Employment?

So I've had Edwina for a week and she is now over her kennel cough/tummy troubles and is gaining energy!  She is still being a very good girl but it is becoming clear that she will soon be entirely at home here and with familiarity will surely come boredom (and destruction of my personal property).... A smartypants like this needs something to do, and though we are still working on the basics, sit, down, come, stay, as well as practicing me leaving her alone (at home, in the car, outside Starbucks (all done safely where I can see her but she can't see me) it seems we need to get our working dog a job.  As I've mentioned I am not a slick dog trainer so this is like the blind leading the blind. The consensus on what she's made of varies but most can agree she is likely a mix of is Aussie Shepherd/Catahoula Leopard Dog/Blue Heeler, all herders of one kind of another, all likely to go mad without feeling useful!  Oh boy, again not so much livestock to herd in NY so it'll have to be a half measure.

I've read many times trawling the internet that doggie backpacks are great for making dogs feel useful!  They will be entrusted with the very important job of carrying things for you, water bottles, poop bags, toys... so this is what we will try, we bought a cheapo backpack at Petco today and she doesn't mind wearing it, so next time we go for a long walk she will not be a freeloader she will be my sherpa;)  Perhaps we can gather sticks along the way, maybe at home we can collect shoes and put them back in the closet?  The premise seems to be that it's will make them feel proud and important to feel they are doing something for you and will satisfy the need to work and contribute to the pack welfare.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Patiently waiting outside Starbucks, not a peep and very relaxed.  

Although most definitely on the look out for "Mom":)

New uniform.

She's a looker, now when I walk down the street and someone says nice eyes they mean the dog : /

Foodie toys to keep her busy while I'm gone, 

she'll have to extract her breakfast kibble one at a time!

We'll find out soon exactly how clever she is...

(after Ruby goes home, they cannot be trusted when food is involved).

We also have a Christmas visitor, babysitting sweet little Ruby the Chihuaha/Papillon mix (also a foster pup, if you'd like to meet her I can give you her foster Mom's info!)!  Though super cute and a sweetie she has a pretty BIG case of "Little Dog Syndrome" (meaning behavior that would be extreme bad manners in a big dog but is tolerated since she's a peanut.  For the most part after day one I managed to get them sorted and at least teach Ruby that I'm the boss, but if I'm number one then who's number 2?!  Watching the 2 of them hash that out is like watching Dynasty, power plays, spitefulness, jealousy, examples - refilled the water bowl and gave it to Ruby, she went to drink and Edwina shoved her out of the way and drank all of it, NONE left for Ruby, if I call Ruby Edwina comes over and shoves her out of the way so she can be pet instead, also steals Ruby's toys, and it goes both ways, Ruby attacks if Edwina comes near her bowl. We're doing our best to mediate hopefully they'll figure it out...

Taking a break from their bitchy drama...

!!!Also learned at the dog run the other day that miss Edwina can CLIMB fences, climb in the most literal sense, up one side and straight down the other.  I'd been worrying about her jumping them but I'd never seen a dog climb one, I wonder if that's how she ended up in a shelter, did she run away from home?  How will the little escape artist ever be safely contained, sigh...

Notes-

1.  Friendlier with strangers then she was when I first got her, she acknowledges most people who pet her (still nothing crazy...), but we did have visitors, the friends who foster Ruby and she was extra friendly to them, downright silly at points! perhaps being on her home turf makes her more comfortable or less distracted?

2.  Seems I am truly her pack leader because she follows me from room to room and there is a lot more eye contact and more opportunities for a "mother may I", I try to make her "ask" permission for most things, including entering my bedroom or approaching the cat.  I feel like kind of a jerk but that's what they recommend and she too big and strong for her to think she has the upper hand : /

3. Working on stay, this one's not going so well, don't think I'm getting the point across correctly... we bought a clicker today so maybe that will help? 

4. Come is going a little better, I confess I have nicknamed her Dingo (she looks like a wild dog!), she didn't respond to Edwina anyway and it doesn't exactly roll off my tongue.  When she "comes" she gets treats or really good scrunchies! She's learning, maybe one day far off in the future she'll be allowed off the leash outside (my biggest fear is her taking off!).

5.  Although I feel like a total jerk (and it's not what I want, I would truly love a doggie foot warmer) she is not allowed to sleep in my "den" and entering it all is invitation only.  Sigh... if you tell her no and stay she will lay down at the doorway and watch wistfully until an invitation is extended, this applies to the kitchen as well.   She does really well with respecting boundaries, and is learning good manners, also this will hopefully prevent any separation anxiety...

For info on Edwina please call 917 374-3260 and check out the link on the upper right of this blog for the Brooklyn Animal Foster Network info and adoption process etc...

-April