Mama Dog seems to be feeling much better, and also seems to be getting used to wearing the cone. She rams into our legs with it and runs into things but now instead of thinking she's stuck she maneuvers around whatever is in her way. She's even figured out how to get a drink from her bowl; the water splashes all inside the cone and she spends the next five minutes licking up the droplets. We've had to leave her at home a few times so we put her in the large crate to give her a little more room; somehow she more anxious about being left in the big crate than the little crate.
For the past few weeks I've worked at acclimating her to being gated in the kitchen and laundry room while we were home, in hopes that we could eventually leave her in there when we were away. One evening last week we tried leaving her in there for about 30 minutes while we were gone. The next day we left her for a little longer, and even longer the following day. She seemed fine -- anxious about us leaving which is her normal, but otherwise okay. The only thing was that she could jump over the gate, so we put two dining room table chairs backed up against it on the other side, making it just tall enough that she couldn't clear it. On Sunday morning we gated her in the kitchen and went to church. As we left I thought to myself, "This is so great! We can just leave her in the kitchen, she's not stuck in the crate for hours, and can stretch her legs and get a drink when she wants, and she's not destructive so I know she won't get into anything." I was SO happy to have reached that point.
Yeah. Well. When we got home she wasn't in the kitchen anymore, and this is what one chair looked like ...
... and this is what the other chair looked like:
I had a hard time wrapping my mind around just how she did all of that damage. She couldn't reach the top rung even when standing up on her hind legs, so the only thing I can come up with is that she jumped and bit at it repeatedly. I was so mad and discouraged. I mean, it's just a cheap chair from Ikea and chairs are replaceable. But now I don't trust her loose at all when we aren't here. We have more gates and can easily stack them high enough in the kitchen doorway to keep her in there, but what else might she destroy in her attempt to escape? Cabinets, door trim, the flooring? Ugh. So, now we're back to crating her when we leave, which makes her miserable and makes me feel guilty for being away from home for more than a few hours at a time. What are we going to do with her when we want (or need) to be gone all day? Even a "quick" trip to the zoo entails being gone for 5 or 6 hours. Dog ownership is turning out to be much more time-consuming and complicated than I ever anticipated. I am really thankful that we did not get a puppy!
On a happier note, Peabody continues to entertain on a daily basis. Her newest phrase is "ha bite ... _____?" by which, of course, she means "how about _____?" When I ask if she wants a snack she replies, "Yah. Ha bite ... c'ackew?" (cracker) When we turn on the tv she says, "Ha bite ... Bobby?" (Barney)
She tells me several times a day that she needs to go potty. Sometimes she produces something, sometimes she doesn't. Always she asks for an "en em" (M&M.)
A couple of days after the tummy bug episode last week she broke out in hives. She hadn't had an episode in months; honestly I can't remember when the last time was but I know it was before the holidays. Since it had been so long I guess she was due for a bad outbreak. Poor thing -- she was covered in HUGE welts all over her body, and for the first time they seemed to bother her as she was scratching some and saying "Honey, itchy!" But overall she was in pretty good spirits, took her Benadryl without any fuss, and recovered in a few days.
Such a funny kid!
2 comments:
I am so confused. I thought you took the dog back to the pound. Is this another doggie?
I wouldn't feel bad about leaving her in the crate. She will survive and there are many, many dogs that get crated when their owners are away, and they SURVIVE.
A dog doesn't understand house ownership, so it is best to crate her so you will have a house to come home to and peace of mind! She will come to love her crate, just give her time and don't fall for the "I can't believe you are putting me in here and leaving me" look. Dogs pull that all the time. :)
Yes, this is dog #2. We've had her for about a month. I know she is fine in the crate ... she associates it with us leaving and that's what she hates. I guess I should try crating her while we're home.
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