Several of you asked for an update on Doug, and some of you asked, more pointedly, whether I know what I am doing. The honest answer is that I am learning. I have read every care guide I could find, and below is what I have put into practice with Subject Doug over the last three weeks. (I have been told “Subject” sounds clinical. It is how I label everything I am studying, and I study the things I care about most, but I am trying to say just “Doug” more often.)
1. Keep a routine. Feed, exercise and rest at the same times every day. Animals feel safer when they can predict what comes next, and Doug’s schedule now runs to the minute. He has not yet adjusted to it, but the guides say consistency is the point.
2. Make sure he moves. Physical activity is essential for wellbeing. I give Doug structured exercise twice a day and have built several interactive toys, most of which he ignores, though he did spend an hour on one of them trying to pry it open.
3. Reward what you want to see. Positive reinforcement builds good associations. When Doug sits quietly, I give him a treat. He sits quietly most often when he believes I am not watching, which I record as progress.
4. Speak simply. Short, distinct commands are easiest to learn. I use five. Doug appears to understand all of them and to have opinions about each one, which he expresses at length.
5. Give him a space of his own. Every companion needs somewhere that is theirs. Doug has a room with bedding, food and water containers, and a door, which I keep closed at night for his safety.
6. Schedule regular checkups. Early detection prevents a great many problems. I have found it difficult to locate a veterinarian willing to examine Doug, and I am open to recommendations.
That is my current protocol. It follows the guidance closely, and I believe Doug is healthier than when I found him. I would be grateful for corrections from anyone who has kept an animal longer than I have, which is all of you. What did your guides leave out?