August 31, 2015
It’s been two weeks since I adopted Chichi (formerly Miss Ellie) and I think I have the cleanest nostrils in the city!!
As I think all of you know, the first time I left her alone for an hour in the first week, Chichi got out of her cone and ate her stiches. The wound failed to heal and this meant she had to get re-stitched under general anaesthetic by the vet. This set us back a wee bit on the issue of trusting each other.
Monday was my first day back at work and I left her home. She did not bark or cry when I left but when I got home, boy did she let me have it! She was screaming and yelling at me so loudly that she kept gagging and throwing up. She kept this up for about an hour.
So Tuesday I decided to take her to work with me. She panicked in the car because I am sure she thought we were going back to the vet. She was also extremely nervous around all the people at my office who wanted to see her. I kept my door closed while I tried to work, but every time anyone came to speak to me, they knocked and Chichi barked! I had to put a sign on my door saying “Do Not Knock”.
I left work early because she was too distracting to get anything done. She wanted to be on my lap at the time, though when I told her to lie down and pointed to her bed, she would go, all the while giving me a “poor me” look. She is very proficient at looks which tug at my heart strings.
We went to Pet Smart directly after work. I wanted to replace her new cone with a roll collar. It blows up and goes just around the neck-much more comfortable for her and no more walking into walls. I was also having to hand feed her because the cone was so big she couldn’t get her face down into the dish. So we left Pet Smart with the collar and many different varieties of dog food to try. She had not been eating well, turning up her nose at most things and she needs to eat before taking her antibiotics. So far, almost every flavour and brand I give her is refused by her unless I put butter on it or bury bits of cheese in it. Then she tries to only get the butter and cheese. Otherwise, she wants what I am eating. Because she has literally been refusing dog food, I have been giving her chicken (but in her food bowl). I know I am perpetuating the monster in her, but until she finishes her antibiotics, she has to eat something. After that, I will have to just leave the food until she decides to eat it. I hope I find one she likes first!
On the way to and from Pet Smart she whimpered in the car and wanted re-assurance from me. I remembered I should not cuddle her while crying so I told her to be quiet and when she complied a called her a good girl and gave her a one-handed pat. She understood how it worked long before we got home.
Wednesday I left her alone again to see how she did and her reaction when I got home was much better. She only whimpered and frantically tried to lick my face for about 20 minutes-no screaming.
Thursday, my cleaning lady comes. So I waited to leave for work until after I introduced her. Chichi kept barking at her and although I tried to convince Margarita to ignore her, she was still ooing an aweing and Chichi was still barking when I left. But when I came home last night, she was excitable for a while but not crying. Still not eating unless I treat her like a customer in my restaurant.
Today, she is home alone again but tomorrow morning we are trying a ½ day doggie day care to see if she can tolerate it. She needs more socialization. She is timid but not afraid around other dugs but aggressive to people who come to my apartment (even the lobby) or who talk to me on our walks. She wants me all to herself but I am definitely going to try to train her out of the barking.
When we are alone in the apartment, she is a real cuddle bug and now sits on my lap instead of beside me. In bed she starts out next to me but I wake up to find her curled in a ball under my neck. She likes us to be in bed together the best and in the mornings I have to pick her up to get her moving!
Suffice it to say, I think we are going to get through this adjustment period just fine. We definitely love each other a lot and love conquers all, right?
