Getting To Know You.....

It's always fun to get to know a new dog, to discover the temperament and personality of the dog behind the initial impression. I'm enjoying my new girl, very much. As I was on my way back to the pound yesterday to get her, the name "Tansy" came into my head. "Eh," I thought, "we'll see." When I discovered she was full of "dreadlocks", Jamaica popped into my head. Then I remembered a friend and co-worker from... gosh, about 20 years ago already. She was Jamaican, and her name was Pansy. Tansy, Pansy, close enough for me! So yesterday I was calling my new girl Pansy. But it just doesn't sit right, and Tansy does. So now she's Tansy. Tansy T. Nannydog.

She's very gentle. And she loves kids. She enjoyed visiting with the tomato-snitcher and her little brother yesterday evening. This morning when I let her out, the tomato-snitcher came flying over to the fence. Tansy's head and tail both came up, her tail started to wag, and she ran right over to the fence and sat down to be petted. I love dogs that love kids! And it's going to be a strong asset in matching her with a good home.

She let me cut out some more mats today, I've gotten all the mats that ringed her neck around her collar. She's lots more comfortable. There are still some mats on her flanks and rear, but she's touchier about me messing with those so I'll just work on them a little bit at a time. I did manage to clip her front feet this afternoon; when I held her foot she yelped and tried to pull away but, when she realized I wasn't going to let go (I was just calmly but firmly holding her foot and waiting for her to settle down) she tucked her head under my arm and let me clip. That's got to feel better, too, I took off at least half an inch of nail and now her feet are flat on the floor, instead of having the toes twisted sideways by the long nails. I'll work on the rear feet tomorrow.

She moves pretty good for a fat girl. She really covers some ground when she trots, and she's graceful despite her bulk. She's very easygoing and inoffensive, and she's very well-behaved in the house. She's been loose in the house since this morning, except for half an hour when I fed her earlier, I think I probably won't even crate her at night after a week or so. (Maybe sooner. Might just move the Springer boy into Tansy's crate when I bring him home on Weds.)

Tonight, I discovered Tansy already knows how to sit when asked. I'll have to see what else she knows. She takes treats very gently, and does not resource guard - I was able to take a rawhide chip out of her mouth without the least sign of protest. I'll wait to place her, and I'll test her in different situations to be sure, but I'm thinking she could go to a home with even young children.

When I woke up this morning, I was lying on my left side and Ivy was tucked into the back of my knees. I just reached down and started petting her, she rolled onto her back and stretched while I skritched her tummy, then she curled back up and nudged my hand with her head, so I rubbed and massaged her head and ears for almost 5 minutes. She's such a funny little thing, most of the time she's really spooky and I have to sneak to pet her, but not this morning! Watch, she'll go back to being aloof now.

Irenie's enormous, and she's eating close to 3 cups of kitten food every day. I'm starting to think she's carrying a litter of Great Dane pups.

I'm a klutz. Thursday, I slipped on a plastic bag on the floor in the garage and ended up doing the splits. Nice to know I'm still flexible enough to do them, but a little stretch and warm-up first would have been nice. I pulled the muscles in my left thigh and my left hamstring, and overstretched the muscle in my right inner thigh. Probably because I was sore and moving a little stiffly yesterday, I tripped over the Springer boy when I was at the pound and went sprawling on the concrete floor. Banged my right knee, pulled my back. By last night I hurt so bad I couldn't sit comfortably, anywhere. I'm still sore today but it's dulled a little from yesterday and at least I'm not as stiff as I was last night. Another good night's sleep and I should be feeling lots better.

Yes, I'm going back to the pound on Wednesday to get Simon. The Springer/BC mix. (I don't know where 'Simon' came from, but that's his name.) When I get him cleaned up, I'll get some good pics of both him and Nellie and get bios of them off to BC rescue, who'll do a courtesy listing for them on their site. I'm also going to contact the local rescue group. I met one of their volunteers at the pound yesterday, same woman I met the day I pulled Nellie. I know she liked Tansy and wished she could have taken her. I'm hoping they'll be willing to do courtesy listings for me, too. I'll do an 8-1/2 X 11 ad with pic and "bio" for Tansy and post it on the tackboard at my mom's grocery store. I think she'll appeal to the population in that area, and I just feel that's where I'm going to find the right home for her.

You know who Tansy would be a really good match for? Bobbie. But I'm not going to ask her, and the logistics of a transport would be tough anyway.