When I went to the pet supply store yesterday with Anastasia to pick up dog food, I got a new squirrel toy for Mercy. I've seen it in catalogs, and it just happened that they have it at the store yesterday. I thought Mercy might like it because it's got everything she likes: the shaggy tail, the lambswool stomach, and the squeaker inside. Mercy chewed on the tail for several minutes, and she likes the squeaker too, but I think at the end she still likes the IQube balls better, because they are easier for her to make them squeak.
I tried to get Mercy on the dog walk again. She walked the entire length, but I think she's not sure why she has to walk the dog walk, so she a little reluctant to do it. Since I stopped mixing her dry food with canned food about a week ago, she's been eating dry food mixed with warm water. I leave the dry food out all day, but she eats when I mix it with warm water. When she first came, I have a feeling that she had never walked on stairs before, because she was a little hesitant about going up the stairs. But she was okay by the second day. Chris later confirmed that by saying when both Mercy and Hope were at her apartment, they didn�t want to walk up the stairs to the bathroom when she was going to give them a bath. But when Callie, Chris� Springer, ran up the stairs, Mercy and Hope followed her. They were a little awkward coming down, but Chris kept telling them that they were doing good and urged them on. We met a male English Bulldog (don't think he's neutered) when we were out on potty break. Mercy just stood there and let the other dog sniff all over her. Chris mentioned that Mercy was possessive of her pig ear treat when she was with Chris' female Springer. But I have a feeling that Mercy is submissive toward most male dogs, and dominate over most female dogs.
Thursday, September 18, 2004
I just used the electric clipper to groom Mercy's feet and neck this morning. She was a little uneasy a couple times, but after I reassured her, she just lied back down and let me clip her. I didn't try clip the hair on her face that time, but I'll do it later to get her more used to it. I don't think she will ever feel completely comfortable with clipper near her face, but I think I can get her to tolerate it. But her adoptive parents might need to be more selective about the groomer they use for Mercy. We wouldn't want somebody to strike her if they get irritated if she freaks out again. Right after I vacuumed the carpet and dumped the dust balls into the trashcan, Mercy came right over and pulled it out! Such a puppy, playing with dust balls.
Since I stopped her vitamin C and probioti supplements (which has cranberry juice in it), now I am able to take her out potty every four hours. Seems like she can hold it longer now. I'll try every five hours next week. So it was probably my fault that she couldn't hold it for more than two hours at a time before. When Dudley was here, he would stretch both his front and hind legs when he sits in a position for too long (he was later diagnosed with very mild hip dysplasia). Mercy only does it with her front legs, and her "wrist" cracks when I bend them. I think when she gets older (like 8 or 9), she might start having arthritis symptoms with her front legs. Right now I'm giving her glucosamine supplements as preventative.
Mercy still likes her crate. She doesn't go in there by herself, but when I have to go to school and point to the crate and tell her "Crate", then she goes in there by herself. But if she doesn't like the bedding inside the crate, then she doesn't go in by herself.
Friday, September 17, 2004
We have no electricity since 4 PM yesterday because of Hurricane Ivan, but this morning I got really bored so I decided to take Mercy and Anastasia out with me. The sun is out, and they are fixing the power lines, so hopefully we'll have the cold fridge back by the time we go back to the apartment.
Mercy slept through most of the power outage. Actually the most difficult thing about the storm is taking Mercy out potty. I was afraid that flying debris would hit us, and last night it was pitch black outside, so I had to take the flashlight with me even when we are outside. Also there were two tornado warnings on Thursday morning, and I grabbed both of them and we stayed in the hallway for about fifteen minutes. Both of them behaved very well even though three of us are cramped into the hallway. Without electricity last night, I couldn't heat warm water for Mercy's dinner. So I thought, if I wait until 9 PM to give her dinner (I usually feed her at 7 AM and 7 PM), then she would be hungry enough that she would eat it with cold water. Well, at 7:30 PM, she went over to the feeder and ate the dry food just as is. So since last night, I only put food (dry food only, not mixed with anything else) out during her meal times. This morning she was walking around the apartment, and walked on the dog walk all by herself, for no reason at all. So I think if her adoptive parents want, Mercy probably would do well in agility classes. She's very curious and loves food, and has tons of energy. An agility athelet in the making.
Mercy went into her crate by herself and slept there for about 30 seconds. Mercy would sometimes go in there and sniff around. When I put the crate in the bedroom after she was potty trained, she got a little anxious and kept going back there to sniff it. So the crate is now back in the living room. I think she still sees the crate as her shelter when needed, although she doesn't use it much now. So it would be nice if her new family would have a crate for her to go in there whenever she want, not to lock her there for several hours a day of course.