Our new Clara is fitting in wonderfully. She requires massive amounts of chewy things and treats and hugs and loves, and the remainder of the same falls on the shorter, lower heads of Harriet and Miss Idaho so I am a new superhero. Lala actually has to hand out small gold bars when she gets home now, just so they lick her fingers again.
I spent the afternoon making the sunporch into a Clara-proof room. This is after last night’s escape: The crate! Rachael didn’t latch the top latch right, because she has an IQ less than 197! Go, go, GO! I woke up, very sleepy, thinking that the cats were playing awfully loudly for cats, even for cats with extra toes. When I went out of the bedroom, I found Clara streaking by, naked, waving her top a-la-spring-break-in-Cabo, leaving poop in the hallway and Lala’s gnawed slipper on the couch. She’s a chewer. So the sunporch is now Chew Central. She has plastic furniture and thriftstore blankets which she LOVES to chew (all dogs were interested — must have been a doggy house — I considered washing them and then thought, Why?). The room is littered with bones and antlers and cute little starfish which must DIE!
Also, the internets are out here, so that’s where I am tonight. She’s snoring at my feet. I love her.
Also: You must go read Miss Doxie’s new children’s book about naughty dogs. It is to kvell. Go now. Mwah.
You are lucky. Clara must bei a wonderful dog!
Warm wishes
Astrid
don’t worry about your IQ – it’s just that Border Collies are geniuses (geniii?) I know quite a few JRT people that consider the Border the only dog on par. And that’s saying a lot from rabid Jack Russell fans.
Yay! New dog! She’s lovely!
It’s a good dog who makes you love her even when she streaks and chews and poops.
Hahahha! The mental image of streaking/pooping is so funny…
Get her good chew toys! I have a pit bull, so it’s all about the chew toys. I love pressed rawhides for her, and Nylabones, and Kongs (which you can stuff with all sorts of stuff to make them even more entertaining). There are at least a half dozen chew toys littering my floor at any one time… 🙂
Yay doggies!
Ha…As an owner of a Jack Russell Terrier, I completely concur with Debbie! BC’s are right up there as the “other” dog to keep full eyes on and are just as obsessed and smart about everything!
Kongs will save your life. Mix peanut butter and goodies and stuff it into the Kong, then put it in the freezer. Put that in her crate with her whenever you go to bed or leave the house.
Also, if you haven’t done so already, you should put the crate in the room with you when you sleep. Pack animals like to sleep together, and not being allowed to sleep within the vacinity of the pack is like “outcasting” them…and adds stress to an already “obsessive” breed.
Other than that…my best advice…MAKE SURE you find some outlets for her energies or your life will be hell. BC’s MUST have a job or they turn into one of the most destructive and frusterated dogs on the planet. Definitely run or take super long walks everyday. (If taking her running, make sure you bring water for her and start her slow so she can build up her pads for running on concrete, etc. Also remember dogs sweat through their pads so try to make sure its in the a.m. or p.m. if it is a hot day and you are on concrete—don’t want no puppies with heat stroke!)
I’m sure you know all of this though!
BTW…BC’s are excellent at flyball!!!! If you have flyball classes or teams around the area…you might want to check it out. My crazy Jack is a much happier dog from it, which of course makes our life happier too!
Good luck gals!
Thank you so much for the link to Miss Doxie. That story was hilarious! And good luck with Clara–she’s going to settle down just fine, really!
Adding a new family member is delightful, isn’t it? It makes up for all of the changes we have to make to accomodate them!
BTW, I just bought a new alarm clock that has a sound machine built in. Therefore I’ve got a free one here I’d be willing to send off to you.
I love Miss Doxie! Thanks for the link. Of course, our dogs are much more perfect than that.
Miss Clarabell is a beautiful dog! I have to say I’m jealous… the chewing and streaking and pooping is the stuff that good dog memories are made of. 🙂
Clara is very, very cute. Can you teach her to herd with the cool whistling and all? I’d pay to see that.
😉
Oh congrats on the new dog honey!!! She looks so great. I love border collies a lot– they are wicked smart though, so hide the car keys and wallet or she may just drive herself down to the store for some pork chops one day while you’re distracted. I love that photo essay of the hike, too. My dog is so jealous of your multi dog household… must be one big dog party every day.