Duek’s Second Week – From Cautious to Curious
Comparing him to his first week here, he’s made some truly heartwarming progress. When Duke first arrived, he was a shy little guy who needed lots of encouragement just to come sit with us on the couch. We’d often have to gently call him over—or even pick him up—to get him comfortable enough to settle in for cuddles.
Fast forward to this week, and he is definitely showing much improvement. Duke has started roaming around the house with confidence, jumping onto the couch on his own, and even making surprise appearances in places he avoided before, like our bedroom and master bathroom! There have been moments we’ve caught ourselves wondering, “Where’s Duke?” only to find him casually exploring like he owns the place. It’s a beautiful sign that he’s growing more at ease in this environment. It also created an embarrassing moment for me, as his mom was picking him up on Thursday. He wandered into our master closet, and somehow the door shut behind him after he went in. We looked all over for him but couldn’t find him until we heard his barking.
That said, he’s still not totally there yet, there are flickers of anxiety now and then, especially when he’s not getting cuddles or when things get a little too active. But the difference between now and week one is huge, and we’re so proud of him.
Now, let’s talk about where he feels the most relaxed: our bed. Yes, our bed, the sacred zone that only Hershey gets full access to during the day. Not even Frasier Jr. is allowed up unless it’s bedtime. But Duke has earned himself a little pass, because when he’s up there, he’s in his absolute happy place, rolling around, being playful, and just letting loose. It’s hard to say no when a pup is that content.
One thing that hasn’t changed much is his eating habits. As I’ve mentioned in previous updates, I’ve been constantly worried that Duke isn’t eating enough because he turns down pretty much every treat and even the canned food his mom sent along. So this week, we decided to run a little experiment: does he have no appetite, or is he just super picky?
Spoiler alert: he is definitely the pickiest eater we’ve ever had. Last week, he said “no thanks” to regular white chicken. This week, we tried giving him some high-quality, pure chicken breast meat—and boom! He ate as much as we gave him. It was equal parts hilarious and a relief.
Overall, Duke is slowly growing out of his shell. He’s learning that he’s safe here, and he’s starting to move with a little more freedom and confidence. That said, I still want to make sure his family is comfortable with him being here during daycare—especially since we’ve had an influx of new dog guests lately. Duke isn’t used to being around so many other pups, and I don’t want his parents to feel uneasy. Their peace of mind matters just as much as Duke’s. After all, we aren’t doing this for the money; it’s more of a hobby and a passion project.
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