and we are battling the fear again...

Ever since I took Sunshine to her first Meet and Greet her fear of strangers and the hallway/lobby have gotten worse. She is horrible about getting her coat and leash on! She drops into dead weight and you have to try to lift/prop her up to her a coat on and haul her off the bed with the leash and physically haul her out of the door, down the hallways, through the lobby, etc. She's much better about coming back inside of course! Not sure if her thyroid meds are a bit off, but I raised them a bit to see if that would help and it hasn't. We also started using essential oils and that hasn't help with the issue either.

So today I made her face her fear and stand in the lobby with me for 30 minutes. I'm the worst Mommy ever! We had drooling, insane panting, shaking, whining, cowering, etc.  All while Rainy enjoyed extra ear rubs.  After 30 minutes she relaxed a little bit and we went back to the Apt where she crashed in an exhausted heap for a good sleep.

Ever time we went out for a potty walk today we went and hung out in the lobby for a bit after we got back. She got worse about waking up the hallway to the lobby but she got better about standing in the lobby. No more stress panting. So I guess we might be moving in the right direction.

Also discovered the front hook on her harness. Makes it perfect to yank her up the hallway. I hope with this no nonsense approach of hauling her up the hallway and into the lobby she will get better.

Tomorrow I think I'm going to feed both pups in the hallway to see if that will help Sunshine. Rainy will most likely have no problems eating out there so she will be good moral support.

We've also been playing easter egg hunt out int eh hallway where I slowly get her to creep out the door to get tossed treats before Rainy eats them all.

If anyone has any suggestions I welcome them! If it doesn't get better we might just have to put her back on daily anxiety medication.  I was trying to avoid that but I just want her to relax and be happy. Inside she's still a high energy crazy happy dog who doesn't walk anywhere.... She bounces! No issues with us or inside the Apt just the scary world outside.

Oh and I used a squawker to get her to come to the door for coat/leash up time. Mommy can be smart too!


Sunshine sleeping in a sunbeam


Rainy laying on the wet freshly shampooed rugs


Sunshine trying to help me put away laundry. It's so tiring as you can see...


I vant to suck your blood!


Having Mom and Dad work from home today is exhausting! everyone has to nap after emptying the toy box


Rainy wants to know why it's so cold outside


Sunshine says we need a bigger couch! So comfy


Their pretty leather collars came in the mail! These will be great for meet and greets!









And my word of wisdom for today!

If you feed your dogs raw you should always supervise feeding time and make sure they eat it all right then! We've been finding rotting chicken all over the place today... Hidden in our covers on OUR bed, hidden in the crate, hidden in the couch, hidden in the other crate... Compliments of Miss Sunshine! oh yes it has been fun! Rainy sniffs the pieces out but has no interest in the chicken, which forces Sunshine to find a new hiding spot which is when we are able to grab the pieces


This is what blankets look like with stinky chicken in them

Here in this house...

Here in this house... I will never know the loneliness I hear in the barks
of the other dogs 'out there'. I can sleep soundly, assured that when I
wake my world will not have changed. I will never know hunger, or the fear of
not knowing if I'll eat. I will not shiver in the cold, or grow weary from
the heat. I will feel the sun's heat, and the rain's coolness, and be
allowed to smell all that can reach my nose. My fur will shine, and never
be dirty or matted.

Here in this house... There will be an effort to communicate with
me on my level. I will be talked to and, even if I don't understand, I
can enjoy the warmth of the words. I will be given a name so that I
may know who I am among many. My name will be used in joy, and I will
love the sound of it!

Here in this house... I will never be a substitute for anything I am
not. I will never be used to improve peoples' images of themselves. I
will be loved because I am who I am, not someone's idea of who I
should be. I will never suffer for someone's anger, impatience, or
stupidity. I will be taught all the things I need to know to be loved
by all. If I do not learn my lessons well, they will look to my
teacher for blame.

Here in this house... I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch...
knowing that, no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me.
If I am ill, I will be doctored. If scared, I will be calmed. If sad,
I will be cheered. No matter what I look like, I will be considered
beautiful and known to be of value. I will never be cast out because
I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not cute enough. My life is a responsibility, and not an afterthought.

Here in this house... I will belong. I will be home.

Lovely pics galore

Sunshine here again! Thought I would OD everyone of pics today


Me being exhausted


Rainy thinking that is she lays still enough Mommy won't want her side of the bed back


We loff the bed!


Me after my dog park run last weekend. Boy was I cold and tired. Talk about frozen paws!


I had run until I could run no more....


Daddy making Rainy roll over to get her belly rubs. Apparently the first bloody nose didn't teach Daddy any lessons and Rainy must have been feeling nice that day.


Our two butts kind of making a heart


It sooooo boring now with Rainy hurt that I sleep a lot




I had tasty stuff on my back and Rainy nicely cleaned it off me!


Sleepy Rainy


She even let me use her as a pillow without too much growling....


Rainy has a bendy nose


Here's ma belly!


Dad takes such embarrassing pictures of me


Sometimes it's hard to sleep with the lights on


Excuse me! That flashy box does NOT help things


Me being SUPER brave and staying on the couch with Sam!!! I got extra cookies for that.


I even squeezed myself in here w/o Rainy biting me! She sure does snarl a lot... I have no idea what her problem is!


Some days it's so hard to stay on the sofa


You can push me off the sofa, but I'm still NOT getting up to go for a walk! It's too cold out there...

I almost forgot about the emergency! We ran out of venison bones! HELP QUICK! I didn't really like to chew on raw bones when I first got here but they are so much yummier than piggie ears and raw hides! We have become WILD FEROCIOUS BEASTIE dogs so the below videos are not for the faint of heart...


Rainy eating the last of the bones


I have NO idea why they lock us out of the bedroom when we have bones... I only tried to bury the bloody bones in the covers a few times. Who doesn't want their bed to smell like venison? The best smell in the world! Hope Mom doesn't watch this quilt anytime soon.... I love my sofa.....

We gots new collars!

Yiipppee! New collars and leashes and all sorts of fun stuff. Honestly all I really care about is my supper, but Mom is all excited about the collars.  I have a pretty new pink collar and Rainy has a pretty new purple one.

Rainy's foot is getting better slowly... She even got to go visit our neighbor a few days ago with Daddy! I was so sad all alone at home. I stared at the door, and cried and stared some more hoping my mind powers would make them come right back. Then I got a greenie! Yum! I ran back into my crate to eat  that really quick then stared at the door some more.  Finally I got really sleep and mad! How dare Daddy just take Rainy somewhere! I'm doing better with strangers I should be allowed to go too! Off I stomped to the bedroom and I laid on the big bed until they got back home.  I didn't even go to the door to see them. Daddy knew I was mad! He needed BRING me a milkbone to make it all better. Then I ate it and got crumbs all over his side of the bed.

I started taking these essential oils to help me with the scary strangers and I think they might be working.  I'm hoping Rainy feels all better soon so we can start going to the park again....

My pretty new collar


Rainy's pretty collar


Us playing in the snow about a month ago


Wheeeeee.....