April, 1999

Well, here is the latest development. This really does make sense. I am home all day since I was laid off and my girls are 9 years old. Now seemed to be a good time to adopt a new dog. Logic, other than stated, is for Sybil to train the new one to be as good as she is. So I adopted.

Greta (don't laugh) is supposed to be an Australian Shepherd mix (as is Sybil). I say supposed because she looks nothing like Sybil. She is about the size of Mandy, 31 pounds, Sybil is 70 pounds, although admittedly, overweight. Gray with black spots and she has a tail. The father must have been skunk. She was five years old, much older than I wanted, but when I found out that she had lived in the shelter all of her life since she was 6 weeks old, it was all over for me. Fortunately for both of us, the shelter had a 'no-kill' policy. She was just too homely for anyone to want. Homely to the point of being cute. I picked her up on Tuesday and drove her directly to the vet. Wednesday, she had a hysterectomy, and I picked her up on Thursday.

You know, you can do everything online, except find a job of course. I found Greta at Pets & Pals in Lathrop, just south of Stockton (a little over an hour from Sacramento). P & P has an agreement with vets in Stockton for discounts on spaying, so that is where she was. About $100 cheaper than here. Couldn't pick her up on Wednesday, because they closed at 2:00pm and they didn't think she would be ready to travel this far in a car by then. Also good, because I have 2 dogs and she would be feeling better by Thursday.

I picked Greta up on Thursday. You wouldn't have even suspected that she had just had a hysterectomy. She rides very well in the car. Could have easily gotten into the front seat (I have bucket seats), but she didn't. Just stuck her head through. She was the consummate tourist. Hardly lay down. Needed to see everything. Trees, cattle, cars- all these things she has never seen before.

I have one of those doggie doors in the sliding glass door. Spent most of Thursday trying to show her that she could do this by herself. I would put her out, and then she would stare into the house, wondering why I had done that, and then she would come back in riding on the coattails of one of the other dogs. She has finally figured out that she can come in on her own, now the more important part- learning how to go out.

Bad things:

Sybil belting out a lot of grrrrs. No attacks. This will dwindle. Greta thinks the best place to lay in the living room is the spot that has always belonged to Mandy. Greta has selected for her spot to sleep in the bedroom, the spot that has always belonged to Sybil. (These must be choice spots) Greta goes into the kitchen and bathrooms. My other ones don't. This probably won't change. When I got up this morning, she jumped up on the bed to smell where I had been. A little holler got her down.

Pretty short list, huh?

Good things:

No �in the house� accidents. She does seem to realize when she goes out, to go.

No fights.

She is sweet, and follows me absolutely everywhere, even a 3-step trip across the room.

Went out to dinner last night, and there were 3 live dogs when I got back and nothing chewed up.

She had her first bite of prime rib.

Mandy sleeps on the bed with me, but Greta stayed down, and we had a peaceful night.

Sybil and Mandy have relinquished their spots.

Update:

She has figured out how and when to go out. Wheeeeeeeee. Housebroken in 24 hours.

A few soft �no� s and she no longer goes into the bathrooms and kitchen.

She has relinquished the �choice spots� - Sybil and Mandy have their �spots� back.

She is really good, and smart. Can�t believe how easy she was to train- could have done by this myself instead of relying on Sybil.

Now, about her name. Greta came with her name. Sybil did too. These aren�t names I would have selected. I did name Mandy. Pretty, huh? Actually, her name is Amanda.

Well, this has certainly been the highlight of my year. Except that �three dogs� is one over my personal limit, but it is the right number for a cold night.