MINNIE NEEDED A FRIEND

Blogger is having a known problem with the blog reading list. Only one blogger's post will list then the "View More" button refuses to work. Not sure this will post on your lists and if I miss you posts, I am sorry. Hope they fix it soon. 

When my friend Sis arrived the first day, we were discussing how Minnie really missed her buddy Mighty Dog.   So she went out to her camper and brought in this large stuffed Collie she travels with.  

Minnie took to the fake collie like a lonely bachelor to a blow up doll. She immediately snuggled up to it, yawned in fatigue and slept quite well with her loneliness over. 

Sis played with Minnie a lot and that cat loved it. They would box harmlessly each evening. When Minnie had enough, she would come over and lay by me for the gentle stuff but would soon go over to Sis to box some more. 

This is a very short video of them playing.  

The wonderful side effect to the sparring matches was that Minnie was worn out and slept like a log each night, letting me do the same.  No more 3AM caterwauling from the living room. 

 Minnie needed a friend. One was to arrive for us both.

Meet Chips. 

This little dog entered my life on the last day Sis was here.

I had mentioned before that I wanted to walk dogs at the local Humane Society. This little girl was my first and only walker.  

She was terrified of the other dogs having once been mauled and she would bark frantically when near them.   She walked on a leash like a crazy dog-- lunging wildly and was incredibly hyper.  

My first impression was that she was all zeros on the desirability list besides being only ho hum looking (legs too long, body too long, head too small). She appeared to be a classic Ritalin candidate with her extreme hyperness.   

I asked how she was around cats.  The lady assured me that she had taken her to visit the cat house and that Chips loved them while they loved her. Finally a plus.

She had been in the Humane Society over a year mostly in isolation since she didn't get along with other dogs.  Her plight bothered me so I agreed to foster her. 

The more I am around her, the cuter she gets. 

We picked her up the last day Sis was here and what a whirlwind that dog was when she was finally set free. She tore around my acre like a Whippet at a race track. Round and round she went, tongue out and a grin fixed to her face.  

Her long legs really covered ground. She doesn't walk but prances like a high stepping Hackney Pony which makes me believe a mostly Miniature Pinscher had a quickie with a mostly Whippet a couple of years ago to produce her. 

She is a pretty good fetcher if you stand in the just the right spot for her to return the ball. Other wise it is a game of "keep away" for her.  She runs like she is about to explode with energy or her hiney is on fire. I canceled the urge to get Ritalin. She just really needed to get rid of pent up energy.

Inside, she desperately wanted on the couch. I tried and tried to keep her on the floor but she stubbornly persisted.  When I finally caved and let her up, she circled several times before lying down between Sis and I.  Then she actually let out a long, heavy sigh that totally cracked us up.  Neither of us had ever heard a dog sigh.  That little dog was finally home.

Chips playing with Minnie's toy while she supervises. 

She and Minnie pretty much hit it off. The dog wants desperately to play but Minnie is content to watch passively. They both sleep on the couch, Chips on the seat, Minnie on the back. If I am on the couch, it is Minnie on my shoulder, Chips with her head in my lap. They keep both my hands busy. Who needs knitting?? 

Minnie now sleeps through the night without needing boxing matches to wear her down.  She finally has her friend and is no longer lonely. There is no doubt however that cats rule. She has Chips wrapped around her paw. 

The dog's frantic energy has calmed down completely and her annoying habit of jumping on the couch then giving you a wet willy in the ear has finally stopped. That could have been a deal breaker as I am not fond of lickers. She was just so anxious at first but now she feels much more secure.

So far she has learned the commands sit, stay, "NO", come and heel fairly well though still a work in progress.  She rides in the car beautifully, sitting calmly, ramrod straight and looking out the windows in fascination. If I could put a ball cap on her, she would look like a little kid sitting there.

Still a work in progress but she is smart, desperately wants to please, is totally house broken and is very, very sweet.

Baggage?? You bet she has some (what dog--or person-- hasn't) but in the important ways she is responding quite well and is a delight. 

The Humane Society called to find out how the fostering was coming and I told them it was not working out at all. The lady gasped and stammered till I told her that I had decided to adopt Chips instead. 

Oh yeah.  She is now officially mine.  Now all I have to do is take my vitamins and out live her. Somehow she and I were meant to be.

Now I need your help.  The name she came with is Chips which I am not wild about and she responds barely to it.  Do you think I should stay with it or do you have any ideas for a better name? I'd appreciate and will consider all suggestions.