posted Saturday, 11 September 2004
Now for the next 15 years.. I am going to have to listen to Debi brag that she found Anna.
Ben, Debi and I met at the shelter when Debi got off work, coming in at the same time as a gal from Labrador Rescue who was going to take her to a foster home. I felt a little guilty adopting a dog who had a rescue organization ready to help her when there are so many dogs who don't, but both the rescue lady and the shelter volunteer saw that look on my face and hastily assured me that they were glad we were taking her.
Ruth was unable to bring Esther to the shelter to meet Anna yesterday, but she felt comfortable with what little we already knew of her and with us deciding when we met her. Ruth and Esther came by briefly yesterday evening before going over to the church for David's party. It didn't go as well as we would have liked. Esther was walking around the coffee table (she still likes to hold on to things) and showed Anna the remote control. Anna was nervous about that and gave a small growl I clamped my hands around Anna's mouth and spoke to her. Ruth took the remote control. Esther then followed the remote control, preferring it to the dog. That happened twice. Then Anna started hiding from Esther behind my chair. Better than growling, but not really good. We are putting it down to first day jitters. We all think we can work this through, but, of course, if there is any indication that Anna cannot learn to accept Esther, she will have to go.
Other than that, she is great. A hit with everyone. Miriam less enthusiastically than the rest. The moment Miriam walked in the door, Anna slobbered on her. Miriam does not appreciate these things. Anna is a bit of drooly girl at times. She drips all over when she drinks, and when hot or excited she gets slobbery. (But I think even Miriam likes her.)
Anna is energetic, but a with a few minutes of play she calms down. She is responsive to voice control, wants to please, and learns quickly. She is interested in the cats, but does not chase them. They are watchful and not thrilled, but not panicked. Except for crawling completely on to Ben's lap, she rode well in the car. She does like to chew, but seems to like sticks alot. Glen and I have taken things from her mouth, and I pulled her head out of her food and put medicine in her mouth without her showing any signs of vice. We are really happy with her.
I left David's party a little early because I was tired and I wanted to deal with whatever destruction had been wrought while I left Anna tied in the living room. NO destruction. No doggie "gifts". Nothing chewed to pieces. Of course when we came home, she was so happy she wagged her tail and knocked a glass of lemonade someone had left on the coffee table. When she settled down she started contentedly chewing on my rocking chair! I spoke to her and we went out and brought in a stick she had been playing with outside earlier. This morning there was a bit of stuff she had coughed up with her kennel cough and grass eating. That's all.
I wanted my own dog. She has whined a bit when Ben left the room. She barked and whined when we left her to go to David's party. But last night with three other people still in the living room where I had tied her down for the night, she whined and cried when I went to bed. After laughing at me, the girls went to bed. Ben was still out there, thinking of sleeping on the love seat. She still cried. I don't know how long she would have kept it up, because after a few minutes, Ben came in and said, "Your dog misses you." and went to his own bed. A couple of minutes later, I went out and slept on the love seat. (The couch was reserved for David.) She quieted right down.
We went for a short walk this morning. Walked over to Ruth's and back, then around our block, then around the block across the street. I don't expect her to go off on her own, but I want her to start to get a feel for our area. Then I was not only tired, I was out of doggie bags. I discovered one of Anna's "special talents." She can poop while I am walking about as fast as i can. She hardly hesitates. I noticed the very slightest hesitation and thought she was sight-seeing, so I kept walking. A moment later, the smell. I look back and for the length of a property there is a "dotted line" plop, plop plop. I went back and bagged it, of course, but I very easily could have not even known about it! Am I going to need doggie diapers for walks? It is hard to get pictures of her, if she is holding still, she is usually too close to me to shoot.
Sariah posted a beautiful Patriot's Day tribute, to which I can only add a sincere "Amen!"
Ben, Debi and I met at the shelter when Debi got off work, coming in at the same time as a gal from Labrador Rescue who was going to take her to a foster home. I felt a little guilty adopting a dog who had a rescue organization ready to help her when there are so many dogs who don't, but both the rescue lady and the shelter volunteer saw that look on my face and hastily assured me that they were glad we were taking her.
Ruth was unable to bring Esther to the shelter to meet Anna yesterday, but she felt comfortable with what little we already knew of her and with us deciding when we met her. Ruth and Esther came by briefly yesterday evening before going over to the church for David's party. It didn't go as well as we would have liked. Esther was walking around the coffee table (she still likes to hold on to things) and showed Anna the remote control. Anna was nervous about that and gave a small growl I clamped my hands around Anna's mouth and spoke to her. Ruth took the remote control. Esther then followed the remote control, preferring it to the dog. That happened twice. Then Anna started hiding from Esther behind my chair. Better than growling, but not really good. We are putting it down to first day jitters. We all think we can work this through, but, of course, if there is any indication that Anna cannot learn to accept Esther, she will have to go.
Other than that, she is great. A hit with everyone. Miriam less enthusiastically than the rest. The moment Miriam walked in the door, Anna slobbered on her. Miriam does not appreciate these things. Anna is a bit of drooly girl at times. She drips all over when she drinks, and when hot or excited she gets slobbery. (But I think even Miriam likes her.)
Anna is energetic, but a with a few minutes of play she calms down. She is responsive to voice control, wants to please, and learns quickly. She is interested in the cats, but does not chase them. They are watchful and not thrilled, but not panicked. Except for crawling completely on to Ben's lap, she rode well in the car. She does like to chew, but seems to like sticks alot. Glen and I have taken things from her mouth, and I pulled her head out of her food and put medicine in her mouth without her showing any signs of vice. We are really happy with her.
I left David's party a little early because I was tired and I wanted to deal with whatever destruction had been wrought while I left Anna tied in the living room. NO destruction. No doggie "gifts". Nothing chewed to pieces. Of course when we came home, she was so happy she wagged her tail and knocked a glass of lemonade someone had left on the coffee table. When she settled down she started contentedly chewing on my rocking chair! I spoke to her and we went out and brought in a stick she had been playing with outside earlier. This morning there was a bit of stuff she had coughed up with her kennel cough and grass eating. That's all.
I wanted my own dog. She has whined a bit when Ben left the room. She barked and whined when we left her to go to David's party. But last night with three other people still in the living room where I had tied her down for the night, she whined and cried when I went to bed. After laughing at me, the girls went to bed. Ben was still out there, thinking of sleeping on the love seat. She still cried. I don't know how long she would have kept it up, because after a few minutes, Ben came in and said, "Your dog misses you." and went to his own bed. A couple of minutes later, I went out and slept on the love seat. (The couch was reserved for David.) She quieted right down.
We went for a short walk this morning. Walked over to Ruth's and back, then around our block, then around the block across the street. I don't expect her to go off on her own, but I want her to start to get a feel for our area. Then I was not only tired, I was out of doggie bags. I discovered one of Anna's "special talents." She can poop while I am walking about as fast as i can. She hardly hesitates. I noticed the very slightest hesitation and thought she was sight-seeing, so I kept walking. A moment later, the smell. I look back and for the length of a property there is a "dotted line" plop, plop plop. I went back and bagged it, of course, but I very easily could have not even known about it! Am I going to need doggie diapers for walks? It is hard to get pictures of her, if she is holding still, she is usually too close to me to shoot.
Sariah posted a beautiful Patriot's Day tribute, to which I can only add a sincere "Amen!"
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