(no subject)
So, one of the reasons I have not spent a whole lot of time updating my livejournal lately is that I have tentatively adopted another dog, who is somewhat more work than I had expected.
You have to understand that my dog, Andy, is perfect.* He and I have been together for years, we suit each other to a T, he's my perfect dog and I'm his perfect girl.** We both know the rules of the house and abide by them.
* For those of you who don't actually read my livejournal or know me in person.
** Mostly; he wishes I wouldn't engage in activities outside the house that he can't tag along at, and I wish he wouldn't bark at the neighbors.
I expected a new dog to throw a wrench into the works of our perfectly ordered household. I'm not totally disconnected. But I didn't really expect this much trouble. And really, it's a sign of how totally spoiled I am that I'm whining about this; Phoebe's really pretty well-behaved, by and large. She just doesn't know how we roll.
Phoebe came from the pound. Not just the SPCA- Animal Control. She'd been there since September, largely because she's geriatric(she's seven or eightish, according to the pound) and she's heartworm positive. She was a backyard dog for most of her life; her owners surrendered her when they moved to a place they couldn't have dogs. She's not spayed, she had mange on her ears and is growing back fur there(or, rather, we HOPE she will grow back her ear fur.) I'm treating her for a bladder infection and I'm softening all of her food with hot water because her teeth and gums are in bad shape- which I didn't realize until I handed her a bone and she took it, then dropped it, and I noticed the blood on the end. She couldn't eat dry dog food for the pain. But you know how dogs are- they're often not very communicative about pain. Anyway, she'll be treated for her heartworms(for free!) as soon as the pound makes the appointment, and once that ordeal is over(a month of calm is recommended; no ordering pizza for THIS house for a while!) she'll be spayed and her extra dewclaws will be removed, since they get caught on things and are totally useless. Guess we'll see what the vet says about her mouth when we get there.
Personality wise she's very sweet, but a little clingy for my taste- Andy and I established our space bubbles years ago, and while he's always THERE, he is also usually out of my hair. Best example is when I'm in the kitchen, cooking, he's in the doorway, being one with the rug and keeping an eye on me. Whereas Phoebe is generally sitting right beside me, head on my lap for petting, or getting between me and the cabinets I want to get into. I don't think it helped with the clinginess that we had technical difficulties with the invisible fence collar, which shocked her continuously for a good 30 seconds. Now she's afraid of the yard. It's hard for me to figure out what really motivates her... of course, she's sick and stressed out and not feeling at her best, but it bums me out to see her tail between her legs all the time. Plus she's not totally housebroken, which is a dealbreaker for me. However, we haven't had any accidents in two days(big deal!), so we're taking baby steps forward in living together. Tonight she'll sleep with the gang instead of in the utility room.
Another factor in this whole situation is that I had really wanted another dog to keep Andy company. He gets so bored! But she's not very dog-oriented, she's far more people-oriented... and he is a jealous lover. Yesterday I was petting her in the yard and praising her for leaving the front steps... and he tackled her. Like a battering ram, he ran right into her and knocked her on her back. Neither is aggressive or anything, but the dog-dog situation is far from ideal.
So, I dunno if we'll keep her forever ever, but I'll certainly foster her till she's over the heartworm treatment, bladder infection and spaying. Then we shall see how she fits in. I kinda dig what a great running partner she could be... so focused on moving forward! But I worry that she's too old, she certainly seems really stiff when she wakes up in the morning.
Anyway, enough with the yammering. On to pictures! She's a husky-shepherd mix(something something... definitely husky), and she's got the cutest face and softest fur.
I came upstairs to give Phoebe her pill and there she was, curled up in the bowl chair. Methos is not amused.
OMG, so cute.
Peekaboo!
You have to understand that my dog, Andy, is perfect.* He and I have been together for years, we suit each other to a T, he's my perfect dog and I'm his perfect girl.** We both know the rules of the house and abide by them.
* For those of you who don't actually read my livejournal or know me in person.
** Mostly; he wishes I wouldn't engage in activities outside the house that he can't tag along at, and I wish he wouldn't bark at the neighbors.
I expected a new dog to throw a wrench into the works of our perfectly ordered household. I'm not totally disconnected. But I didn't really expect this much trouble. And really, it's a sign of how totally spoiled I am that I'm whining about this; Phoebe's really pretty well-behaved, by and large. She just doesn't know how we roll.
Phoebe came from the pound. Not just the SPCA- Animal Control. She'd been there since September, largely because she's geriatric(she's seven or eightish, according to the pound) and she's heartworm positive. She was a backyard dog for most of her life; her owners surrendered her when they moved to a place they couldn't have dogs. She's not spayed, she had mange on her ears and is growing back fur there(or, rather, we HOPE she will grow back her ear fur.) I'm treating her for a bladder infection and I'm softening all of her food with hot water because her teeth and gums are in bad shape- which I didn't realize until I handed her a bone and she took it, then dropped it, and I noticed the blood on the end. She couldn't eat dry dog food for the pain. But you know how dogs are- they're often not very communicative about pain. Anyway, she'll be treated for her heartworms(for free!) as soon as the pound makes the appointment, and once that ordeal is over(a month of calm is recommended; no ordering pizza for THIS house for a while!) she'll be spayed and her extra dewclaws will be removed, since they get caught on things and are totally useless. Guess we'll see what the vet says about her mouth when we get there.
Personality wise she's very sweet, but a little clingy for my taste- Andy and I established our space bubbles years ago, and while he's always THERE, he is also usually out of my hair. Best example is when I'm in the kitchen, cooking, he's in the doorway, being one with the rug and keeping an eye on me. Whereas Phoebe is generally sitting right beside me, head on my lap for petting, or getting between me and the cabinets I want to get into. I don't think it helped with the clinginess that we had technical difficulties with the invisible fence collar, which shocked her continuously for a good 30 seconds. Now she's afraid of the yard. It's hard for me to figure out what really motivates her... of course, she's sick and stressed out and not feeling at her best, but it bums me out to see her tail between her legs all the time. Plus she's not totally housebroken, which is a dealbreaker for me. However, we haven't had any accidents in two days(big deal!), so we're taking baby steps forward in living together. Tonight she'll sleep with the gang instead of in the utility room.
Another factor in this whole situation is that I had really wanted another dog to keep Andy company. He gets so bored! But she's not very dog-oriented, she's far more people-oriented... and he is a jealous lover. Yesterday I was petting her in the yard and praising her for leaving the front steps... and he tackled her. Like a battering ram, he ran right into her and knocked her on her back. Neither is aggressive or anything, but the dog-dog situation is far from ideal.
So, I dunno if we'll keep her forever ever, but I'll certainly foster her till she's over the heartworm treatment, bladder infection and spaying. Then we shall see how she fits in. I kinda dig what a great running partner she could be... so focused on moving forward! But I worry that she's too old, she certainly seems really stiff when she wakes up in the morning.
Anyway, enough with the yammering. On to pictures! She's a husky-shepherd mix(something something... definitely husky), and she's got the cutest face and softest fur.
I came upstairs to give Phoebe her pill and there she was, curled up in the bowl chair. Methos is not amused.
OMG, so cute.
Peekaboo!