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Looking for advice about a new dog

Tricia

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I see soooo many people always insisting on their dogs adjusting immediately and not letting them be individuals with feelings and needs. This forum is a refreshing change. You guys are all great dog parents.
Every pup I've had in my home since I was 6 years old has had a different personality, gotta give grace to that, right?
I will say, this one is going to keep the squirrels out of the yard.
 

Philpug

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I just realized today, Gypsy is the first dog I have had this century that doesn't have diabetes.
 

bbinder

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Yeah, I'm kind of with you, but trying to give the benefit of the doubt.
When all this crazy covid stuff shakes out, maybe we can convince @bbinder to come for a visit and get an assessment. :D
And I’ll tell you the truth, whether I know it or not.
 

RobSN

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We have a cushion that says "my goal in life is to be the sort of person that my dog thinks I am".

Right now, we don't have a dog, as we had intended (ha!) to spend the next couple of years traveling and doing things that we'd always wanted to do (don't know when that's going to be rebooted …), but my wife and I are both dachshund lovers: we both had them when kids, and had one when our kids were young. I like them because, as long as you don't tell them and hurt their feelings, they look utterly and completely ridiculous, but are blissfully unaware of this fact. Frankly I challenge anyone to contemplate a dachshund for more than a few moments and not get a smile on their face ...
 

Tricia

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@TheArchitect How's Mia?

I watched A Dog's Purpose again and felt good that I could snuggle with Gypsy

I love the closing words of Bailey:
So, in all my lives as a dog, here's what I've learned.
Have fun, obviously. Whenever possible, find someone to save, and save them.
Lick the ones you love. Don't get all sad-faced about what happened and scrunchy-faced about what could.
Just be here now.
Bailey, A Dog's Purpose
 
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TheArchitect

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@TheArchitect How's Mia?

I watched A Dog's Purpose again and felt good that I could snuggle with Gypsy

I love the closing words of Bailey:
So, in all my lives as a dog, here's what I've learned.
Have fun, obviously. Whenever possible, find someone to save, and save them.
Lick the ones you love. Don't get all sad-faced about what happened and scrunchy-faced about what could.
Just be here now.
Bailey, A Dog's Purpose

She's doing really well. She's started following us around constantly instead of hiding most of the time. She's racing up and down the stairs during the day as well so she's adjusting to the house.

She shrinks away or freezes whenever someone makes eye contact with her. We know that she came from a puppy mill and that she was a breeder. I imagine she was constantly grabbed from her cage and she's conditioned to believe someone looking at her is going to grab her by the scruff and pick her up. I don't blame her for being suspicious of eye contact. All things considered things have gone better than we hoped.
 

Tricia

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She's doing really well. She's started following us around constantly instead of hiding most of the time. She's racing up and down the stairs during the day as well so she's adjusting to the house.

She shrinks away or freezes whenever someone makes eye contact with her. We know that she came from a puppy mill and that she was a breeder. I imagine she was constantly grabbed from her cage and she's conditioned to believe someone looking at her is going to grab her by the scruff and pick her up. I don't blame her for being suspicious of eye contact. All things considered things have gone better than we hoped.
Sounds like great progress. Day by day!

:thumb:
 
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TheArchitect

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Sounds like great progress. Day by day!

:thumb:

Indeed. Sounds like things are going well with Gypsy as well. Excellent that she's happy to snuggle with you and Phil. Mia isn't snuggling with me on the sofa much yet but one of her favorite spots to curl up is at my feet while I'm working at my desk. Just as long as I don't make eye contact she's happy to stay there for long periods.
 

Tricia

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. Sounds like things are going well with Gypsy as well. Excellent that she's happy to snuggle with you and Phil.
The only real thing we are still working on with her is her possessiveness of toys with other dogs(she snarls) and her protective nature with me. She doesn't like other dogs getting attention from me.
 
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TheArchitect

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The only real thing we are still working on with her is her possessiveness of toys with other dogs(she snarls) and her protective nature with me. She doesn't like other dogs getting attention from me.

Is she protective with Phil too or "you're on your own buddy!" ogsmile
 

Tricia

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Is she protective with Phil too or "you're on your own buddy!" ogsmile
She growled at Andy's dog when she got near me, but we let her know that it was a friend and acceptable. Not sure how it got through because I am not a doggie mindreader.
But she has not acted protective toward another human around me.
I wonder what would happen if someone yelled at me. :huh:
 

Pat AKA mustski

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She growled at Andy's dog when she got near me, but we let her know that it was a friend and acceptable. Not sure how it got through because I am not a doggie mindreader.
But she has not acted protective toward another human around me.
I wonder what would happen if someone yelled at me. :huh:
It might be a jealousy issue. I have had dogs who did not want me to pay attention to other dogs but they were fine with people. I had also had a dog that I rescued at SIX weeks old and she hated ALL men (except for my dad and my brother) for the rest of her life. It was a challenge!
 

Tricia

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When we start getting ready for a walk Gypsy knows it and starts getting excited. She jumps and jumps. @Philpug snagged this image from the home surveillance camera.
Screen Shot 2020-04-05 at 10.40.39 AM.jpeg

I'm pretty sure I don't want to know exactly how high she can jump.
We do know she can jump up on the back of the sofa from the back! :geek:
Screen Shot 2020-04-07 at 8.09.49 PM.png


Screen Shot 2020-04-07 at 8.10.08 PM.png
 
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TheArchitect

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Slowly but surely Mia is coming around but still doesn't like being surprised by someone walking near her unexpectedly. That still sends her running off to a safe distance. That said, she finally went for a walk yesterday that didn't involve one of us carrying her most of the way. Someday she might jump at the chance for a walk like Gypsy but we're not there yet.

One thing I love is watching her race around the house and up and down the stairs. When she doesn't think anyone is watching she's full of energy and clearly enjoying her new home.
 

VickieH

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Had to laugh at "slowly but surely". It hasn't even been two weeks. Two very special weeks where it has felt like time has slowed down to a crawl. Maybe there's a lesson in there for us.

Sounds as if Mia is settling in really well. I've heard before that it's good to kind of ignore a new rescue and let them adjust at their own pace. It'll be interesting to see where Mia is at 1 month, then again at 6. I'm happy for her ... finding a good home, having freedom she's never had before, and having a family that's anxious to shower her with love.
 
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TheArchitect

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Had to laugh at "slowly but surely". It hasn't even been two weeks. Two very special weeks where it has felt like time has slowed down to a crawl. Maybe there's a lesson in there for us.

Sounds as if Mia is settling in really well. I've heard before that it's good to kind of ignore a new rescue and let them adjust at their own pace. It'll be interesting to see where Mia is at 1 month, then again at 6. I'm happy for her ... finding a good home, having freedom she's never had before, and having a family that's anxious to shower her with love.

My sense of time is all screwed up right now ogsmile
 

Tricia

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Any pics of Mia?

Saw this story on CBS This Morning Saturday
They are excited to see 70% increase in pet fostering and adoption. The concern is that some of these pets will be surrendered once people go back to work, or if people don't go back to work soon and aren't able to afford to keep the pets
 

Tricia

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Meanwhile Gypsy is training @Philpug
 
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TheArchitect

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Any pics of Mia?

Saw this story on CBS This Morning Saturday
They are excited to see 70% increase in pet fostering and adoption. The concern is that some of these pets will be surrendered once people go back to work, or if people don't go back to work soon and aren't able to afford to keep the pets

We were able to get her groomed and she's even more adorable. Here's a picture of her in one of her favorite spot, hiding under the dining room table.

Mia-Chair.jpg
 

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