Wednesday, August 20, 2014

A Rough Day and Saying Goodbye to Georgie

For the past few weeks, I have been attempting to keep up a blogging schedule that includes two posts a week, one on Monday and one on Friday. Typically I accomplish this by taking a chunk of my Sunday and devoting it to writing and editing blog posts, which I then schedule to automatically post. You may have noticed that I didn't make my goal this week, and Monday was left without a blog post. Here is why:

Sunday was actually a pretty great day. We spent most of the afternoon working with my mare, Krystal. It wasn't really work, though; it was fun! A friend who is currently studying to be a vet and horse trainer (using the amazing Parelli method) came over and taught us how to do a lot of ground work. (After just a few days of learning ground work games from Katelyn, I am sold on the idea that a relationship on the ground leads to a better relationship in the saddle.) 

I was planning to write this week's blog posts after working with Krystal, but it didn't work out that way. Instead, we came inside to find that our new dog Georgie, who you may remember from my previous post, and my Pomeranian Lucky had gotten into a fight. Although we didn't witness it, I am almost certain that Lucky, aka Queen Bee, started the fight. What we think probably happened is that Georgie went to the kitchen to drink water, Lucky growled at her, and Georgie decided she wasn't going to be low dog on the totem pole anymore. As my mom said, Lucky wrote a check her body couldn't cash. Even though they weigh almost the same, Georgie is a Boston Terrier mix and has a bigger jaw and more muscular build than Lucky. Thankfully Lucky did indeed have some luck on her side. We took her to the emergency vet and found out that all of her wounds were superficial. She has been very sore, but nothing was damaged internally and no bones were dislocated or broken. She is on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine and will eventually be back to normal.


Unfortunately, we now have to find Georgie a new home. We have all grown attached to her, but after this fight it is not worth the risk of keeping her. Lucky is far too stupid...I mean, stubborn...to learn her lesson and stop trying to be the boss. That means that Georgie is having to spend way too much time in her kennel. I'm afraid to even leave the room with both of them out in the house, much less go outside or anything else. And Georgie is such a quiet dog that it would be too easy to forget to put her back in the kennel when we leave. Although it will be sad for us to say goodbye, Georgie has to move on. The current situation is not fair to Georgie or safe for Lucky. Below is Georgie's info:


Georgie, pictured above, is approximately 2-4 years old, probably closer to 2. She has been fully vetted and is spayed. She is also housebroken and kennel trained. She is a Boston Terrier mix. The story of how she came to live with us is here. She weighs about 11 lbs and is not much bigger than our Pomeranians, but is more muscular and lithe. She is very quiet, and I have never actually heard her bark. 

Georgie is extremely shy and timid. She is terrified of thunderstorms and afraid of men. When she is anxious, she chews and licks at her skin, particularly her paws and under her legs/stomach. We believe she may have been abused by a man at some point. It took weeks for her to become trusting of my mother and I, and she still does not trust my dad, so do not expect an immediate bond. However, when she does become comfortable with you, she is incredibly sweet. She will greet you at the door with love and excitement. When she is feeling insecure, she will hide in a corner or under furniture. When it storms, she will be trying to bury herself under your arm. She also will not eat or drink when feeling anxious, so it is best to provide her with a private space for meals and water.

Georgie needs a home with no children, and a home with an older woman would be ideal. She is a runner, which is how we found her, so she must be walked on a leash or in a securely fenced area. She gets along with cats and other dogs, however, she needs a home without a domineering dog. If you have a dominant female dog that feels the need to boss others around, Georgie would not be a good fit. 

Please contact me if you or someone you know could give a loving, permanent home for Georgie. With patience and kindness, she will be a wonderful little dog for someone. There is no re-homing fee, but we will be conducting interviews to be sure the new home is a good fit. Georgie is a quirky dog and needs a particular type of home to do well. Even if you don't live locally, we may be able to work out transport for the right furever home.

Cheers

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