Saturday, September 24, 2011

This One's For You Maggie!

 I still feel bad about how badly Addie treated little Maggie, the Boston Terrier we visited for ten days.  Addie wouldn't let her near her food bowl, water bowl or any toys without growling, snapping and living up to her gender.  It had me very worried about her being able to get along with other dogs.  Unfortunately, I just didn't know how to handle it at the time.  Too late I learned about a very effective way to discourage her from doing anything I don't like with a simple water bottle with a squirt top.  Sure wish I'd known!  I bet Maggie does too.

So it was with great trepidation and worry (before I learned about the squirt bottle) that I took her to the local dogpark. Even though she gets along great with our dogs,  I just wasn't sure she would get along with other dogs she didn't know. The first time we went there were probably about 8 dogs and they were all very excited to see the newcomer.  At first Addie was pretty scared. She squeezed up next to the fence and tried to get away.  But gradually she got braver and started sniffing around.  Braver and braver she got until she was playing with them and having a great time.

At home, she badgers Gus, herds him and hangs on his tail.  He's very good about all this.  I just wish he'd let her have it, but he just puts up with it.  It's not unusual to see Addie with Gus hair hanging out of her mouth.  At the dogpark, as soon as she was comfortable, sure enough she picked a dog to herd.  A tiny dog.  The owner thought it was funny, but I don't like her to do it so I was going to interfere when here comes another small dog herding Addie!  She didn't quite know what to make of that, but she didn't like it.  There was some confusion in her expression and she backed off tiny dog and the small dog backed off of her.  This went on for several times, and Addie found something else to do.  Great!

I bought a kiddie pool for Addie when it was hot several weeks ago, and although she loves playing in the hose, the pool didnt' interest her.  I showed her how to get in, she didn't get it.  But at the dogpark, a black German Shepherd ran down to the kiddie pool at the far end that's exactly like ours and jumped in and lay in it.  Addie watched.  Addie got in.  Addie laid down.  Addie loved it!!!  Now every time we go and she gets tired or hot, she goes for the pool.  Excitedly I filled our pool at home again, but Addie isn't the least bit interested and the pool just sits there unused. 

So going to the dogpark has been a very fun thing and we try to go every day now.  She gets along with other dogs, plays with other dogs, drinks with other dogs, gets treats with other dogs, plays fetch with other dogs, hangs out in the pool, and every once in awhile she herds another dog.  I have never even had to use the water bottle fortunately, but I promise Maggie, if we come visit again, I will be ready and armed.  We'll have zero tolerance for bullying!!!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Housebreak Heaven

Oh yes!  We are finally housebroken! Addie is using the dog door every time now and that has made things SO much easier.  She can be in the house with us and the other dogs most of the time now, and the only thing I have to worry about now is:
Our shoes
Our clothes
Oliver's toys
My plants
Toilet paper
Books
Baskets
Furniture legs
Pillows
The rugs
Knick nacks
And anything else she can reach or get her little mouth on!

But she's going to be a really good dog!  She's learning new things everyday and she really is such a joy to us. We are so very, very lucky to have her!



Thursday, September 15, 2011

Addie on the Road

While my nicknames for Addie are "Angel," "Sweetypie," "Cutie," "Addie May," etc., others have nicknamed her "Jaws", "Shark Bite" and "No No Bad Dog." (Given with affection of course... I hope!)  I admit that their nicknames may be closer to the truth most of the time, but in the car, Addie is a dream dog.

On our recent trip we drove 13 hours to get to our destination in Washington State.  Addie was amazing.  We made regular stops to take her to go potty, which she did, and walk her around a little. 

We had the back of our Passat wagon folded down and she slept most of the way.  Since she is usually such a wild thing, I figured we got lucky.

After arriving at our destination, of course, she made up for lost time and was crazy wild!  Our friends have a sweet little Boston Terrier named Maggie, and Addie made her life miserable for ten days.  I was afraid I'd made a terrible mistake imposing her on our dear friends, and poor little Maggie.  She was a handful, and a pain, and exasperating, but Addie had a great time and loved everything and everybody. (Even Maggie, as long as she didn't get near her food, water or toys.)

On the way home we took several days to drive down the Oregon coast.  I was apprehensive about Addie being good in the car because I thought maybe that her behavior on the way up might have been a fluke.  But she was absolutely wonderful for all three days!  Sometimes she would sit perched between us, watching where we were going.  But most of the time she just slept in the back... I was very impressed.  Little Addie May was such an Angel!  And turning out to be so great!  We so enjoyed her company.

When we got home, she went wild again. She ran around at full throttle for hours in the backyard and just couldn't settle down.  Its been days now, and she still hasn't settled down!  I told Woody we were going to have to go back on the road!