The Best Part

For me anyway, was manifest in twofold this week in the form of one itty bitty bat eared cream colored fearful ball of white lightning, (and she WILL strike twice) Named GATOR and a little bronzed dread wearing fluff ball of a Pomeranian named BUBWA. GATOR is a little chihuahua that was to mouthy and rough with pretty much all species whether it be cat dog or human though the cats as we understand it didn't seem to mind much (though I do find they are pretty brutal players themselves)so was given up for adoption. GATOR as she has been dubbed was plastered against the back of her kennel the first I saw her. I had been informed that she is to fearful to take out to potty and that for now we are just cleaning around her. Well being the over bearing mother with love and discipline that I am I decided I would slowly go up to her and see if she would take a treat. I got up close and held out a treat but she was as about as interested as a kid is in cooked liver. I let her be since I knew I didn't have the time to sit and get her used to me right now and she was frozen with fear.

Later in the day I decided to spend some time with GATOR. She is living with our angelic wonderful can't believe she is still here CLOUDY. You remember her as the one I helped save and is now an awesome companion. CLOUDY is so tolerant and sweet natured that she is and has been the perfect role model for our nervous nellys. Now CLOUDY loves me about as much as I love her and I don't know if that had something to do with what happend but it surely didn't hurt the situation. I walk towards this scared little sweetie (In Sheep's Clothing) and she starts weasling herself behind the crate against the wall and so I used the door that was stored behind the open crate to scoot her backward so I could push the crate back against the wall so she couldn't get behind it again. Then I sat down opposite GATOR all the while CLOUDY is vying for my attention by jumping on me and nuzzling me like a pig rooting for truffles, panting with excitement. As soon as I sat down GATOR jumped right into my lap. What The? What psychotic break did my little weirdo suddenly trust me and want me..oh and I mean want me. The moment I had to leave to go check on something more pressing I couldn't stand up fast enough for her NOT to jump right back into my lap therefore preventing me from being able to stand up. I had to do it 2 more times. OHHHHHHH that just made my day. She trusts me and feels safe with me! She did have some quivering bouts in my lap for a few minutes at the start but soon settled right down into resting her head on my arm and my torso fully relaxed. That time with this little beast is what makes me come here everyday and almost always happy to wake up and come to work(those other days I'm so tired I just wish I was wealthy and retired :]).

The best part was that when I came back to see her a bit later she was at the front of her kennel jumping on the door tail whipping from side to side faster than a ping pong ball between 2 Chinese. She's cured! Little did I suspect what a little beast she really was. She loves me she does and that love allows one to be comfortable in being themselves..kinda like when I guy or gal starts farting in front of you after you have been dating awhile. Well let me tell you she let it rip. Emerges is this energizer bunny with no off button with flea DNA I'm sure with the way she can jump a thousand times her height, repeatedly. Now eh, all that is really no problem in itself. The problem is that she apparently thinks the only body part she has to do anything with is her mouth. She is a mouthy, hyper mouthy playful mouthy assertive mouthy little GATOR.

Her Gatordom reared it's ugly little head during her medical intake. I was honored when asked to help get her since she loves me and will feel more comfy being in there with someone she feels safe with. As I was holding her to get her ears swabbed
she whipped her head around and we both heard the snap of those jaws slamming together on air rather than flesh. Then I released her after a finger came out of her ear she snapped at it twice just like a hungry GATOR. Thank god Momma Z was quick with the pull back! We couldn't help but laugh, not that it was funny for a dog being aggressive. It was how she looked when she did it and it helps that she is just so little and cute. We knew that since she really hated any kind of restraint and is a squirmy one (and I'm not great at restraining when they REALLY struggle because I feel to bad about holding them so tight to keep them from moving) we would muzzle her and feed her her fav peanut butter while we took blood from her. She was a champ but our little fighter definitely took some swings. No kids in her new home that's for sure.

Not only did I have a little dog whisperer moment with GATOR but also with BUBWA who has taken me into his confidence at about the same time as GATOR. BUBWA is a little more forward than GATOR in that he is staying still and giving you some lip or even coming after you moments after any threat is over. BUBWA as he has been dubbed since his previous owners who named him Barbara must have wanted him to get beat up by the other dogs. A dog can definitely learn a new name even if they have had one for a long time. Just keep using it and they catch on. Now BUBWA has had an unfortunate series of events up until now. Neglected and governed by uneducated people he has some issues to work out.

When I went in with BUBWA I sat close to the door since that is where he likes to be..near an exit. I'm a brave one (some may phrase it as stupid or crazy- puhtaytoe pahtahtoh) so I'm always willing to take that step and see if he'll accept my lovins. He was very nervous and I only did a couple of pets and soon he was scootching over to lay against me. By the end of my time with him he was going belly up for me. I still so slow since I can tell he is still unpredictable and am glad I did especially after seeing how forward he can be.

I didn't get to go spend time with him today since I worked up front. At the end of the day he was being brought up to check things out by our behaviorist. I went to fast leaning down and he must not have had a chance to catch my smell and gave a little lip again. I then let him smell me for a bit and he seemed to recollect who I was and went into his belly up for me. Then he saw our main front desk girl and started barking and LUNGING at her. He was on a high stool and he could barely reach her foot. This is NOT looked highly upon. I took him to me and told him the deal. I was open an honest and told him if you are to keep this nonsense up they will put you down faster than you can shake your tail. I figured I got through to him because he went over and decided to make friends with our girl. He became such good friends that he jumped up into her lap when she was in a lower chair and sat with her.We were all becoming so proud..until it was time for him to go. I could see the nervousness of wondering what he would do if grabbed the "wrong way" or being taken when he wasn't ready. Well all I can say is trust your instincts people. Our behaviorist went to get him off the chair and in a flash she was putting him down and he was jumping back up at her barking and snapping a couple of times. There was never any contact with any encounter with his assertiveness but it makes one concerned that the intention was there but execution was poor. Our hope right now is that his execution in right on the money and he is all talk, but he will be treated as though he talks the talk and walks the walk..but so far he loves me :)