Tag Archives: dog

I really can’t win

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All this happened before 10am

My friend Sara was slept over Friday night, because we were going to go to the Mermaid Parade on Saturday. Cool. We had a lazy evening of going to Trader Joe’s, watching TV and playing Scrabble against each other, on our phones, on the couch.

I woke up at about 6:30, took the dog for a walk. Got a text from my sister that she has taken up running, and can she come to my house. Strange, but okay. Sure. Warned her Sara was on my couch, fell back asleep.

I woke up at 9:45 to my mother’s phone call. Did I speak to my sister yet? No, she’s on her way. Oh, so she told you about Grandma?

What?

Mom says that Grandma, who received a pacemaker last week was taken to the hospital at 6am because she had congestive heart failure. She says this, and then I hear a commotion in the living room. I hang up with mom, and my sister is in the living room, in a strange running outfit and a handbag. Poor Sara and the dog have been startled.

Marisa confirms about Grandma and tells me that she’s taken up running because she ate too many appetizers the night before. Why? Because she was upset. Why was she upset? Because she was hit by a car while crossing the street. She’s okay, but she had a nasty bruise from going up on the hood.

Oh.

Okay. We all had a lovely day at the parade, injuries notwithstanding. Then I went with my sister to her friend’s house somewhere deep in Long Island. They invited Eva to come, because they have a giant back yard. YAY! I love getting to take Eva out. We get there, she takes a giant poop in their yard as a “hello” and then I toss a tennis ball around. She’s having a real blast. She never gets that much off-leash space.

I throw the ball for the fourth time. She runs to retrieve and … stops. And won’t put her foot back on the ground. She still hasn’t.

I live on the second floor of a walk-up.Me taking the dog up and down the stairs? Unpleasant for everyone.

I’ve packed her up and moved us to my mother’s ground floor apartment, and took her to the vet today. She most likely needs surgery. I’ll know more on Wednesday after an x-ray. Estimated cost? About 2k. And the recovery isn’t going to be pretty. Poor Eva.

To Recap

Since May 1st:

  • My dad had a serious heart attack and had bypass surgery
  • My dad died
  • My sister and I laid out over 10k for the funeral, plus all the other emergency travel expenses
  • My grandma needed a pacemaker
  • My grandma had a relapse of heart issues, is still in hospital
  • I had a bad cold (yes, I’m counting this, because I missed two days of work at my new job)
  • My sister got hit by a car
  • Frank left for Iceland (sure, it’s expected and not tragic, but it still sucks)
  • Had my first Father’s Day without my dad
  • My dog is hurt and needs surgery
  • My friend’s mom has cancer
  • My close friend had some heartbreaking medical stuff
  • Another close friend called off a wedding
  • Some real life “angry birds” have taken next in my front yard and dive bomb me whenever I try to leave the house. Seriously – they make contact and attack me and my lame dog

I’m dangerous to know. Seriously. And I’m very, very, very tired.

 

Need a home or foster for a dog ASAP

I was walking Eva this morning before work at about 6:30, and came across a dog hanging out in the condo with the nighttime security guard. She was super friendly. After bringing Eva upstairs (who isn’t dog-friendly), I learned that someone dumped the dog overnight.

I’ve been spending all morning trying to find a foster or home for this dog. I really, really, really don’t want to bring her to animal control, because that’s pretty much a death sentence.

Please, please, please help. I’ll drive her anywhere in the tri-state area. She is just an incredibly sweet, trusting dog and couldn’t be cuter. She’s currently at the vet (since I can’t bring her in my apartment because of Eva) but I only have until 7pm to figure out something to do with her.

I’m calling her Thora.

She’s about a year and a half. I gave her a rabies shot and she has no fleas.

She wagged her tail and licked everyone’s faces through the whole exam, shot and bath. She played well with the other dogs at the office, and even the office cat.

The people at the vet’s office think that her multiple bruises, cuts and scrapes are because she was thrown from a car. I can’t wrap my head around that one.

She’s not great on a leash, but at only 40 lbs., she’s certainly manageable. She’s REALLY skinny, but I think that even after she gains some weight, she won’t be that much bigger.

Help?

Life Lessons From My Dog Trainer

Back in November, we adopted Eva. She’s been an absolute joy, and is one of the sweetest, gentlest, laziest dogs I have ever known. Unless of course you have the audacity to be a delivery man, a jogger, another dog of absolutely any size, in any sort of radius to her or make the mortal sin of being a stranger who is either carrying a bag or not picking up your feet when you walk. Then she is an insane beast.  This will not do. We hired a dog behaviorist.

She is expensive. Really expensive. But, Eva is making a lot of progress. Random pedestrians can now pass by with no fear of losing a body part, and I’d say she walks at heel about 60% of the time. We still have a long way to go (especially in the “other dog” department) but I am really proud of her progress.  As expected, we realized that while Eva came with her own host of neuroses and ingrained bad-behavior, my own anxieties aren’t helping my pup. I should probably be in human therapy, but since this trainer is really, really expensive – I’m improvising.

Some of what I’ve learned:

  • Slow down and pay attention. Stop racing to keep up with the dog, or anything else. If you do things calmly and deliberately, they will be done well before you know it. Just slow down and breathe.
  • If you start off behind, you’ll spend your entire walk trying to catch up. Take the time and patience to make sure you are starting off on good footing, with all the tools you need. Otherwise, it’s just an unproductive race to keep up with the lead dog, and you will be dragged.
  • Don’t rely on treats. Food isn’t the only form of praise. Liver treats (and Girl Scout cookies) work in the short-term happiness, but for long term success there have to be other forms of praise.
  • Don’t be afraid to test the boundaries once you have the tools. Sure, I could just spend my walks turning around every time we see a person, dog or suspicious looking mailbox, but once you learn how to handle situations, you should try to confront them. Not recklessly, not without a game plan – but sometimes you have to walk towards the things that scare you.
  • Speak slowly and clearly. This one will help me on everything from presentations to calls with my Grandma.
  • When you’re anxious, everyone feels it. There’s only so much I can do to hide it. I really need to calm down and focus before my interactions with people and canine alike. Infusing situations with nervousness, fear and anxiety isn’t doing anyone any favors.

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