Our First Days With Miss A

Angel is so photogenic! I just love following her around and taking her picture. She's getting used to my "paparazzi" ways, and i'm pretty sure she poses for me now! This picture was taken one day when the girls (Natalie, 14 and Serena 12) were out playing guitar and singing in the backyard. Angel curled up in the grass and went to sleep! It was so sweet. She really is the cutest dog ever, right?? Of course she is. You know it! She gets constant attention here. Serena told me just a bit ago that she thinks Angel gets more attention than she does! So, I had to go over and ruffle her pretty brown curls and baby talk "ooh, you're just soooo cute, oh yes you are, sweet girl" Yeah, she's over it now! When Angel came, it had been almost a year since we lost our beloved pooch, Sophie, a 15 year old sweet Bearded Collie mix. (a rescue, of course!) Our hearts were broken, and we weren't sure we could handle going through it all over again. It was my husband Steve who said what would ultimately change my mind. He was the one who had to take her to the vet and say goodbye, and I knew his heart was broken just as much as mine. He was the one who had initially driven her home from the shelter and she sat on his lap the entire ride home. They were fast and best friends from day one. To have to let her go was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. But he looked at me that day and said, "I would live this week all over again just to have that kind of love all over again." And so came Angel. When she first came in the door, I was smitten with her cuteness, especially her beautiful soulful eyes. However, when her first interaction with us was a growl (and a pretty scary one at that!), I wasn't sure what to think. Would we win her over? Were we the best family for her? Would she stop growling and running away from us? It was so hard, but mostly we felt for her. Knowing her "mom" had just left her, with one of her puppies, no less! I was nearly in tears myself, and Angel wouldn't let me near her to console her. Finally I laid on the floor of the living room and slowly but surely, she approached me cautiously, but curiously. I spoke softly to her, "it's okay, baby." Finally she curled up beside me and went to sleep! I thought, "wow, I've really got the touch!" Until I got up to leave the room and when I came back, she growled and barked ferociously at me all over again. And so we started over. I picked her up and laid on the couch with her and she went to sleep with me stroking her head. She then would let the girls hold her and pet her. I thought the battle was won! And then there was Steve. Steve, her new daddy, whom she did not like at all! He's such a marshmallow, my husband, the favorite of babies and puppies alike! It was a bit of a letdown to be dissed by her, considering he picked Angel out! He was patient, though, claiming it didn't bother him and that he would wait for her to get used to him in her own time. I, however, knew it had to be bugging him. After all, he was looking to bond with a new dog too. That first night she seemed to bond with him. He stayed up until 1:30 in the morning, holding her and rubbing her belly. All of the sudden, she jumped from the couch, ran to the door and started whining. She remembered Nancy leaving her. It was so sad. She wouldn't let Steve near her, and so he came to bed, letting Angel go wherever she felt comfortable. We're still not sure where she slept that night. Probably in one of the chairs, since that's where she sat barking ferociously the next morning! That next day was a Friday and Angel helped me take the kids to school. She loved the ride in the car and sat on my lap nearly the whole time. Score! When we got back, I pretty much devoted a whole day to bonding with her. She would crawl up on my lap and sit for hours. We went through lots of treats! Lots of kisses and belly rubs, as I quickly learned that once she accepts you, she gives you her belly!! Yay, belly! As the girls and I bonded more and more with Angel, it became clear that she really was becoming really happy and settled here. So I knew I needed to help her with her relationship with the Alpha Male! Each day when Steve walked in the door, she wanted to rip his head off. Instead, I picked her up, placed her in his arms and he spent time talking softly to her and giving her treats. In fact, I used to tape the treat bag to the door so he could have it in his hand when he walked in! Whatever works, right? Long story short (ahem, oops), they are now on almost best buds terms! She no longer barks or growls at him, and she approaches him now instead of him always going to her! She sleeps between us each night and he takes her out first thing in the morning. It's all good, really. Just a long process. I've learned to just love her and help her to adjust. We have some stranger issues and I'll be talking about that next time. I've gone on way long enough!! a Sweet Dreams!