to chew on, and human hands don't hit. They pat and tickle which is lovely, and they clean your nose sometimes, which is nasty.

He is younger than I thought, four months not five. He still has all his baby teeth. None of them are even loose yet. His gums are sore and itchy though. He is teething like crazy. He has a gentle mouth though, to go with the hound voice. He takes food from the hand with extreme gentleness, as Hazel did.

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They wormed him at the shelter here. He needed it. He had the worst tapeworm situation I ever saw. He eliminated not only the segments, lots of them, but an entire translucent worm as long as my forearm. I think this may go some distance to explain why he was so skinny. He has great thick legs meant for a big dog, but his body is small and light. I believe he got good care and food at both shelters; (here and in Baku.) But he has probably had those tapes all his little life. No way could he gain weight and size as he was meant to do. I have not seen any signs of roundworms or fleas, or anything else ugly. He should make up for lost time by growing extra fast now. I am inclined to feed him often. He is inclined the same way. Today he had his first taste of PB&J. I gave him a little of mine. He liked it. He also knows now that the kitchen and refrig is where the good things come from.

Such a lot for his little brain to learn in just 4 days. He is like a toddler. He goes and goes, and then he falls down asleep all at once. I had forgotten how much work puppies are! I am pretty tired myself. There has been an awful lot of laundry and floor cleaning. He has the idea that if you cannot make it down the stairs in time you can pee on anything rectangular. we have given him a blanket for his own, and he needs it washed over and over. Claire gave him an old rag doll to keep. He peed on that too.

Anyway, that is probably more dog news than anyone wants. I will get my head above the surface one day soon. How are all of you?