How's Miss Minnie doing?

I've had Minnie for a little over a week and I'm really loving her (I have a soft spot for the peanuts)!  I'm only on my 3rd foster dog here but it seems that it takes at least a few days to have any idea of what these guys are really like, they've been through some things and are naturally cautious or frightened so the personality doesn't always reveal itself right away.  Minnie came home with me the day she was spayed (super uncomfortable I'm sure!) and with the standard issue case of Kennel Cough, definitely under the weather, now a week later I don't think she's sore any longer and the Kennel Cough seems to be easing up.  So what are we seeing??  She's very sweet with me, a born snuggler!  and she's starting to get more playful, wriggly wrestling sessions:)  but very cautious with strangers, I've had 2 visitors this week and she nervously growled and barked at them when they came in, and periodically while they were here, but in both cases no one reacted much (except me telling her no) and by the end of the visit she was curiously sniffing them and more relaxed, allowing herself to be pet a little.  Also happy to report she's pretty quiet in the apartment, when she starts barking I tell her no a few times and she does settles down quickly.

Hiiiii!  My name's Minnie!

Notes on Minnie:

What we know:

1. 2 year old female miniature pinscher, 8.5 lbs, spayed, vaccinated.

2. Found on the street in the Bronx.

3. Not reliably house trained or paper trained.

4. Little nervous around strangers.

5. Trustworthy in the house, hasn't chewed up anything.

6. She's a serious snuggle bug, would happily lay on your lap all day, or make a little blanket nest.

7. Very alert and curious, she checks everything out!

8. Starting to learn sit, little bit at a time but it's a start.  Also usually come's when called.

9. She's very affectionate with me now, wants to be on the lap and be luvved up, throws me a few kisses  now and again:)

10. Not food aggressive.

I call this her "silly face" :)

and her lovely profile...

What might need a little work:

Let me preface this section my mentioning "Small Dog Syndrome" which folks who are looking into getting a small dog should be aware of.  Simply put it's a tendency to become fearful mini-tyrants if not treated, trained, and socialized as you would a larger dog.  I'm talking about growling at people, trembling with fear, jumping all over the place, peeing wherever they like for a few examples.  I love this website, it really goes into details and spells out what to look for and how to prevent problems, also another site to fill you in on min-pin personality traits good and bad!

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/smalltoydogs.htm

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/miniaturepinschers.html

Our Minnie is doing pretty well for a small dog as far as I've seen, she's not too yappy/whiny, seems calm in the house, walks pretty well on the leash, has never bit me!  There are things I haven't been able to assess so far and those are how she does with other dogs (hasn't been going outside with the freezing weather) and I'd like a better idea of how she is with people, when she is recovered from her cold and has grown back her bald spots from surgery we may venture out to stores and peoples houses to see how she reacts out in the world outside my apartment.  At the moment she is basically a house cat confined to a small area for potty training, not so fun for either of us but necessary, no one wants to adopt a dog who pees everywhere!

1.  Since she is so small I have made a point of really manhandling her (after we established some trust of course).  I play with her with my hands all over her face and ears, and am always rubbing her all over her whole body, her lips and nose, check her teeth etc... if this is happily going on at playtime she is less likely to feel threatened when you need to check something for real.  Not sure how well she'd take it from a stranger yet but it's a start to desensitizing her.  She's started seeking out "wrestling" sessions:)

2.  Potty training (see earlier posts for this drama) "notorious house breaking difficulties" indeed!

3.  Socializing!  she is a little nervous with strangers in the house and barks at people when she's outside on leash, an effort will need to be made so that she really likes people/dogs (honestly she's been indoors with me so much that I can't yet assess the extent of this...) She's so small that if she is friendly she can go everywhere with you, my 7lb Maltese Lulu was the life of the party and was welcome everywhere and was rarely left at home, she hiked, she swam she went to BBQ's and was spoiled by everyone!  it's worth the time to do this, how awful for a dog to be a shut-in because they are too frightened/aggressive to be out in the world.

4.  Cat's? not sure she can be trusted yet with cats, she does like to chase mine...  If she went to a house with a cat I'm sure they'd eventually work it out but I'd keep an eye on them in the beginning.  (haha, check out cat/minnie video in an earlier post)

5.  Barking.  She's really not that bad!  and when she starts up it's totally appropriate, something is happening in the hallway or there's an unusual noise, if I tell her "no" and "shush" she does quickly quiet down, and if she goes over to the door I shuffle her backwards and tell her no.  Not a problem now but something to keep an eye on.

6. Growling.  I've seen this from her a few times if she's comfy on the couch and you want to move her or pick her up.  Also when a visitor she didn't know tryed to pet her while she was resting on the couch she growled.  Hasn't growled at me recently but the last time she did I kept my hand there and talked to her, she never snapped at me.  Now I purposely disturb her once in awhile when she's in her spot to check on this and to make sure she isn't too possessive of her space.

7. Biting.  She play bites while playing sometimes, hardly any pressure at all! and if you make a loud "puppy yip" she instantly stops:)  good girl Minnie!

8. Can't say whether she likes kids or not but she's sooo tiny that I think better to go to a home with no kids or older/super gentle kids.  Those tiny chicken bone legs of hers make me so nervous!  if a little kids ever fell on her...

snuggled up in her favorite spot!

look at those sweet eyes!

Minnie is such a sweet little girl and I'd love to see her in a home where the owners took the time to really socialize her so she could be out and about and enjoying the world and other doggies.  She needs lots of love and snuggle time as well as some very firm/gentle leadership to avoid the "brat-trap" that so many little ones can fall into!