I adopted Macie just before Christmas 2012. She has really grown on us and become part of the family. Wow, I never knew god could pack SO much personality into a 6lb frame! Macie has become my little shadow around the house or likes to keep a buddy by her side at all times, whether its me, my husband, or her brother George or chi-sister Honey. Even if Honey does like to place her in a headlock. If we go upstairs, the other 2 dogs sometimes follow leaving her behind because she can’t climb those stairs. She lets us all know when we’re taking too long to come down! Loudest dog in my pack!
We are still trying to decide if she’s part rabbit or previously worked in a circus (due to the prancing and jumping type of walk she has, so adorable). True story: she can walk on her front paws! I need to catch this on video! Or maybe part magician? I often call her Houdini because it took me a couple of weeks to figure out how to keep her gated into our kitchen without her escaping.
Since Macie can be a dainty lady, she likes a formal request to be picked up. She will run away until you ask or tell her that you are going to pick her up! Once she allows it, she does a little circle in front of you, turns her back to you, lifts her back leg and does a little hop into your hands. it is priceless!
Another nickname is `Macie the Destroyer’, I don’t know what toilet paper ever did to her but its good Costco sells it in bulk. There have been quite a few rolls that fell pray to “The Destroyer”. Those rolls cannot hide in baskets or even hang too low from the roller. She will hunt them down, and leave a trail of paper destruction! Newspapers beware, you are not safe either! I’ve come home a few times to find shes decided to rearrange the house, you know make a pile of toys here, or put moms shoes somewhere else, move jackets or even gymbags.
Macie is a model walker on leash for walks and she’s actually gotten Honey to go out too! (Honey was previously too skittish & froze whenever harnessed/leased). Macie may have associated the car with bad things from the past and just recently had her first car ride where she didn’t poop herself! This was great and I feel it’s a sign of her growing trust in the world. When we have visitors she will even show the confidence to approach them! She has the same problem as most mill dogs with going on the floor, so I try not to leave her near carpet for very long without a human around. In the beginning I got peed (and pooped) on a few times when I was asleep while trying to learn her signals. Now I understand the frantic scratching/licking/fake biting means “Momma I gotta GO RIGHT NOW!” She’s a very good girl most of the time and goes to the back door for `outside’ time and has learned to walk up and down the deck stairs like a big girl. She also uses the pee pad when we’re not there with less accidents.
Macie seems to have a sensitive tummy and gets mildly itchy. It seems not to flare up much as long as she sticks to a Low Ingredient Diet food and only approved treats.
Macie is such a sweet, loving girl. She seems happiest just to give kisses, get snuggled and play with joyful abandon and I am more than happy to oblige her 🙂
Laurie Stouffville
