As many times as I've written about dogs you'd think I'm a real dog person. Not really. But in the summer I am here with animals a lot. For example, I don't take my dog to dog beach or to the dog park. He doesn't go on vacation with us and I don't expect other people to like him. He sleeps outside and there are parts of the house, like the kitchen where he is not allowed. He sheds unmercifully and I dislike dog hair in my food. My living room is also a dog-free zone so there is little dog hair there either. I'm not a big fan of other people's dogs either. It's kind of like kids. I like my own but not other people's.
If you remember, I tried out a rescue dog a few weeks ago that didn't work out. I wanted a small lap dog. Now I know it's not cool to want a lap dog, what The Boy calls "an almost dog", but in their defense I must say they don't destroy the house or yard, chew up your shoes, or take 2 years to become an adult dog. The yard is also a small clean up job.
You can see where this is leading. I got another dog. This time I went to a breeder. Before you scream, "Oh god, you should have rescued a shelter dog!", let me just say that the shelters here are filled with chihuahuas and pit bulls, neither of which appeals to me. Or other people either to judge the numbers of them in shelters.
The breeder had 2 week old puppies that looked suspiciously like little kidney beans curled up in their basket. I would have to wait an additional 8 weeks if I wanted one and I'm not too good at delayed gratification. I'd have to just pick out one out regardless of temperament. Frankly in my experience, kidney beans don't have that much personality. Racing around the house was a 6 month old that had just been returned to the breeder after less than a week at her first home. The owner claimed the dog was totally bonded to the husband and as she was a gift for the wife, this was unacceptable. Watching her at the breeder's house she was energetic, playful, and friendly. So, after much agonizing and bouncing between "Yes I should and no I shouldn't" ("If you want a dog, mom, get a dog. It's just a dog, not a kid!" advised the The Boy) I purchased the puppy.
Once home the puppy became as skittish as a feral cat. And she was so small and agile that catching her to put her outside required herding her into corner with no escape routes. It was a couple of days of hand feeding her wet dog food (yuck) before she would let me touch her. On the flip side, the little bitch bonded to hubby right away. I'd let her inside after he'd gone to work and she'd race around the house, up and down the stairs, looking for him. When satisfied that she'd explored every room and hadn't found him she deigned to let me touch her.
She also bonded with my other dog and now imitates whatever he does. He gets a drink, she pushes in beside him and has a few sips. he lays down and sleeps on the floor she lays right beside him and sleeps. I put him in the garage when the gardener arrived and she went nuts trying to get in the garage with him. So I locked her in there too. Can't say I'm not accommodating!
I'm sort of looking forward to the meeting of the Big Dog and the X-small dog in a kind of sick way. Should be funny, at least for me. The Big Dog will be here while The Boy goes on another short vacation. The XS dog isn't afraid of too much. I can tell because she's unfazed by the sound of the small shop vac we use to clean up "accidents".
Unfortunately, she's not a cuddler yet. She spent 6 months at the breeder's house and wasn't petted very often. But I'm not discouraged. Like every other dog I know she loves peanut butter so I'm sticking with food to win over the little bitch. Some for her, some for me, some for her, some for me. Gastronomic dog training at it's finest.
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