Little Miss Cindy and Evil Squirrel...

 Miss Cindy decided she liked my boots much more than a boring old kong (even food filled), so to redirect her attentions I stopped in after work the second night to get her her own animal to kill and skin. When I brought it into the bedroom and let her out to investigate she wasn't quite sure about it. Especially when the evil Squirrel squeaked at her. She decided that under the bed was a MUCH safer spot.  After a few minutes, and no evil Squirrel squeak, she cautiously climbed out and onto my lap and decided to sniff the weird, fuzzy thing.  Not five minutes later, ignoring the occasional squeak, she was grabbing it and sliding across the floor on it and occasionally giving it what-for with a rowdy "bark!"  By the end of the night, Miss Cindy and evil Squirrel were best of friends, with Cindy dragging evil Squirrel to the couch and begging me with her puppy eyes to give them a lift up. Which I willingly did.  And after a few moments.... they nodded off to dreamland.

So here's what I've learned so far about Miss Cindy: She's VERY smart. And while she's not potty trained, she tries her hardest to let me know by sniffing that she's got to go potty, and when she's close enough to be able to get to it fast, she runs to her crate to go. Because of some unforeseeable conditions the outside potty training (which she was already starting to pick up on on the second day) had to be put on hold... but I think she'll do great at learning... all we need to do is pay attention to her cues...wild sniffing, a bit of whining...and remember that she's just a baby so she has to potty a lot more often than a grown up dog with their big old bladders.

She's also independent... She doesn't like to be rolled on her back, she's a bit of a wiggler when you pick her up, but when her feet are solidly on you she's fine.  She's not going to be a lap dog. Maybe a sit beside you on the couch and snuggle dog... She loves to be scratched under the chin, and on her chest, and when you're standing there brushing your teeth she'll sit down and rest her head on your feet. She's a lover, but not a clinger. Which I find charming.

She's a bit shy of new things, but then she's a baby. Everything's new. It doesn't take long for her to want to investigate. She even still wants to investigate Mr. B... who, in true cat fashion, ignores her.

In most cases when I call her she'll come right to me. She DOES love sitting under my jewelry box on top of a pile of my Converse, but even then, with a bit of a coaxing, she'll come.

She's obviously not trained to walk yet.... so I'm always prepared to keep my eyes down so I don't accidentally trip over her, but the fact that she'll come with me when I call her gives her a gold star. :)

And lastly, after her first night in her new crate, she's settled down, and doesn't mind being put in her "house". She'll settle down and snuggle onto the blanket and should I need to go get something, there isn't any urgent whining to get her out.  She'll look up, and if I open the door, she'll come out. And get smooches for being such a good girl.... :)

Cindy

02-21-2012. This is Cindy (I like her name...), who is just a little bit of a pup. According to the Anti Cruelty Society she's 1 month, 20 days old, and is a shepherd mix. She's a foxy blonde color, with a tiny bit of white on three of her paws, a little raindrop of white on her chest, and a bit also under her chin. On the tips of her ears, a bit under her chin, and on her tail  it darkens into a mixture of the all over color and black.

I just brought her home today. She's never been anywhere, really, but she was a brave little soul on the cab ride home. I brought her into the apartment, introduced her to the crate, with her little bed  fixed in and left her there for a bit before I brought her out so she'd know that it was a comfy place and she wasn't going to be left there forever. She did cry a bit, but I waited until she quieted down then got her out. I didn't want her thinking that the barking was what made me come open the door. After a bit of exploring with me close by, she wandered back into her little house (so I know she's not minding it...score!) before we went outside for a little bit, just in case she had to go potty.

Once in a while she'll give a little baby cry (but that's to be expected...after all... this is all new) but I think the first day she's passed like a champ. And now... she's passed OUT like a champ. Before we go to bed we're going to take another detour outside.