My name is Kane!

Kane joined us from Missouri on March 18th along with his buddy Boris. They have
lived together their entire lives. Kane is younger at 7 years old. We were told they both spent too much time in a kennel but did have some sort of backyard. We worried that they would not have good leash skills, but surprisingly Kane does well on a leash as he does not pull much but does crisscross from side to side in front of you. He will also stop to look for Boris, he seems to rely on him for cues often. Kane has a martingale collar, but on walks he uses a harness in case something startles Kane, and he reacts by barking and pulling. We are trying to determine exactly what is triggering Kane. Kane can pass by a dog in the neighborhood with an electric fence without giving him the slightest attention most of the time. Other times it seems if the dog barks, then that will get Kanes attention and he in turn will bark and pull. We will walk along on the sidewalk, a person will be walking their dog along the road and it’s only when he hears the collar jingle of the passing dog, it will draw his attention he will react by barking and pulling. If he is given notice that a s person is approaching from in front of him or if the person is pointed out and says his name and talks to him as approaching, he does better than being startled by an unknown movement coming towards him. From our observations we feel that Kanes eyesight is what is causing his heightened reaction. This is also true in the home when reaching over Kane he has turned and growled. He has gotten much better at this as we announce ourselves or talk to him, so he is aware of our position and presence. At times it seems having lights on and ball caps off in dimmer settings helps so he can see who is around. Kane has been to the vet, he did well during his exam and bloodwork. He is heartworm negative! Neuter and dental scheduled for later in May. Hoping that the vet can get a better look at his eyes when he is under anesthesia to rule out or confirm any issues with his eyes. Kane is super friendly with anyone coming into the home. He has no problem greeting people and wanting their attention and to give kisses. He can be quite exuberant and at these times he may jump up on people. He is learning manners and starting to catch on, but he gets so happy he can’t help himself. Kane seems to know his name, most of the time. As for commands, he sits when asked immediately at times and not at all at others. He is currently learning that the new living room furniture is no longer his to sit on as before. He is doing a great job catching on. Also working on the command; Out for when it comes to us cooking in the kitchen he is very much under foot. Kane has not shown any interest in toys. Nothing. He has watched Boris play but shows no interest currently. It may be due to his dental condition and maybe we can get him interested in soft toys once he has healed. We are not sure how Kane would be with other dogs. He gets along well with his buddy, Boris. They compete a little for attention and at times Kane will stand over Boris, seemingly being dominant, Boris could care less. They share water bowls and Kane will allow you to take his bowl away from him and he does not react to Boris making sure that his bowl is empty. Kane does seem to look to Boris to know how to act or react to something. He follows Bori’s cues or behavior in some situations. When we first started walking Kane farther than Boris, and Kane realized he was on his own he seemed to look around for Boris. Now he seems to enjoy his extended walks because he realizes he will see Boris again. He has greeted people/strangers without any hesitation when he has approached them. He has a hard time containing his licker. He does crave attention and contact from people. He will place his head on your lap or stand by you and lean into you. I think he would be fine with children who are a little older because he wants to be bossy. (this may change some after being neutered) and having some manners classes and an owner who can help him learn his place in the pack. If Kane senses you are getting ready to leave, he will go sit in his kennel and wait for a treat. If you wait outside for a few minutes, you may hear Kane bark, but one cue to stop or tell him No Kane, he will stop, and we have not heard another peep. Kane has had zero accidents in the home. If he appears restless, we take him out. He seems 100% house trained. Currently he spends the night out of the kennel on the family room couch, oversized chair, or ottoman. Most likely you will find him exactly where you left him when you went to bed. We are determining if he is truly bonded to Boris or not. We are experimenting on doing things separately with each of them, instead of everything together so we can figure out what is best for each of them. Kane will seek out Boris more than the reverse and will often choose to go and lay by or next to him. They can be caught snuggling at times.  Kane is a nice loving dog at his core. He just seems like he has not had much of chance to have a relaxed life where he doesn’t need to be on guard all the time. He is learning quickly that he can relax on the deck in the back yard in a puddle of sunshine and not worry about what is happening on the other side of the fence. He is safe with good people, and we will protect him.