Hannah

I adopted a dog a little over a week ago now. She is a mutt...but a very cute mutt. I've heard Rhodesian Ridgeback, Shepherd, Pit Bull, maybe some kind of bird dog or terrier....who knows - just a mutt like me :) I adopted her from a woman who had rescued her from a shelter but could not keep her at her house so she boarded her at a kennel. Then, a deal was made and she stayed with a trainer for a few months. Since there was no pay and no hurry, the trainer did some minimal work with her.

I went up and visited her a few times and she was such a sweet girl but had some anxiety problems (don't we all?). The trainer assured me there was not an aggressive bone in her body - which was a must for me. The trainer brought her down to me a week ago Thurs. and Hannah had her new home.

Well, my non-aggressive shy puppy dog found her voice. She started to bark and snarl at other dogs as we walked around the lake or my complex. She would get very energized at the lake - so many things to do and see - ducks and geese, other dogs, people walking, biking, rollerblading, etc. So many weird things! I could see when it was busy and too many things were going on she would get over-anxious and jumpy and the snarling was more or worse.

I called the trainer and he gave me some tips (particularly for leash aggression which he thought was the cause). I read up on it online. I've been practicing all that I can to try to break her of the habit. We walked with the neighbors dogs, hoping she'd get used to that (and mostly she did). She did great with another friend's dog - Logan. They played together, we hiked together.

When I leave home she watches me through the slider, and then runs over to the little window and whimpers as she watches me walk to the garage. Poor girl. I actually felt guilty leaving her the first morning I went to work.

The funny part is that I keep thinking how hard it is to be a single parent...of a dog! I can't imagine with a child how much harder that is! My maternal instincts are actually kicking in. I worried the first couple days because she wasn't pooping and peeing like she should (she does now...) I'm still grossed out when I have to pick up the poop, but I do it because she's my dog and I have to. I worry if I'm out to long, when I'm away I wonder how she is and text/email/call to get reports if my roommate was with her. I'm worried over the correct kind of discipline, positive reinforcement, if she's eating enough, how she'll get along with the other dogs...who knew a dog could be so exhausting?

And yet so rewarding...I love it when she smiles at me and it's even very nice to have someone that doesn't want you to leave and is happy when you come home.

Now about the anxiety...I really hope this dog aggression goes away soon. Oh how I wish I could post Bible verses about anxiety and loving your neighbor so that she would realize she needs to change her behavior! I guess it's time to start praying for my doggy...but isn't it much like us? We get uncomfortable and we snap at others. We don't know our surroundings and we worry. Doesn't she know I'm there and I'll take care of her? I guess God wishes we understood that too!