Daisy's New friend

I had to write a quick post to catalog a new Daisy experience. Yesterday, Daisy made a new friend, one that she was not only instantly comfortable with, but one that she seemed to know on a deeper level.

Because I am a dog walker and pet sitter, Daisy often meets new dogs (it's a requirement before they can come stay in my home). Usually, when Daisy meets a new pet sitting client, she will come to see who it is and then she will pace; jumping on and off the couch or circling the coffee table in nervous excitement. On some occasions  she will even go and sit in her kennel until she feels more comfortable. 

Last night Daisy had a new friend stop by to meet her. Mya is a beautiful Aussie with a great personality and smarts to boot. She's a little bit older than most of the dogs Daisy meets, which is nice since I think Daisy is more comfortable with older dogs.

As Mya came up to the door with her mom, Daisy jumped off the couch and walked excitedly to the door, tail wagging. Unusual? Yes. She usually sits on the couch and cranes her neck to see who's coming. Then, she drops her head in a submissive pose. 

This time she was at the door before Mya had even come in the door. She was excited to meet her new friend and her tail was wagging. When Mya came inside Daisy didn't run to the couch or start pacing, instead she went right up to her and said "Hi".  She also did not act timid or afraid of Mya's mom like she does with most new people she meets.  She approached her pretty quickly and even let her pet her later in the evening! t was a first.

In fact, Daisy acted differently the whole time Mya and her mom were there:

• She came into the kitchen to get a treat when I offered Mya one - not something she does (even when it's just her and I!)
  
• She stayed in the living room while Mya explored the house or stood next to her mom. Again, not a normal behavior with Daisy. Usually she would be pacing or sitting in her kennel.
• She felt so comfortable with Mya that she even fell asleep on the couch while Mya was in the house - how's that for comfortable?
• But, what shocked me most is that she went outside and came back inside with Mya and her mom in front of or behind her and she didn't get scared or too afraid to come in.  She even came inside with Mya's mom sitting right inside the door. She doesn't even do that with my friends and family! Usually she starts circling the car in the garage until everyone is away from the door or goes into the living room. How weird is that?

I am not sure if it was Mya or Mya's mom (or both) that made her so comfortable, but it totally floored me. It also made me wonder...Did Daisy recognize a kindred spirit in Mya? 

Or, was it the calm demeanor and quiet confidence that Mya's mom displayed? Or, maybe Mya reminded her of Aspen and that's why she felt so comfortable with her. I don't know what it was, but it sure was cool to see her so calm and confident. I'd like to bottle whatever it was and use it the future whenever Daisy is afraid and uncertain. The dog trainer in me is fascinated. I want to replay every moment so I can figure out what the key factor was that made this situation different from any other. It's simply a mystery. 

Daisy's everywhere!

Daisy had a surprise guest this week. Her friend, Daisy Mae (a black Lab), came to stay for a couple of days while her "Mommie" had a little baby boy. 

It's been awhile since my Daisy (also called "Boo Boo Bear" or "Boo Boo's ") and I had seen Daisy Mae; perhaps as far back as October or November. They first met about a year ago at the Alimagnet dog park in Burnsville. Her mom and I had started talking after realizing that our dogs had the same name (which can get quite confusing!). Who knew that her Daisy Mae was the same dog I had walked at the shelter as a young pup? She had grown quite a bit since I had last seen her, but it was obvious that she was very happy in her new home. Her parents really love her and spend a lot of quality time with her. She goes to the dog park once a day (sometimes twice a day), and she gets plenty of walks and belly rubs. She's a well-rounded dog - good with humans and other dogs.

I was pleased to see that my Boo Boo Bear was happy to see Daisy Mae and seemed pretty comfortable with her. This past summer, when Daisy Mae and her mom had come to spend the day with us (gardening) Boo Boo Bear was quite nervous. She spent most of her time sitting right by my side. Of course, I would encourage her to go play but she would only wander a few feet and then come back and sit next to me. She does that when she's nervous.

So, it was with great relief that I saw my Daisy Boo Boo Bear so excited to see an old friend. They got along extremely well together. They hung out at the dog park, searched for treats in the snow together (a game they both love to play) and slept on the couch together. It reminded me of when Aspen (my last dog) was here. Daisy used to looked to Apsen for guidance on how to act like a dog. Aspen set the tone for everything: jumping on the couch to take a nap, hanging out in the backyard, riding in the car, going to the pet store, approaching strangers, etc. Boo Boo Bear really relied on her for guidance and direction (just a side note to other owners of puppy  mill dogs - having another more experienced dog can make a big difference in a dog's rehabilitation). 

That's why I have toyed with the idea of getting another dog - one that is older, and more experienced in living as a dog with humans. I'm constantly asking myself whether I am helping Daisy or hurting her by not getting her another friend. Part of me thinks that her rehabilitation would be much easier on her if I were to get another dog, but the other part of me is worried that making the wrong choice could have a long-lasting devastating effect on her. 

Watching Boo Boo Bear with Daisy Mae made me realize that there is no easy answer. While she enjoyed having a companion around for a few days, she also spent some time hanging out in her kennel (her "safe spot") whenever Daisy Mae would bark at a sudden noise or get interested in a bone she had. So, while it was nice (if a bit confusing) to have Daisy's everywhere for a few days, it was also, once more, a time to think and observe...A dog for Daisy Boo Boo Bear? Or, Daisy Boo Boo Bear as a dog on her own? The question remains unanswered...for now.

Dog #201 - Daisy the Wonder Dog

Daisy came to me with two things I had not seen before: 1) a tattoo in her ear (# 201), and 2) a roving microchip. You might be asking yourself why a dog from a puppy mill would have these things.  I know I did. 

When I first got Daisy (as a foster), I didn't know a lot about puppy mills other than what I had learned on the news or TV shows. I knew that most puppies sold at pet stores were from puppy mills, but I didn't know a lot about the things puppy mill owners did, other than mistreat animals. What I discovered is that some puppy mills tattoo a number in the dog's ear to help them keep track of each dog. It's literally a book-keeping method for them.  The tattoo also allows them to identify and track which dogs they want to breed together to get a certain type of dog with a certain look, color, size, etc. In Daisy's case, she was used as a breeding dog in an effort to create a new and popular breed of dog that is being seen in increasing numbers around the Twin Cities. 

Daisy's tattoo labels her as Dog #201. Nothing more. Nothing less. No name; just a number. According to the vet, Daisy was kept pregnant as much as possible, so I am sure that some "breeder" was making a good amount of money selling off her pups while Daisy sat in a cage caring for the next litter to be sold.  

In addition to her tattoo, Daisy also had a microchip. It had been placed in the middle of her ear,  just above her tattoo. Finding a microchip in a puppy mill dog is actually quite unusual. Most puppy mills won't spend any money on a dog, much less the costs associated with obtaining and inserting a microchip. So. it was somewhat of a puzzlement to me and to my friends at the shelter. We tried scanning her chip, but it appeared to be deactivated or no longer functioning. It has remained a mystery. 

Since that time, Daisy's microchip has actually migrated to the bottom of her ear. I was puzzled by this until I heard Katie K9 talk about how the older microchips used to migrate over time throughout the dog's body because it had nothing to anchor it. Today's microchips have tiny hooks that anchor the microchip in place to keep it from moving around, thus making it easier to find and scan if your dog were to get lost. My suspicion is that the puppy mill had been doing their own microchipping using the old microchips. Perhaps, they were using the microchips as a replacement for tattooing. Or, perhaps they wanted an easier way to track dogs they wanted to breed together. Who can really know? What I do know is that they were taking care of their dogs' dew claws on their own because my vet has commented on the fact that Daisy's dew claws were mangled when she was younger and that it most likely happened because the puppy mill owner was doing it him or herself.  So, it would not surprise if they also did their own tattooing and microchipping. In either case, Daisy has both. 

Although, I know about the tattoo and microchip, I was surprised to see a video on YouTube today that featured a dog owner being interviewed for her book about her puppy mill rescue dog, Baby. It seems Baby also had a tattoo in her ear. Daisy is not alone. She is only one of the many dogs being kept in puppy mills today. Just a number. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I believe the more we can educate people about puppy mills, and how dogs are treated in puppy mills, the less likely it is that people will buy from them, either through a pet store, on the internet, or the puppy mill owner directly. They may call themselves a "breeder", but don't be fooled. Puppy mill owners are only in it for the money, not to better the breed. I encourage you to find out more by checking out the links below.  Daisy thanks you.

WCCO Report - Inside a Puppy Mill 

Inside a Puppy Mill

How to Buy a Puppy

Puppy Mills in the Spotlight

Daisy's First Goal for 2009

Daisy and I are going stir crazy. The weather is so cold here right now that going outside is not something anyone wants to do if they don't have to. As a result, we have been stuck inside for the past 3 days. In fact, yesterday Daisy was only outside a few minutes when her feet froze. It happened so quickly. One minute she was lifting her back paw because it was cold and then suddenly she was sitting on her butt in the snow with both of her back feet stuck up in the air. It was a funny sight to see, but for her it was anything but. Poor girl! We went inside immediately. 

Monday was the only day this week it was warm enough for Daisy to go to the dog park. We enjoyed the day by hanging out with her doggie friends and playing in the falling snow. Daisy was so excited to see her friend Brutus. She immediately went to him hoping he would chase her through the woods.  Unfortunately, he had his eyes on another dog (Alas! Unrequited love!). I actually think she was disappointed!

Luckily, the other dog didn't stay long (sometimes a 110-lb. Rottweiler can be intimidating, even if he still acts like a puppy), so Brutus was finally able to turn his attention onto my little girl blue. She couldn't have been happier. They chased each other all over the park - flying over shrubs, weaving in between trees and hiding behind evergreens. Several times Daisy would stop to let Brutus catch up to her, then as soon as he made a move towards her, she was off again! At one point she actually slipped through a tight space between two trees; leaving Brutus behind to figure out how he was going to get through that small space! It was quite funny. 

I love seeing Daisy leave my side to go off to play with friends. It warms my heart, because it means she's gaining confidence in herself. She's learning that she doesn't always have to be near me; that she can have fun and come back to me if she needs to, even if only to check in. Although I'm not a mom in the traditional sense of the word, I imagine a mom feels just as proud when she sees her child taking his first steps. It is so thrilling!

You would think all that fun and excitement would be enough for one day. Not for Daisy! Monday evening Daisy decided to surprise me by tackling item #1 on her list of goals for 2009.

We had been busy pretty much all day long, so I think she was hungry by the time dinnertime rolled around. I asked her, "Are you hungry?" Oh boy! Was she! She bounced around and paced excitedly while I filled her dish.  I set her food on the floor in the living room (I'll explain this  later) fully expecting that she would continue to pace and bounce around until I left the room. But I wanted to lower the blinds in the bay window first.  As I was doing so, I suddenly heard Daisy nosing around in her food bowl and then I heard her chewing her food. I froze, unsure of what to do. Should I stay still until she was done? Would I scare her if I moved? This was an absolute first for her. She had never eaten in front of me before. 

I decided to act normal and lower each of the blinds while not making too much of a big deal about her eating in front of me. Absolutely amazing.

You see, one of behavioral side effects of living in a puppy mill is that Daisy doesn't trust people easily. She especially does not like it when people are behind her, or approach her too quickly or too forcefully.  This fear has transferred over to her eating ritual. 

When I first brought Daisy home I tried to feed her in the kitchen along with my other dog, Aspen. But, no matter how hard I tried to reassure her, I could not convince her to come and eat her food. With some experimentation, I discovered that she felt safer eating when her food was in a room separate from me (or any human being in this case). So, we settled on the living room as her "safe spot" for breakfast and dinner. And, while she seemed to be okay if Aspen was in the living room with her while she was eating, she was not okay if I entered the room.  If I did so, she would run away from her dish until I once again left the room. Once I was gone, she would return to her dish and eat her food, albeit much more tentatively and cautiously. She often kept a close eye on my movements after that.

So, imagine my surprise when suddenly, out of the blue, she decided to eat with me in the same room! It was a shock.  It wasn't until that moment that I realized she's been slowly working towards this very moment. Over the past few months she has been less and less fearful about me being in another room while she is eating. In the past, I always had to be in the kitchen, so she could keep an eye on me (at all times).  Recently, she has been less skittish about where I am in the house (as long as it wasn't the living room).  If I walked through the living room on my way to another room in the house, she would still back away from her food dish, but as soon as I was gone she was back at her dish eating her food - even if it meant I was in a room behind her. Now, for the first time, she was comfortable enough to eat with me in the same room. What an amazing dog.

It makes me wonder... How long until she tackles another goal on her list? Stay tuned! :)

Daisy's New Year

As Daisy and I begin this new year, we thought it might be a good idea to look back and recognize her accomplishments as well as lay out her goals for the next year. 

Maybe you will find inspiration for your own life in 2009! 

Daisy's Accomplishments

1. Making eye contact with my mom (Mel) and other human beings.
2. Being able to walk around people without cowering in fear or shutting down.
3. Learning how to go outside to go potty and come back in without running away in fear or running in circles around Mom's car over and over again or not coming in at all.
4. Approaching strangers and letting them pet me (especially women since they are more scary to me).
5. Riding in the car without shutting down and even feeling comfortable enough to look outside and stick the very tip of my nose out the window for a sniff.
6. Feeling comfortable enough to go in my kennel on my own.
7. Learning my basic commands: "sit", "stay", "down", "come" and "watch me".
8. Learning how to play with other dogs (something I didn't know how to do before I met my friends at the dog park).
9. Bonding with my Mom and with Aspen (Aspen was my best friend and taught me how to be a dog at the beginning).
10. Being okay with loud noises (at least more than I used to be). Perhaps having my mom sing and dance around the living room to Garth Brooks had something to do with that - it was definitely an odd experience! 
11. Swimming (now THAT was a scary one - the first time I was in water deep enough to swim in Mom had to hold me up because I just let my legs hang there. I didn't know what to do.)
12. Learning to go downstairs on the "wood" stairs 
13. Dealing with Nick the cat.
14. Being comfortable enough to ask for a belly rub.
15. Trusting Mom enough to follow her lead.

Daisy's Goals for 2009

1. Be able to eat my food and drink my water with mom in the same room.
2. Continue to build up my confidence (my posture still indicates that I am not a fully confident dog yet).
3. To sit confidently and not run away in fear when Mom touches my collar.
4. Continue to be exposed to new situations so I can build my confidence.
5. Learn how to play like other dogs (with a ball or frisbee).  Anything that has to be thrown scares me right now.
6. Learning the command "heel".
7. Getting better at following the command "come".
8. Become more comfortable being left at home on my own for a few hours (I am much better than I used to be).
9. Be okay with having my picture taken (this one may take awhile).

Happy New Year everyone!