Annie and I have bonded so much, she just sits by my side when I am in the house. I feel bad about this but I realize that is where she wants to be for the time being. I want her to feel comfortable in this house, comfortable enough to explore and roam around. I think she is worried that I'm a chapter in her life, maybe I am reading too much "humanism" into her little doggy brain. Maybe it's just more she just needs more time to adjust or maybe this is how she is. Either way, I'm ok with it.
Tiger, Annie's 11 year old Beagle sister (that's Tiger's picture above left)continues to try to dominate the house as the alpha dog. An example is training, I can't practice Annie's training without Tiger trying to be the center of attention. Also, all three dogs have a plentiful supply of rawhide chews, toys and the like. I noticed Annie growling at Tiger, well for good reason. Tiger was trying to abscond with Annie's rawhide chew. I looked over where Tiger had been laying, she had a bunch of them stacked up. I think she thought it was a fire sale! Probably just jealous or trying to save up for a rainy day.
Long story short, I got home.. let the dogs out, they had a great time exploring the melting piles of snow and then fixed their dinner. I take Ginger, the almost 15 year old Jack Russell, fighting leukemia but doing well, into another room so she can eat her dinner in peace. I come out and all the sudden Tiger and Annie break out into a full blown fight. I have no idea what it was about, I know they were looking forward to getting fed as well. So, I blurted out the loudest "BAH" I could muster and they didn't stop, I did it again and added the hand clap this time, they still didn't stop. Finally, Annie submitted but Tiger wouldn't let up, I had to use my legs to block Annie from her. To say the least, dinner wasn't had for a while. Ginger had a great meal but Tiger and Annie watched from the "puppy playpen" where I had put them both together to realize I was the pack leader. Annie got to eat and Tiger had to watch, further sign of her pecking order on the pack list.
The sad part about my Tiger is that I have always protected that strong independent spirit of hers. She's a great dog who has been spoiled for many years. Her AKC registered name is "Will's Flying Tigress" because when she was a puppy, she literally flew around this house and had the longest little puppy fangs I have ever seen on a Beagle. She's going through her own adjustment issues with Annie her, not to mention she has some hip issues and the vet thinks she might have Cushings Disease. Poor dog.
It will all work out in time. I look at how far they have all come in the almost two months that Annie has been with us and wow.. we've all come through with some scars and bruising but we're better off for it. My Dad said that Annie has brought new life into this house, he's right. The other day, she cracked me up by coming in from outside and taking off through the house again at eighty miles an hour. Cracks me up every time she does it, I equate it to, she's a happy dog! I hope so.
Tonight, I finally followed through on something that has bothered me. I know how important it is to brush a dogs teeth but I have never been good at it. With all of my previous dogs, I gave it a shot and finally gave up. With Annie, I am determined to make sure she gets her teeth brushed at least a couple of times a week, I would really like to do it once a day after she's had her dinner but, it's a goal.. not sure I'll hold to it.
So, she got her teeth brushed tonight. She hated the toothbrush but she tolerated the finger brush. Emphasis on tolerated, I know it was a first attempt and more of an exercise in familiarizing her with the process but.. we did it. So on Thursday, February 18th, 2010, mark it down on your calendar's people, Annie got her teeth brushed. Let's hope we stay up on it. She seems kind of depressed tonight but I think that has more to do with the fight with Tiger than the tooth brushing episode. Time to close and hit the hay. It's almost been two months, hard to believe but worth every minute and gray hair! This little dog has a great home, two months ago she barely had any human contact. I keep hoping that she doesn't remember those hard times.
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