Getting Down to Elsa’s Level

Elsa is beginning to love and trust, but it’s a long haul.

As difficult as it is, I now aim for the floor to meet her on her own level. Elsa is our little rescue dog who has been with us for three months. 

Getting up from the floor is the challenge of course but Big Foot (swollen foot that is now Slim Foot) is allowing weight bearing moves!

At first Elsa seemed confused and suspicious when I hit the carpet but she decided in two days it might be acceptable (if not alarmingly odd) human behavior.

She comes closer now when I am down there, close enough for a belly rub but not quite near enough for a hug.

We are making slow but positive progress.

Yesterday while Elsa and I were connecting on the floor,

the looming shadow of a man-person emerged. 

Gentle Bill wanted to join the party too and was on his way down.

Immediately alarmed, Elsa gave a mighty jump and hit her head on the coffee table. Then she crouched nearby in a terror pose.

She finally realized we humans were down there for family love and noone wanted to hurt her.

She inched closer, sat between us, and rolled over for double belly rubs.

This is true progress because Elsa cringes when we try to pat her head and shows unmistakable signs of previous abuse.

For now,  with patience and gentle handling,

Elsa is beginning to love and trust, but it’s a long haul.

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Mighty Dog in Charge

It has been almost four months since we adopted Elsa the Great, the little rescue dog who shivered and shook en route home and who is still frightened of strangers and strange noises or quick movements.

In spite of being a cowardly little girl dog, she exhibits signs of mighty-ness, especially when she succeeds in training her new caretakers.

Elsa has learned many things.

BEGGING WITH BIG EYES REAPS REWARDS

We vowed we would never feed her from the table.  Like most New Year’s resolutions, there are now infractions.  But Elsa’s on the chubby side so it’s mini dog treats (only 5 calories each) for her.  And we even break those in half.  But she’s still getting noticeably rounder.  Could it be the little extra bits we give her for being good, for being cute, for just being Elsa?

ELSA IS COOPERATIVE AND WILL COME WHEN CALLED  (IF THERE IS NO OTHER DISTRACTION)

It snowed one night and she loves to eat snow.

Else loves to eat period.

And if she is released into our little fenced yard (for business purposes), she will stroll around devouring snow and ignore all calls to “Hurry Up!”  “Do your business!”  “O.K.  COME!”

WHOOPIE!  LOOK AT MEEEEE!!!!

The sweetest moments are when she gets the “Zoomies.”  Evidently that is when a pup is extremely happy, excited and feeling just – well, WONDERFUL!

It happens when she comes in from a walk and is suddenly thrilled to know we are both on site, and again when we return from the outside world and she has been alone for even an hour, or even when she has had a long drink of water.

She literally tears around the house aiming for a collision with first Bill, then me then back and around the house again and again.  It is a grand show of enormous energy and leaves us laughing at each display of unbridled joy.

KEEP ‘EM WORKING!

I am thinking of starting a new business selling pillow stuffing!

I never thought about it but Elsa has turned out to be a SHEDDER!  And I mean a MEGA-SHEDDER.

In a day or two I can see hairs floating before my eyes.  And she sheds multi colors since she is a tri-colored dog to begin with.  She’s a combination of black, white and beige/brown.  Take your pick!

Life with a mega shedder takes on a whole new meaning.  It means more exercise for me (good for Big Foot?) with more vacuuming and dusting and cleaning and brushing.

Elsa is now family.

We love her but

we are all still “in training.”

 

 

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Mighty Dog Wishes, by Elsa, the Little Dog Who Wanted to and Could

Elsa the little Dog, has been with us almost a month now.

She is learning to live in a strange environment, is eager to please, finds joy in having a home and hearth to call her own, and loves it that food is only as far away as the nearest human hand.

What more could a a little dog want?

Well, since you asked,says she,

 “I WANT THIS PLACE FOR MYSELF!

Elsa will bark to a deafening screech at strangers, cars, or unusual sounds.  She even barks at Bill as he emerges from another room.

She never barks at me however.  I am the Self Proclaimed Ruler of the Kingdom.

LET ME SLEEP PERCHANCE TO DREAM

Elsa sleeps quietly all night in her new Serta Mattress Bed for Dogs and she never leaves it until morning.

BUT she is territorial over that bed.  Don’t touch it, move it or try to sleep in it.  She is the gatekeeper.  Serta should hire Elsa for advertising purposes.

OMG THE FOOD HERE IS FIT FOR THE DOGSGODS – MORE PLEASE!

Elsa loves to eat.  We also trainbribe her with mini dog biscuits and we even heat her wet food to add flavor and aroma to her kibble.  Her appetite knows no limits.

AND LET ME RUN FREE

Bill decided to give Elsa a “ride in the car” as a treat but when he opened the door, she bolted.  What followed was a hunt for a little dog in a great big tourist resort (the Natural Bridge of Virginia).

Bill got lots of exercise chasing her up and down hills and finally, with the help of two State Park Lady Attendants, Elsa was seemingly happy to be retrieved.”

Stay tuned for more on Mighty Dog Wishes Fulfilled, by Elsa, the Little Dog Who Wanted to and Could.

 

 

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