Well I have finally made a very set decision about Kirby's future. I think it is going to be best to re-home him. He has settled in ok to the new house but now that I have been here for a month all of his old behaviors (and more) have come back. He is now digging holes in the yard and tearing up my vegetable plants and finding anything he can shred. He is doing this all at night so now I am faced with the decision of do I crate him at night as well as ALL day? To me that just seems cruel. I know a lot of this behavior has a lot to do with the fact that I can't get him out as much as he needs. He is being crated for 8+ hours a day and only getting out for about 1/2 hour to 45 min in the morning and about 20 minutes at night. He needs HOURS of exercise and with my work schedule and the weather I just can't provide it. Him and Franklin aren't playing at all, and Franklin has now started to avoid him as much as possible. When I first moved they would play every morning and have a great time, but now Franklin will jump up on my bed and avoid Kirby in the mornings. He's made it pretty clear how he feels about Kirby in the last few weeks. I have been struggling with my decision to re-home him and feeling awful about doing it but yesterday I heard some excellet advice from one of the vets I work for. I was in a behavior consult with him and a client who also had a rescue that was not fitting in the home. He told the client "Pet's are suppossed to relieve stress not create it". That one sentance sealed every thought I had been having about Kirby and made me feel so much better about my decision. It is SO true, we have animals to relieve stress in our lives, to make us happy, to bond with and love. Kirby is such a constant source of stress and frustration for me (and Franklin) and this is the exact opposite of why I got him. I am keeping him now because I feel some kind of obligation to see this thing through, but really maybe my part in his life is done. He came to me a basket case, a horrible dog, no manners, no training, and completely out of control. I couldnt' confine him to a pen, crate, room without him breaking out or hurting himself. Now he is much more reliable in his training, seems a little more well rounded and confident, and is totally relaxed and happy in his crate. I feel at this stage he can be re-homed easily and without guilt. In the beginning I kept him because I was afraid of what would happen to him if I re-homed him, but now I feel like he could make somebody a great pet because he is happy, playful, and affectionate. Most of his bad behaviors now I think are MY fault, and I think in a home that can put more time into exercise and training he would be such an excellent little dog, especially if he had a buddy that was equally exuberant. I guess we will see what happens, but now I am feeling a little better about my decision at least. 

UPDATE: Augh! I swear this dog can read!!! EVERY time I make the decision to re-home him its something!! I'm pretty sure he broke his foot today :-( I gave him some pain meds and will take him in tomorrow to see what is going on for sure. Either way he is injured and any chance at re-homing him will have to wait until he is healed. Maybe he is just faking it so I'll keep him longer. In the past he has jumped out of an 8 foot tree, fallen off of embankments, tables, beds, etc, and yet today he manages to possibly break his foot greeting one of my friends....REALLY!?!?!? He is completely non-weight bearing on his right front leg and screamed bloody murder when my friend (who is also a tech) tried to manipulate it to see where it was injured. Its been about 4 hours since the incident and about 3 since I gave him a big dose of Tramadol, and he still won't put weight on it. He of course is too stupid to quit playing though and will try to put weight on it and jump around and run but then immediately pick it up and hobble. Pet benefits where I work now aren't nearly as good as they were where I worked when Franklin broke his foot the first time so I'm hoping for a sprain lol. I don't think I can afford x-rays and splints and bandage changes right now!! Cross your fingers for us!