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I'm going to buy me a dog/ 'Cause I need a friend now
Virtual Benjamins to anyone who knows where the subject line comes from. I am behind on everything in the world, including responding to comments on the Justified vid (thank you, in advance, for the lovely comments).
Why? Because I have me a dog... not quite in the way I was hoping, and not one that will be here forever, but there is a dog in the house and has been for more than a week, and I have basically gotten almost nothing done in the time being. It's probably a good thing both my books that I was supposed to edit this month have been pushed back, although financially not so much.
The rescue group I had contacted about a dog told me the fosters had decided to keep her, but they contacted me right after that about a corgi that needed a home without a lot of stairs. I said I'd meet her, but I didn't realize that they would bring her by and I was going to be fostering her. Surprise! It was a "foster to adopt" scenario, but I could tell right away that we were not right for each other. She is the sweetest dog in the world, a corgi/beagle mix, but she's supposed to be on crate rest for a back injury (she doesn't seem to feel anything so much as her legs go out and she has trouble walking), and this causes her lots of frustration, and she acts out in a lot of ways. We've had massive lunging, barking, and baying issues. And her excitement level at going for little walks (which I'm not supposed to give her, but it's too cruel not to) is sky-high, so she's oblivious to commands, and it never really gets down to a manageable level. I'm doing everything I can, but it's not always easy.
She is okay with the cats in the house, but when she sees them outside she chases, which means she crashes through plants and jumps around, something she shouldn't do. The first few days, I had to lift her downstairs, and it hurt my back so badly (she weighs about 30 pounds) that I never have really recovered, and the foster folks built a little ramp, but... it's hard to get her to keep using it. When I have her on leash, I can, but when she's too excited, she runs down the stairs, often falling. Arg. I've taken her down to my dad's retirement center, and she was apeshit beforehand and I couldn't get her walked out of that. Fortunately when we left she had calmed, but it was hard going. The last thing I wanted was for her to knock someone off their walker or something. But man, did she respond to my dad's commands. I got the feeling that she must have gone for walks or runs with the man in her family.
Sadie (her name) is about 4, and the beagle in her is very prominent, more so I think than the corgi. The other day a woman came by and told me she was looking for an escaped "big beagle," which Sadie found on our walk, and so with a lot of trouble, I managed to get her home and inside before taking TJ back to his house, and I heard the most godawful racket from my house. I turned back and saw her standing on the back of the couch baying out the window; when I got back, she was on the freaking dining table in the kitchen barking at me out the window. So much for no exercise.
But she's got so much love to give. She wants loves 24/7, and she is much more energetic than I am, so I could tell we weren't a good fit, since I often have to concentrate on the computer for a lot of time and can't give her the attention she wants. She was cooped up in a vet's office for a week, so I know she's got a lot of neediness from that, and she's been through so much. Today my neighbor introduced her 5-year-old niece to us, and Sadie was a complete angel to her, so I think what Sadie really needs is a family who can give her lots of loves and action. But of course, be mindful of her back.
It's been an interesting experience, even if it's one I didn't necessarily want. I wasn't prepared to be a foster mom, to take in a special needs doggie right away, and I think the back injury and the enormous time sink it's been (I really am so far behind on very important stuff) has caused my stress level to rocket up, which she can no doubt sense. I think I've learned what I want in a dog and what kind of dog I would be a good mom for. Olive, oddly, is totally blase about the whole thing -- she's not happy, but only gets spooked when the dog is really hyper or comes at her -- and then half the time she just hits her and snarls. Blues, OTOH, panics at every movement, and runs, which makes Sadie chase him. It's gotten ugly a few times. But they have both been so loving to me!! If I'd known all I needed was a dog to make them appreciate me, I'd have done this sooner.
Unfortunately, Sadie also turns her nose up at most food, so I have to bend over all the time to put things in it, stir in broth or something to get her to eat, which doesn't help. Painting and tread taping the ramp did more back damage. It's just been... hard. I want to be loving to her and not let her feel my stress and pain, but she can be somewhat difficult. And she won't tell me if she has to go potty, so I have to take her out constantly -- and the pouring, torrential rain we had last week made me really cranky. I don't like being cold and wet. I want a dog that hates being cold and wet, too!
Basically, I think I want a dog that's a cat. Just a cat that will go on car trips and go to parks and take long walks. ;-) But right now I need to de-stress and get through the next few rough weeks. Tomorrow's an adoption event I'm taking her to, and they told me someone has expressed interest in her, so we'll see. I want to regroup and figure everything out before I commit to a forever home for a dog. Everything has to feel right. At least I know that the kitties won't leave me, even if they're unhappy.
Oh, and here's a link to her pics and bio: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17580537
Why? Because I have me a dog... not quite in the way I was hoping, and not one that will be here forever, but there is a dog in the house and has been for more than a week, and I have basically gotten almost nothing done in the time being. It's probably a good thing both my books that I was supposed to edit this month have been pushed back, although financially not so much.
The rescue group I had contacted about a dog told me the fosters had decided to keep her, but they contacted me right after that about a corgi that needed a home without a lot of stairs. I said I'd meet her, but I didn't realize that they would bring her by and I was going to be fostering her. Surprise! It was a "foster to adopt" scenario, but I could tell right away that we were not right for each other. She is the sweetest dog in the world, a corgi/beagle mix, but she's supposed to be on crate rest for a back injury (she doesn't seem to feel anything so much as her legs go out and she has trouble walking), and this causes her lots of frustration, and she acts out in a lot of ways. We've had massive lunging, barking, and baying issues. And her excitement level at going for little walks (which I'm not supposed to give her, but it's too cruel not to) is sky-high, so she's oblivious to commands, and it never really gets down to a manageable level. I'm doing everything I can, but it's not always easy.
She is okay with the cats in the house, but when she sees them outside she chases, which means she crashes through plants and jumps around, something she shouldn't do. The first few days, I had to lift her downstairs, and it hurt my back so badly (she weighs about 30 pounds) that I never have really recovered, and the foster folks built a little ramp, but... it's hard to get her to keep using it. When I have her on leash, I can, but when she's too excited, she runs down the stairs, often falling. Arg. I've taken her down to my dad's retirement center, and she was apeshit beforehand and I couldn't get her walked out of that. Fortunately when we left she had calmed, but it was hard going. The last thing I wanted was for her to knock someone off their walker or something. But man, did she respond to my dad's commands. I got the feeling that she must have gone for walks or runs with the man in her family.
Sadie (her name) is about 4, and the beagle in her is very prominent, more so I think than the corgi. The other day a woman came by and told me she was looking for an escaped "big beagle," which Sadie found on our walk, and so with a lot of trouble, I managed to get her home and inside before taking TJ back to his house, and I heard the most godawful racket from my house. I turned back and saw her standing on the back of the couch baying out the window; when I got back, she was on the freaking dining table in the kitchen barking at me out the window. So much for no exercise.
But she's got so much love to give. She wants loves 24/7, and she is much more energetic than I am, so I could tell we weren't a good fit, since I often have to concentrate on the computer for a lot of time and can't give her the attention she wants. She was cooped up in a vet's office for a week, so I know she's got a lot of neediness from that, and she's been through so much. Today my neighbor introduced her 5-year-old niece to us, and Sadie was a complete angel to her, so I think what Sadie really needs is a family who can give her lots of loves and action. But of course, be mindful of her back.
It's been an interesting experience, even if it's one I didn't necessarily want. I wasn't prepared to be a foster mom, to take in a special needs doggie right away, and I think the back injury and the enormous time sink it's been (I really am so far behind on very important stuff) has caused my stress level to rocket up, which she can no doubt sense. I think I've learned what I want in a dog and what kind of dog I would be a good mom for. Olive, oddly, is totally blase about the whole thing -- she's not happy, but only gets spooked when the dog is really hyper or comes at her -- and then half the time she just hits her and snarls. Blues, OTOH, panics at every movement, and runs, which makes Sadie chase him. It's gotten ugly a few times. But they have both been so loving to me!! If I'd known all I needed was a dog to make them appreciate me, I'd have done this sooner.
Unfortunately, Sadie also turns her nose up at most food, so I have to bend over all the time to put things in it, stir in broth or something to get her to eat, which doesn't help. Painting and tread taping the ramp did more back damage. It's just been... hard. I want to be loving to her and not let her feel my stress and pain, but she can be somewhat difficult. And she won't tell me if she has to go potty, so I have to take her out constantly -- and the pouring, torrential rain we had last week made me really cranky. I don't like being cold and wet. I want a dog that hates being cold and wet, too!
Basically, I think I want a dog that's a cat. Just a cat that will go on car trips and go to parks and take long walks. ;-) But right now I need to de-stress and get through the next few rough weeks. Tomorrow's an adoption event I'm taking her to, and they told me someone has expressed interest in her, so we'll see. I want to regroup and figure everything out before I commit to a forever home for a dog. Everything has to feel right. At least I know that the kitties won't leave me, even if they're unhappy.
Oh, and here's a link to her pics and bio: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17580537
no subject
OK, what's your range for a "long" walk?
Most of your hunting/sporting breeds are gonna be good for lots of walking, but if they don't get the walking and initial training they will be very much like Sadie (which, makes sense as Beagles are really just small Fox Hound/Harrier types). This will include the labs, the catahoula (which is very, very lab-like), and even the doxies--if you go with a full-size doxie, they are very much in the "medium dog, short legs" camp and they really do live up to the "hund" part of their name.
Long walks are probably going to rule out anything in the toy group, and I'd caution against terriers a) as an older dog unless they are used to cats or b) as puppies because they are pretty intense for the first year and change and from what you've said I don't think that's what you're looking for.
Greyhounds are surprisingly mellow and very, very lazy, so they might work for cat-ish-ness + walkies. Rescues for them are big in my city because we have a dog track. If you went rescue for them, you'd have to makes sure you got one that's used to cats or smaller animals; they're inclined to chase "lures" otherwise. They're also pretty large (if space is an issue). Still, the ones I've met have been very sweet.
Something in the spitz family might be what you're looking for: smaller, medium coats (usually), kind of in the middle for a lot of traits and energy level.
It really depends on the space you have, how much you plan to walk, how much time you want to spend on grooming, and what kind of behavior you want. (I mean, Newfoundlands are awesomely sweet, lazy yet not afraid to work; they are also huge and droolers.)
I...am not a dog fanatic. At all. Nope. I do not have breed pages bookmarked or anything even remotely like that. Um...Nor was I ever a reference librarian. Nuh-uh. And the combination of these two things will, in no way, lead me to provide way more information than anyone wants...
no subject
I knew from early experience growing up with hunting dogs that I do not want a hunting dog of any type at all. I never saw myself as a small lap dog owner, but I just really do not want a dog that sticks its nose to the ground and goes out of control over smelling a squirrel. I'm just done with that. And unfortunately Sadie's much more beagle than corgi. Herding I can handle, hunting I can't. Barkers also drive me batshit. I really hate barking, probably because of all the years at field trials with packs of baying, barking dogs.
I love a lot of terriers, but yeah, I do worry a bit about the cat issue, and also the killing of my furniture/stuff in the house (which is my big worry about dachshunds, actually). My friends have doxies that are good, and some that aren't so good, so it's hard for me to know whether I'd want that full-time. I love their dogs, though, when I visit.
I think out of all the dogs out there, the one I'm most drawn to and that sounds suitable for me is an italian greyhound. They say they are the most catlike of breeds, and a friend has a neighbor who fosters rescues, and she has cats, so most of hers get along with cats. She works on training issues and such. There's an iggy in my neighborhood who is the cutest little thing ever, although a bit of a barker.
i think that this just has been a difficult situation, and it started me out on the wrong foot. Once I'm better and in less pain, and less stressed about some of the stuff I've got upcoming, I might be able to re-examine this.
no subject
Italian greyhound does sound like a very good choice (especially with the plain greyhounds being rather large...). If you can't find one, Whippets are quite similar in size and behavior. On the outer edge of that size/activity level/look/temperament are the Miniature Pinscher (a bit more on the "hunting" side) and the Manchester Terrier (I know--a terrier, but they aren't quite as typical terrier as some).
I hope you feel better soon!