AN UPDATE FOR FRIENDS OF RUBY, A.K.A."Little Ruby Hoobie-Doobie"

I noticed, after the Traveling Getaway Gang's recent visit, that Ruby had decided that her corner is no longer enough. Obsessively defensive about the corner, snappy mean to Faulkner, whining when he's out getting attention from people like Leadfingers, and sleeping too much for a dog of her age.

Option A: She's got a screw loosened by age; time to go to for the Big Sleep before she hurts someone or gets Faulkner so riled he hurts her, especially when we are not at home.

Option B: She's jealous enough to be willing to change.

Option B it was, to everyone's relief.

So we've been working with her again (as we have many, many times in the past). Techniques that were to no avail, earlier in her life, suddenly work. And I'm only a few months behind her trying to show us.

She's up to two hours of nearly calm, continuous presence in the living room, now. I have to keep the connecting door shut or she's gone, running to the familiar corner in 10 minutes. But Faulkner and Atticus (our entirely unflappable cat) are making a fine pack to show her how to chill out.

This could not have happened till Faulkner decided the living room is HIS domain (as are we two humans), but she's becoming a DOG, at last.

It's gone amazingly easily now that she is motivated. The Pack effect is entirely responsible-- no work really unless I am trying to move about and do chores (which sets her off). The first week was the only rough one-- constantly telling her to sit, and enforcing it. Now she's caught the idea and can copy Faulkner, who is extraordinarily sensitive to whatever tone I set. If I am chilled out, especially under a blanket, the Atticus and Faulkner follow suit. Ruby tries to get Faulkner into her crazy bouncing around, but he ignores her; soon she goes to sit next to him and eventually lies down to enjoy just BEING in a pool of sunshine.

Ruby also is no longer paralyzingly fearful when a cat is present, thanks to Atticus' complete calm when she's encountered him unexpectedly, and thanks to witnessing Faulkner nosing him about with no painful response. BUT-- she can remember not to jump all over ME when Atticus is on my lap, and she is learning, because he has slowed her down enough TO learn, that even when he is not there, 50 lbs. of insistent Dalmation is NOT wanted under my chin.

Ruby's young enough that given good health, she can look forward to a long and happy second life.

We've also expanded their corner in the kitchen, mainly out of the need to winterize to an extreme, this year. Yesterday, Hardi enclosed their approximately 4' square, covered porch, leaving an opening the size of a large doghouse entrance in the leeward wall and closing off the north wind and the howling west wind. It doubles their corner space when the exterior door is left open, as it is left for 9 months of the year. Their water bucket can now be out in the new space, making much more room in the shared corner.

The enclosure converts what had been a sunning platform, into the upper floor of a doggie townhouse, since they also enjoy going under the tall porch on hot or rainy days. But the enclosure means that now they can be left outside when we go off all day, except for the coldest days, and get entirely out of the rain, wind, and snow without our leaving their outer door tied open with the wind whistling in.

This space also provides shelter for any stray dog I take off the road. These are usually held here for a day or two till the owner can be located (with the county dog warden's happy cooperation). Faulkner and Ruby are always quite happy to host these visiting dogs-- go figure-- but I do need to separate them overnight or if we step out.

Still to come in the enclosed space-- openings for glass so they (and we) continue to get the wonderful west and south sunlight we all need. I'll add a walk-off mat as well, and this should greatly reduce the mud/dust tracking in with the dogs (and blowing in from the adjoining dirt road).

We thought we were just winterizing, but now that it's up, it's so much more. No more flashing my skimpy jammies at morning motorists when I fill up the water bucket?!?

Power to the Pack!

~Susan