Dear 5(?) fans of Snarkypants-land,
As usual, I’m here trying to excuse my absence but the truth is, every time I come to write something, nothing comes out. I’ve started three posts in the last few weeks and sit in front of a blank screen trying to decide what to say.
I’m as tired of hearing myself whine as you all are. It’s a lot worse inside my head, let me tell ya.
So, I’m going to focus on the good (for this post, don’t get all excited about it being permanent, mmkay?) and see where it takes me.
PJ: Dog of Love and Pajamas
She’s also terribly undisciplined and both headstrong AND submissive at the same time. (I don’t know how that works in her own mind, truly.) I’m not (totally) sorry we got her but I did not really understand nor did I want the amount of work it’s taking to help her do well. She gets carsick so every drive to Camp Melissa is an adventure. She snarfs her food like it’s going out of style and while she’s (thankfully) not mean about it, she does tend to horn in on Brogan’s portion and he’s already a picky eater as it is. Yet, it’s the warmth of her eyes and the feel of her full body against me when she snuggles with me that makes all that worthwhile(ish).
As an aside: Duty and I surely would have been divorced if we had a child because our parenting styles are beyond different. I lack the discipline gene that he has in spades and our child would have been torn between ‘pushover mom’ and ‘discipline dad’. There is no winning that game at all for any of us. Best we have dogs and I learn how to be more disciplined in a way that won’t send anyone to therapy years later.
Anyway, it’s been an adventure bringing a new energy into our pack but as the days go by she fits in a bit better. What with the horrendous car fears/motion sickness issues and the one time we put her in a crate away from Brogan and went out, she just about lost her shit, it’s been interesting. Still, not dealbreakers.
Happy Happy Joy Joy! My pilot course on teaching others how to do good, useful intuitive readings filled right up! I was so damn happy! I feel I’ve found a bit of my sweet spot with getting back on track focusing on spirit guide work and this is just more reassurance that it’s totally the case. All good things going on at PI.
Mother’s day was nice – I got twisty swirl ice cream from Duty (I asked him to fetch it and he did!), cards and a ride on my bike to the water for some peace. Lovely day, all the way around.
With three wiener dogs in the house I have two finicky eaters and one scarf-fer. You would think I never feed spike as he snorfs down his food and then watches to see if you are watching or if he can snarf some of the others too. We stopped this by feeding all three at one time – each gets their own bowl, we then give them 15 minutes to eat, if not really interested we lift the bowl until the next meal, but thru learning they all eat in the alotted time. we will also stay in the kitchen until the time is up – having a drink, cooking… but paying attention so spike “my little pig man” doesn’t get the chance to attempt a scarf-down. We haven’t had an issue since – and we feed twice (9 & 5) a day so no one goes hungry long – if they won’t eat in the morning they will at night…
Spike still likes to be alpha in the trio, it shows thru different things he does.. and this is fine as long as he remembers I am his alpha. To do this I make sure if dealing with issues I have a firm low voice, and if in trouble I bear my teeth too.
I don’t know dogs as well as I do cats, but isn’t it possible that the mealtime to-do is really between the pups and you and Duty don’t have a part in it at all? Sounds like she might be trying to alpha Brogan and he’s letting her. What would happen if you just let it unfold between the two of them? Brogan won’t starve. Sometimes I think we humans complicate the relations between our pets.
I admire how honest you are about your motive for getting her. And I completely get it. I am good with animals and feel I should have a houseful (some would say that 3 cats in a 2BR condo is a houseful) because it’ a gift I have. But to be honest, I got Reynaldo FOR Charlotte and Joey. I didn’t really want him. I had no burning desire to rescue a living thing and give it a forever home. I didn’t fall in love with him on the spot. My beloved cat Billy just died, I was working a lot, and Charlotte and Joey (never fond of one another) had lost their hub. I have certainly given Reynaldo security and safety and affection and care — he’s such a behavior problem that I doubt another owner would still have him. But it did take me a while to come to love him.