3/14/06 - Just wanted to send you a few recent photos of Dolly.  She's doing great. Our two other dogs have started cozying up to her a bit now.  Our Weim has decided that it's his job to "groom" her and loves to lick her face and head all the time... she just closes her eyes, lays her head back and lets him go at it (until she's had enough... then she grumbles at him and he knows to quit, she's definitely become top dog in her own quiet way around here). She has decided that she just doesn't want to go up and down our steep stairway anymore either, so she stays on the first floor... she's definitely a stubborn bully at times.. if she doesn't want to do something she just sits down and that's that (and with the extra almost 10 lbs. she's put on we don't argue with her... she's "large and in charge" :) ). We've really only had one adjustment issue with her... she just hates it when our 4 yr. old son gets too animated or worked up.  I think she thinks something's wrong with him (he can be very dramatic when he's upset... lots of tears and wailing.. comes with the age)... it really gets her agitated.  My guess is that she thinks someone who's making that much noise must be hurt and she just can't stand it.  I don't think she doesn't like him because when he's calm she sits by him calmly,  but I think it's a protection instinct or something to go to him and try to stop him when he's upset.  She gets up on him and she's very excited and upset (feeds off his energy).  We just keep reassuring her and trying to teach our son to be calmer around her.  She's been doing better lately and as he's getting older he gets calmer, so I think it will resolve itself.  She's such a great dog... so affectionate and sweet (as you know).  She's really become part of the family in such a short time.. we love her!

 

11/13/05 -Just wanted to give you an update on how well Dolly is doing...

She has really settled into the routine here.  Other than chasing our cats and two small pee accidents early on, we haven't had any real problems.  We're trying to work with her about the cats... they're terrified to come downstairs because she waits there to chase them back up. :)  No big deal, we'll keep working on that.  She is so cute when we come back from being out... she literally tries to climb up our bodies to kiss us!   She's happiest when one of us sits on the floor and she lays on our laps with her arms around us and her head on our chests.  She's got us wrapped around her "paw"... we sit for hours holding her.  We just adore her!  We're working on her about her manners... especially when it comes to getting treats... she's kind of exuberant about getting them and can inadvertantly get your whole hand in her mouth in her eagerness to get a treat.  She's doing well with sitting and waiting and starting to learn that we want her to take it gently.  We took her to our vet on Thursday to get her staples removed and get a check up (just so our vet would have a baseline for her).  Her incision healed nicely.  The vet just adored her too... they couldn't get over the fact that she laid on the table with her paws in the air and snored through her staple removal!  She said she'd never had a dog do that in all her years as a vet! :)  Interestingly, you were right Tina, the vet placed her age somewhere between 5 - 8 years old (we didn't tell her how old they thought she was until after she evaluated her... she said "no way is she 10"). She thinks the condition of her teeth is just due to lack of nutrition and having had a hard life. She wants us to put another five pounds on her  - she weighed 48 lbs - you did such a great job fattening her up already.  We've been putting Vaseline on her nose and you can't believe how much better it's starting to look.  She also told us that she only has partial vision in both eyes.  The right eye only peripheral and the left only central.  She said it shouldn't be a problem for her.  So, everything looks good physically for her.  We were happy to hear that we will probably have more years with her than we thought too. She's really settling in well.  The other dogs have stopped being upset by her presence... I was sitting on the floor the other day with her on my lap and Tristan (our Weim) laid down beside me.  I had to get up for something and when I came back Dolly had her head on his back and they were both sound asleep.  I think she's winning them over.  She also seems to like going outside more now. at first she just went out, did her business, and hurried back inside.  The other day we were all outside and she was running, top speed, with the other dogs. She can really fly around for just a mellow dog... it was so funny to watch... ears laid back, tongue flapping.  She looked so joyful!

Well, I think that's all for now.  We just want to thank you for taking such good care of her and for allowing us to adopt her... we love her immensely already, and I can tell that she loves us too and seems quite happy. 

Hope all is well with you.    Take care.   Cherie