They haven't been socializing at all and he misses seeing people.
Here he is the other day all dressed up just for fun in his Hawaiian shirt. He used to wear it when we went to the nursing home. Of course he hasn't seen many people this year at all. Once he got to visit with Tom, the UPS guy and once with Danny the farrier when he delivered my custom made Shepard's hook [more about that later!].
Yesterday I took him for a walk with me to the creek and 'round about to the Rock Fort. I had brought a couple of stuffed toys and thought of doing a little 'toy story' sort of like a storyboard thing. I had some ideas bouncing around in my head after my call from Lin.
While we were back by the Fort, off in the distance, someone was sighting in their rifle for the start of Gun Deer Season.
Charlie literally became a shaking quivering puddle of Pekinhound. I was photographing the toys in the late afternoon sunlight [perfect!!!] when he became instant mush and literally tried to climb my legs.
To deal with it and still finish what I wanted to do, I placed my toys then sat down in the leaves and dirt so Charlie could climb into my lap and quiver. I offered him a dog treat and he ignored it.
Damn. Time to rescue the poor guy and head to the house. I picked him up and juggled my things. The shooting abated for a bit so I was able to stop and photograph the Twin Fawns.
Someone closer by started shooting again. Charlie ran to me, then turned and made a beeline to the house. I found him at the porch door quivering and shaking.
I opened up the door and he tried to climb up Rich's leg.
It may be a long nine days for Charlie.
However, if I can have Rich keep the volume up on the TV while he is watching, perhaps it won't be so bad for him.
If he can hear the shots [which there will be an abundance of] he will become the Shaking Velcro Dog.
Sigh.