wojelah

Thanks for the good luck wishes about Kaylee. She's a wonderful dog in many, many ways - all the things the vet said are completely true. She and Molly got along really well, she's great on-least, she's friendly and smart and gentle - she even made a LOT of progress on the housebreaking front.

Unfortunately, she's also really, really high anxiety when it comes to being left alone, even with another dog in the house. Crating/not crating doesn't make a difference. That's both the one issue we -couldn't- foresee, because the vet's office -always- has people around, and the one issue that I cannot work around, because I -have- to leave the house to go to work, and when my job changes in the fall, it's going to be unpredictable. If I thought it was something that would work itself out over time, I'd say go for it, but every time I leave the house - even just to take out the trash - she gets more and more desperate.

The good news is, she has a LOT to recommend her, and she's going back to the vet's, where I know they'll take good care of her. The other good news is, I guess, that I've learned something about what is/isn't compatible for me in a dog. I'm just sorry it isn't going to work, because she is in every other way a wonderful girl.

It's been a hard decision, if kind of trivial in light of the rest of the world this week. Thank you to everybody who listened to me working this all out in my head. I figure I'll give life time to settle out, and re-evaluate in a few months.

I slept in this AM and hit the farmer's market at 9 instead of 8, which was fine, because they had fewer people because the weather here feels like God barfed.

Went home and put stuff away and neutralized the house for the meeting of the canines (which means things like picking up the toys and the food and so on), and then headed to the vet's. The ENTIRE staff on duty today came out to see us leave, which was hysterical. LB - who, I think, is going to end up as Kaylee  - is a little uncertain about getting into the car, which makes sense given she hasn't done it very much. Went over with her to PetSmart and picked up a huge thing of food and another dog crate, plus some new toys, so $185 later (OH MY GOD. I forgot about that part of getting Molly. *DIES*), we went home. In the pouring rain. Took the stuff inside, put Molly in her crate, brought LB/Kaylee in, and it's been an almost unqualified success.

She's been here about three-and-a-half. First forty-five minutes, they romped around the house like mad. Since then, they've shared a water bowl, no problem, had treats together, no problem, watched me eat lunch, no problem, eaten lunch in the same room - no agression problem, although everyone wanted to know what was in everyone else's bowl. Went outside together, no problems - although boy, am I glad Molly and I did obedience class first, because she listens SO much better, and it makes finagling a new dog much easier when I'm not also fighting with her.

LB/Kaylee's got a basic handle on sit, and is -not- inclined to pull on the leash; in fact she sort of naturally heels, so yay that! Both girls seem to be giving me the alpha without an issue so far, so that's also good - but everyone will be sitting before they do ANYTHING for awhile, just to make sure.

I'm sure the next week will be interesting nonetheless. The major challenge is going to be pooping in the house (which has happened despite multiple trips outside) (at least it's not peeing, thank god, and I have hardwoods), but if that's the worst of it? This is going to work out fine. Everybody's pretty tired out and napping on the floor right now (except me, although it's pretty tempting) - so far, so good!

Meet Samantha Jane, who owns raisintorte! What a gorgeous girl.

She and Molly are planning to create a "Grown-Up Puppy of the Day" alumni club. :)

... what with famous adoptions and all. (And ok, there's a phrase I'll never utter again.)

There has always been a plan for dog #2, but the rule was that Molly and I had to go through obedience classes first. Tomorrow night is the last night of those.

When I took Molly in to the vet last time, I mentioned this, and she told me about a stray dog she was rescuing from out in Prairieville, where she and her husband are restoring a house, and said "call, when you're about done, and I'll have more to tell you about her." Today I called, and tomorrow we have a play date to see if she and Molly get along! If it all works out, then she'll come home with me for a trial run.


So tomorrow we'll see!

I love that when I finish uploading pictures to snapfish, it tells me the album is owned, because it makes me think: BOO-YAH - I owned that damn thing, yes I did.

And, just because I can: here's what I did today.