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There's no question that Luke simply wasn't suited for our household, just as we probably weren't the best choice for him. However, rescue dogs don't have a whole lot of options and a return to the pound can be a death sentence. Knowing that, we perservered. Fortunately, as time passed, we began to make sense of Luke's behavior and he began to make sense of our expectations.

Food and walks -- We were used to old or sedentary adult dogs, but Luke was still a puppy with a very high energy level. We finally realized that much of his evening frenetic activity was induced by sheer hunger. We now feed him a large supper, apart from the other dogs, in addition to the morning meal. Of course, Luke's high metabolism also means he processes food and water faster than the other dogs. Chances are that within fifteen minutes of a large meal Luke needs to go outside -- a need that he signals by getting manic. Better timing for walks has dramatically reduced his "accidents" and has also reduced the intensity of his frenzies.

Time out -- Just like a cranky child, Luke tends to get very hyper when he's tired. So we've learned to call time-outs by putting him on the backporch or even in his crate. Inevitably, after a few minutes of containment, he crashes into a sound sleep.

A kennel -- Luke needs room to romp. Unfortunately, we can't fence in our yard (we're renting), but we bought the largest and best kennel that we could afford. The 10'x10' space allows him to get fresh air and keeps him occupied with his surroundings. He and Bonnie go in the kennel for a few hours in the morning and then for another few hours in the early evening. If nothing else, that allows the rest of us -- elderly Scotties included -- to catch our breath. It's not the ideal solution, but until we move it's better than confinement to the house.

Long leash and harness -- A 26-foot flexi-leash allows Luke considerable freedom during walks, but the spring tension keeps him under constant control. And since he slipped his collar too easily and too often, we switched to a harness that won't come off. Another bonus is that when he spots a deer or rabbit and dashes to the end of the leash, the jolt is spread across his chest rather than on his neck.

Toys -- Lots and lots of toys. Again, we weren't used to a dog with a constant need for entertainment, but now we search for new ways to amuse Luke. We have a stock of at least a half-dozen of the dense rubber balls which he adores and carries around all the time. A rubber bone and a booda-bone are also favorites that distract him from carrying away too many socks or eating the furniture. By the way, paper plates make great indoor frisbies!

Attention -- Lots and lots of attention. Luke demands a level of interaction well above that of the other dogs in the household. We've been forced to play with him more often than we would like, take him for more walks than we would like, and get up a hell of a lot earlier in the morning than we would like. But, on the other hand, he gets less of all the above than HE would like. Fortunately, we've reached a compromise that both sides can tolerate.

Routine -- Formal obedience lessons helped some (although not as much as we hoped), but even more important was a set schedule of activities throughout the day. When we left town for a week, boarding the dogs while we traveled, Luke came back home with some of his old bad habits. Once he slipped back into the daily routine that Kate sets, he improved again.

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