I was twenty-six when I had Anna, thirty-six when I had Nora Jane and here I am, now, forty-six and the proud owner of Hattie.
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| Hattie--post eye surgery |
Hattie, as we call her, is short for Hattrick (which you'd understand if you were married to a hockey player) is my beautiful thirty-pound, chocolate brown with white chest and tippy-toes, Australian Kelpie Mix. She looks a bit feral, almost like a Dingo which explains why Dave calls her Little Dingo Dog.
Life with Hattie has been all consuming, much akin to living with a newborn. I'm constantly wondering where she is, what she's doing, if she's getting into something, or if she's putting something into her mouth. Like the mother of a curious toddler, I have removed wood pieces, leaves, flower petals, and Little Pet Shops dolls from her mouth. Additionally, these past weeks have been filled with trips to the vet, administering medications, and putting drops in her eye. They've included long walks, training with so many treats I'm going to have to rename her Hattie McFatty, and lots of orders to "Get Off The Couch!"
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I don't care if you ARE studying!
That is not how we roll here..... |
While Hattie's eye is improving, she still has a long way to go. I don't think she was socialized much, as she barked at everyone and everything when she first moved in. Although, this, too, is beginning to diminish somewhat, she still barks at men she believes to be dangerous, dubious, ridiculous, or possibly outrageous. I'm not really sure. She barks when the doorbell rings, or when someone knocks on the door. She barks when she hears a doorbell ring on the television.
Unfortunately, the house and the end of her leash are not the only places Hattie barks. She also goes bonkers when we drive in the car. Or, God forbid, when one of us gets out of the car. You know, in case you need to pump some gas. Well Hattie does NOT like that, not one bit. And she will bark (loudly) and hop from seat to seat until whomever is out of the car returns and all is again right with her world.
Because Hattie is a herding dog, she also enjoys chasing our heels. Even nipping them on occasion. Thus, I have been working very hard to discourage this. (I never imagined I would utter the words "no herding!") On our recent jog/walks through the trails, both on-leash and off, she has stayed away from my feet.
Hattie also LOVES FOOD, unfortunately, she has VERY BAD manners. She has been known to put her paws on the kitchen counter, jump for bananas that are headed out the door with Dave when he leaves for work, and she can gobble up a slice of apple, or chopped up carrot that has hit the floor faster than you can say, ...... well...... anything!
Despite these medical issues, bad habits, and, overall lack of training, I already really love and enjoy Hattie. She loves the trails as much as I do. She can run faster than a speeding bullet, and she loves to snuggle--at her discretion, of course. Also, I know I will never have to worry about my safety in her presence, because all that barking will definitely keep The Bad Guys away.
Although she and Cooper are still working on their pecking order, she is learning her place here. She knows her bed, her crate
and, yes--
her footstool. (I'll give her one spot.)
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Notice the couch deterrent in the background.
Plastic stair runners do the trick :) |
She comes when I call, she sits and she stays (for fifteen minutes yesterday while I ate my lunch!)
All in all, I think she's doing pretty well since she's only been here several weeks. In two more weeks she will return to the Animal Eye Clinic in Seattle for, what I hope to be, her final post-op follow-up visit. But we will have to wait and see. As any new parent knows, life with a new addition is never predictable.
