Things are returning to normal, so should my blog.....although.....

I think I went through the equivalent of postpartum depression with a dog. I can't even think what that would be called????? Canine-induced depression? Anyway, she is beginning to act like a normal dog. We are now working on training. I am teaching her to stand, sit (she has that pretty well down) lay, go through an agility tunnel, and many more fun things. I just wish I could get her to play with a ball. She is still extremely skittish around people, but I try and take her to the park and just have her sit and watch people. She can lay down and sleep in this atmosphere, so that is a huge thing for her.
I found out our swan, Romeo (he came with our house. No really, he was part of the deal) attacked one of our kid neighbors last year. He did some really bad damage, and I'm sure the psychological damage is pretty bad. I need to find him a new home. I won't have animals that attack people. One of my roosters is on death row presently for attacking my daughter. He had an expensive lawyer, but it didn't help. The jury was totally out on this one. He was found guilty and sentenced to beheading. He even attacked the judge after the verdict was read!!!!!
Romeo should have a death sentence,
but since he is a trumpeter swan (there is a law on the books about killing swans, his lawyer made sure the court knew this, what a mess that case was) he got a stay of execution, I am hoping to find a place for him where he can be with others of his species, kind of a hospital for the violently aggressive. I'm just lucky he didn't get me sued, but my gosh, the people never came and informed me of my bird's violent tendencies towards others. I just thought he was like that to me, my daughter, my mother, the cats, the dog, my not-related grandmother next door, the geese, the deer, um.........gosh I mean I just didn't have any idea he was aggressive. There were no warning signs!!!!! Hey look, I don't need handcuffs, please don't cuff me, I'm busy typing. Hey!!!!! don't put those on me, I have constitutional rights darnittt!!!!! No, no, not the rope, I told you I didn't know anything......ahhhhh!!!!!!............Help!!!!!!!

I think I really did loose my sanity there.

I will start by telling you that adopting a rescue is no picnic. I have been on an emotional roller coaster. First let me state that I am not a control freak, but like control of my life. For many years my life has been out of control and now that things are totally normal I decide to whip my existence into a frenzy. I must say also that sleep deprivation causes insanity and depression, I should know. Yesterday was so bad I almost fell asleep at the wheel.
The transition with the dog has not been the easiest. OK its been hell, for me anyway. I think she has adjusted better than I have. I realize now that when she has an accident in the house it is my failure. I have never punished her for this, I'm using the school of thought that you don't punish an animal for accidents or they will hide them from you, but it doesn't make it any easier to accept. For most of her training, again I go to Cesar Millan. I read Ceasar's Way in about a week and it really has helped with so many of her issues. Bubbles is an absolute joy to walk, I could spend hours with her on leash. She is a model of submission when on leash. With Ceasar's help from his book, she is almost over her fear of cars, although a semi set her back.
She is truly a wonderful dog, it's me that seems to be having issues. Everything that I deem as failure has me so depressed. In so many ways there is too much pressure on me for success. My daughter is totally attached to her, in fact when I mentioned to her that this may not work, she had a dream that Bubbles got cancer. My husband isn't fond of dogs to begin with and so I need to succeed so we can live in peace, and I can sleep in our bed again (I am sleeping on the couch attached to Bubbles by leash so that when she wakes up to go potty, she wakes me up. I tried crating her and that went very badly). I am so stubborn that I can't fail or I will fail myself. I realize that giving her up isn't an option, she is too attached to the family and I can't give her to someone else and hope she isn't abused again. She is so easily frightened, and men can terrify her. All it takes is a look from my husband and she pees from submission. Most people would be angry at her, I tell my husband he must clear his mind before approaching her if he is angry. We had two weeks of none of this behavior and then she upset my husband and off we went again. It is more like training of the humans, than of the dog. Cesar is too right. Hopefully I am not rambling to much, I will try to blog when I am not so tired. Goodnight :)

Good updates, Cesar Milan rules!!!!! and Peepers

Bubbles is not following me like a shadow anymore. We had some instances of growling at the kids, so I changed tactics with how the kids are handling her. She needs to see them as leaders and I think she wasn't. I picked up Cesar Milan's (from the Dog Whisperer) book "Cesar's way" and there is some really great insight. I have seen him on t.v. (who hasn't) and even on t.v. his soul just shines through. But reading his book has been so inspiring. Just his acknowledgments made me want to cry. He is so sincere, honest, and open. Anyone who is thinking or has a dog should read this book. I really can't say enough about it. I love Cesar Milan!!! I could go on all day about Cesar Milan......
new subject so I don't bore you.
What is this picture you may ask, it is a chick ball. We get chicks in the mail which is a little like mail-order brides because we expect them to work for their keep. When they come they are all huddles together in a cute and fluffy mass called a chick ball. There is no way to differentiate between first chick and next, it is just a big mass of cuteness peeping away.


(The chicks do not have an evil aura, they are being filmed under a red light)
Bubbles went with me this morning to pick them up. She had never heard peeping before and reacted with her usual caution. It took her a bit to actually sniff the noisy box. It is always fun to go to the post office at 7:00 in the morning and hear them being carried through the mail room towards the doorway. Even the mail people think it is cute. peep peep Peep Peep PEep PEep PEEP PEEP!!!! Chick fun!

Combining Saturday and Sunday April 18 and 19 so I can catch up

Saturday.
I took Bubbles to a friend of mine that has a dog she's had since he was a puppy. She watched Bubbles and the kids for about an hour. Bubbles did great, whined for a bit, but not anywhere near what I thought she would. She even drank some water and layed down. I think I am pampering her too much. I need to give her more credit.
We had a setback, I brought Bubbles home and all was well. I decided to run to the store with my friend Yo, I left my husband in charge of Bubbles. When I got home Bubbles is standing on our sidewalk all alone. Bubbles wouldn't come in the house with them, she was waiting for me to come home. My husband can't get close enough to her to pick her up, and my children...no way. We haven't been using her leash because she seriously follows me like a shadow, but I had told my husband to take her out on leash. I am really tied to the house now. Hate the seperation anxiety this dog is going through because it makes my life real difficult. I need to get her to attach to the rest of the family, not just me.
Then tonight she does the cutest thing, I am outside for her final potty before bed and she starts circling and circling and I am all excited because she is going to poop (Oh good God help me), and she just plops down in the grass. Little doggie has finally decided to lay down in front of me in. Trying not to be frustrated and it helps when she does these funny things.
Sunday
Today was a good day. I think we have made some improvements. She is letting the kids pet her. I have to start the petting and the kids take over. I tell them to stop and Bubbles moves closer "like hey, why did you stop."
My mother came over and Bubbles and I were outside. She actually ran to greet my mom and then suddenly stopped as if her sanity finally caught up to her. Obviously mine is still nowhere to be found.
My husband decided that we had to go to Costco and eat samples for our anniversary lunch
( you've got to know my husband to understand this. Even the sample ladies say what a good provider he is.....????????) I tried to get Bubbles to go poop before leaving, but she wouldn't. I knew my time was very limited and boxed her in. It was the fastest Costco run ever. My husband likes to spend 2 hours there minimum eating snacks (Costco you rule!!!!) Got home and she had gotten out of the boxed in area and pooped. Damn!!!!!! and other bad words!!!! I have decided to sleep on the couch until she is totally potty trained, no accidents at night because she will wake me up with her head shaking. I tried crating her one night and it was bad, never again.
So this is the only way I can know that she goes potty. Cesar Milan would probably say I am crazy but I don't know what else to do for the nighttime potty. I can't even keep her in a bathroom because it is a large enough space she would probably still have an accident. I have to figure she was caged and still peed and slept in it, even if she didn't want to, she had to.
Bubbles may have growled at my daughter today, I'm not sure because it was real short and could have been one of those complaing grumbles dogs do. Will have to start watching for signs of aggression. A little worried.

April 17th 2 days now.

Today was my 10 year anniversary, I completely forgot until the future date of April 19th when my husband surprised me with flowers. I felt so bad. I think he is a bit dismayed at my forgetting. :(
Today we were working outside on our garden and it was pretty toasty here. The sun was beating down and that's saying a lot for this spring in Michigan. Bubbles was out with us. I was dying of thirst. She would not sit or lay down and stood feet from me in the sun the whole time we were out there. I brought out a drink for myself and her bowl. She took a single lick and I knew she was dying of thirst because she never stops moving. I worry that she is not drinking enough and made her chicken broth because it is the only thing she will drink in front of us. I haven't noticed any water disappearing from her bowl. This falls into the same category as sleeping standing up.

April 16th

Nothing new just working on potty training. No major news yet. She still trusts no one but me and won't allow anyone in the family to touch her. Bubbles won't approach anyone either. I have to hold her and let people pet her.
I did notice while she was walking in the kitchen today that her back ankles pop out of joint horribly. The left much worse than the right. i will have to talk to the vet about it. I am concerned that either she had her legs broke and they didn't repair right, or sitting in the cage caused some major weakening on those tendons that hold her ankles in joint. It could also be a genetic thing. I will post when I know. Only day 2.

April 15th continued

Bubbles an I are alone in the kitchen, and I'm working on something. She is just standing behind me, and I start to watch her. She just stands there, won't sit or lay down. As I watch her she starts to sway and nearly falls down. The poor thing is sleeping standing up!
(Sorry about the angle of the video, I am used to taking pictures with this camera, and forgot I cannot adjust the video on computer.)
I reach down and pick her up. I actually have to make her lay down on my lap to sleep.
Poor baby tucks her head into my arm and falls asleep in 2 seconds. She must be exhausted, she's had such an eventful few days, and if this is how she usually tried to sleep, so as not to lay in her own filth, she must have never had a decent rest. I feel so sad looking at this poor helpless creature that has been treated with so much disregard.
Doggie gets a short nap and onto the next event.
I had to take my daughter to piano lessons, so I took along Bubbles. I couldn't leave her alone. Also a great chance for her to meet people galore! My husband and I run a martial arts studio, so endless scores of adults and kids for her to see. I know this is not easy for her, but the sooner she socializes the better. Again lots of uneventful stuff. When she meets new people I hold her so they can pet her. She feels secure enough in my arms and I can feel when the shaking subsides.
After meeting people at the gym, Bubbles is going to meet the family that will be babysitting her next week Friday, when my daughter goes to piano competition.
She does really well with this, and actually attempts to play with me. Bubbles will allow my friends daughter to hold her.
Done at the friends house, home dinner and bed and onto the next day.