Meet Max

The Igor family has a new member. On Saturday, they drove to a not-so nearby Boxer rescue farm to meet Max, a 2 year old brindle male who had just been brought to the farm that week. Not only did the 4 people-type Igor family members go, but they took Roxy as it was important to make sure that all involved would get along. The meeting apparently went well because they returned home that afternoon with Max.

That evening we were all gathered at Mamie’s. Igor left to “check on the dogs” and soon returned with both dogs. Max is a nice looking boy and seemed very calm in the circumstances. Max had had a traumatic week himself – separation from his family who had to give him up due to job loss and a move to another state, a stay at a strange place, and a long car trip with unknown people and dog. Igor was keeping Max and Roxy on the outside of the front patio gate to avoid any possible problems. The only incident occurred when Max decided he needed to check out Molly and Scout, Mamie's dogs, more up close and personal and vaulted the patio gate – not once, but twice. He wasn’t hostile, just curious at that point.

Max and Roxy did get into a bit of a tiff over a donut on Sunday, but evidently not too seriously. Later in the back yard, he treed Jo the cat when she had the bad sense to parade under his nose. She spent about 5 hours high in the tree before she made her way down far enough that Igor could get a ladder close enough to extricate her. Max and Roxy tiffed again briefly during that time – Mrs. Igor thinks Roxy was protecting Jo in the tree. At the vet’s this morning, he also managed to slip both his collar and the cone-collar the vet had just put on him to chase a cat. He couldn’t get much traction on the slippery floor and so didn’t get far in his pursuit.

Other than these minor incidents, he seems to be settling in. He has spent the last 2 nights in Pi’s room – occasionally checking on other family members before returning to his bed. He does need some work on manners, although he does walk quite nicely on leash and will stand still when told, but “sit” is not yet in his repertoire.

He does not exude the joy of life that flowed so freely from Rusty – BUT he is not Rusty and should not be compared to him. He will find his own way and place in the fabric of the Igor family life, and that is how it should be.