[Dailydrool] Dottie & Annabelle update & HELP!

[Laurie Zak]

Merry HOWLiday snooters to all our drooler pals! We have been busy lurkers since bringing home our two new girls from Washington Basset Rescue 3 weeks ago (and now being outnumbered with 3 hounds!), so while a big batch of stocking stuffer doggy treats are baking, I thought it was time for an update on Max & his houndie harem! 

 

Our Dottie girl has got to be one of the sweetest little Bassets to ever grace the planet (aren't they all though?!) and has taken to life in her forever home like the little dollbaby she knows she is! She is such a happy, playful, velrco-y, kissyfaced, food worshiping, bed hogging, submissive little angel who acts like we are just the best thing since mealtime, and we are absolutley eating it up! She is so smart too-has already learned her (new) name,& to sit, give paw, and sing (howl) on command! She has gotten into a routine of jumping into bed with us after her morning potty and falls asleep instantly between us for another hour or so! (of course, they are ALL up there in between us now...we act as though they are getting away with murder but we secretly love having 3 warm fuzzy snuggle butts to cuddle with!) She is just a character, with so many typical Basset traits and many of the most adorable ones our Masami (atb in Aug.) had too, which is such a bitterweet joy to me! She still has some submission issues, as apparently her sibling was a very alpha dog, so she continues to fall apart anytime voices are raised...which leads me to little Annabelle Lector...she is our "problem child"...although her wild behavior has greatly improved, she still often acts as though she has never lived inside four walls (which is quite likely) and has absolutley no clue as to what is appropriate behavior and what will get mommy & daddy to loudly use her full name ("ANNABELLE NO NO/DOWN/DROP IT/COME HERE!")! Her furniture hopping activity has lessened but she has replaced that with taking glass balls off the Christmas tree for her new favorite toys to carry around! We have also found her to be part monkey & weasle as she is able to climb over the 43 inch baby gates in place to keep them from going upstairs unattended...it truly is a wonderous sight to behold as she ingeniously manuevers herself against the wall to make it over! Smart too, but in a more devious way! She cannot stand to have either of us (me or daddyfoodslave) out of the room-she gets very anxious, whiney and agitated, doing whatever it takes to get through the gates to find where we might be. She has to be able to see outside at all times too, and scratches on the sliding glass door to just hang out on the back deck which is about 50 feet off the ground, completley secure (no stairs) and overlooks several acres of forest & farmland. Now here comes the HELP! part of this posting...She also seems to have a fondness (or is it hatred?) for her harness/collar...she has chewed through SIX of them so far! It does not seem to bother her while she has it on, but then suddenly, we will notice that it is down around her rear end and the nylon has been chewed to shreds! We have only "caught" her munching once or twice,and of course, reprimanded her & gave ger a toy to chew on, but other times were when we were either not in the same room, it was the morning after a nights sleep (in the middle of the night she did it) or she was in the other room "sleeping", and in a metter of minutes, another one bites the dust! We are at our wits end, as we don't know how to teach her NOT to chew on it unless we can actually catch her in the act, which would require staring at her 24/7/365 (not that she isn't cute enough to do that!)! She has gone through both collars & harnesses (which i ALWAYS keep on my bassets as they are escape artists and FAST and would follow their noses to the moon if given the chance!). They are fitted correctly, but she is so skinny, silky soft and, I would swear, double jointed & spineless, that she can get into positions you cannot imagine! (well, as houndie foodslaves yourselves, i guess you likely could!) We also have DRENCHED the harnesses in not one, not two, but THREE different types of "bitter" tasting chew deterrent sprays...obviously to no avail. She has PLENTY of toys and spends several extended times a day chewing on her Nyla bone...so I am thinking it must be some sort of comforting-pacifier type chewing she is doing...a bad habit but how to break her of it?! We are so frustrated & annoyed at the practically daily trips to PetSmart (who of course are happily ready to rename aisle 3 the honorary "Annabelle aisle of edible collars"!) She is about to surpass her adoption fee in collar purchases!! ANY IDEAS, droolers?! All will be gratefully welcomed and attempted at this point!

 

Our old man Maxie has come to realize (not necessarily accept) that these two little biting, chasing, kissing, snuggling, rambunctious, often annoying, attention stealing furballs are, for some reason, are now part of his formerly quiet home...! He does frolic like a madman around the yard with them, play with plush toys & engage in "Wild Kingdom"-like play sessions, all of which he has not done for years, so it is so nice for us to see him acting younger (he's 9 and a half, and has really slowed down esp. since losing his lifelong galpal Masami) and enjoying more than just his usual 20 hours of naptime everyday! He does display a bit of jealousy here and there and we try to make sure he gets extra snuggles, treats & kisses to keep him feeling in "favorite dog" status!

 

The girls are also taking nincely to being crated the few times we have left them alone-it was harder on me (i have never crated any dog i have owned) because they are likely famililar with it, having been puppy mill dogs in their former lives. We usually take them all everywhere we go, even just on grocery store errands, but when we can't, crating is the only option for Annabelle the Destroyer, and it did not seem "fair" just to confine her...we are quite certain that Max is enjoying taunting them about his freedom while we are gone!

 

This week we have some extra excitement as we are guinea pig sitting for holiday travelling friends. The hounds are fascinated with the creature, and after we made the mistake of letting them watch us take the cage to a safe secure room, they are now obsessed with that room and make a beeline for it everytime they are allowed upstairs! So sling some drool for that little rodent that he survives the next week here in houndville!

 

Thanks for reading our update-we are so happy and grateful to have these darling characters in our lives!

We are sending buckets of drool to all the ailing, recovering, & lost hounds out there...and soft snooters to all foodslaves whose arms are aching for their babies who have gone to the bridge...we know your hurt and hope for brighter days of happy memories to help heal your hearts.

 

And thanks in advance for any suggestions on our harness eating issue...we are thinking that Kevlar may be the only option left!

 

from:

mommyfoodslave Laurie (how many treats does this darn recipe make anyway?!! i still have people yumyums to make today!)

daddyfoodslaveJeff ("is it too late to trade Annabelle in for a dog that is not broken?" -said as he is cuddling & kissing her adorable little i don't know what a house is face!)

Annabelle (red collars are my favorite...mmmmm-CHERRY!)

Dottie (i am one sweethappydarling houndie who never does anything wrong but always takes the blame!)

Max (you had to bring home TWO of these crazy girls and we have to keep them BOTH furEVER?!)

Masami (atb 8-15-09...obviously it takes two to equal the larger than life princess I am!)
 		 	   		  
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