Niko's Vacation

¡Hola! We are back from vacationing in Mexico for a week. We minus Niko, that is. No pity for Niko, though.  He spent the week with Ed's parents, which sure beats Niko's usual humble abode.  The house is bigger, there's 60 acres of land (about 59 acres more than what Niko has at home), and his pal Sandy, a yellow lab.

The feedback we received was that Niko's very independent, active, and fun.  As with most Shiba Inus, Niko has a tendency to wander off and is very curious, especially when he is outside.  His ability to come when called vanishes once he is out the door. Due to a scare during Christmas where Niko went off on his own into the woods, we are all hesitant to let him off the leash. Sandy on the other hand, is a great role model, she runs to you when you call her.   

Mr. S tried different techniques to allow Niko lots of outside time while looking out for his safety. He connected Niko to Sandy with short leash. He also tied Niko to objects that would slow him down a little, such as a paint can. The paint can didn't slow Niko down at all. A bucket and PVC pipe were also employed.  Here's a picture of Niko and the PVC pipe.  The pipe made it easier to spot Niko out in the wild.  

Being away from Niko for a week was tough, but knowing he was in good hands and that he was on his own little vacation definitely helped.  His experience is way more fun compared to his usual routine of being crated while we are at work.  It was a great feeling greeting him when we returned. He greeted us with a ton of excitement and wagged his tail and let us give him lots of smooches and hugs.