Special Powers
I think it’s amazing how dogs can pick up when their owners are stressed, sick, or upset. I found out that I had Strep Sunday and was feeling horrible. On both Monday and Tuesday I could barely get out of bed to take Sheila outside. Instead of being annoyed that she wasn’t going on her normal walks or getting all the attention that she normally does, Sheila stayed perfectly quiet and slept by my bedside for two days straight. She didn’t play with any of her toys or bark at all. (more…)
Just Created a Tweet Cloud December 10, 2009
Is it really any surprise that my number one topic is Sheila? No, I didn’t think so!
Have Her Home By 9
Sheila is quickly becoming a dating enforcer in my life. She gets to know anyone that I am interested in and determines if they will be a good fit in her life. The Sheila interview normally goes as follows:
Guy enters door as Sheila runs at full speed barking. She gauges his reaction and then immediately falls to the floor to have her belly rubbed. She picks up her back left foot and stares at him demandingly. If he understands and begins to run her stomach, she approves and goes to the next test. While he’s introduced to my roommates, Sheila watches and casually enters the group where the conversation is being held. She puts her paw on the prospective dater’s foot and looks up innocently. If he looks down quickly but then goes back to the conversation, he’s automatically disqualified. Sheila leaves and begins to pout on her bed. She refuses to come over to say good bye and will go out of her way to avoid being pet by him for the remainder of the night. GAME OVER.
If, however, the prospective dater feels her paw and reaches down to acknowledge her, Sheila will give him her heart… and her toys. She will begin to bring him every toy that she owns (starting with the ugliest and most torn up). She will bring each drool drenched toy and drop it at his feet. Once he picks it up she will wag her curly little tail and run to grab yet another disgusting toy.
If the prospective dater continues to pick up her toys and pat her head, Sheila will pretty much do anything that he asks. If a robber ever wanted easy access to our apartment all he would ever need to do is get on Sheila’s good side.
My roommates and I laugh about Sheila’s unique personality and the way she criticizes my dates. I’m beginning to think that Sheila was specifically trained by my parents and is doing their investigatory work while I’m away in Athens.
Improvement
Over the past two weeks Sheila has gotten so much better! She’s playing again and running around. She’s back to her normal naughty self. I never thought I’d be happy to see her try to steal the Thanksgiving turkey but it means she’s feeling healthy again. By the way, she got two bites out of the turkey before I could grab her.
Sheila’s Sick!!
Today I went to the vet and found out that Baby Sheila has several things wrong with her. She has two intestinal infections that they believe she contracted while she was at the Pound, an eye infection, and serious arthritis of both the joint and bone. At seven months, my puppy is falling apart. (more…)
She’s Growing Up October 27, 2009
Sheila and I were playing tug of war today when all of the sudden her tooth fell out. Not just a small tooth towards the front of her mouth… one of the extra long and sharp teeth that she uses to eat everyday. I immediately felt horrible and called her vet’s office at 7am. I left them a long message about how my poor puppy had just lost a tooth and that I needed to get into the office immediately to see what they could do for her. (more…)
She’s A Water Dog! September 8, 2009
Today Sheila had her first experience with water since I’ve adopted her. We went to the park and she spent the entire time jumping through the shallow pools of water that had collected at the base of the Oconee River. For the past month, Sheila has been incredibly resistant to any experience with water. She was originally found in a ditch during a rainstorm and seems to associate water with pain. I’ve been introducing her to water little by little and watching her reactions. Today was the first day that she didn’t cower in the sight of water. (more…)
Sheila’s First Few Weeks August 25, 2009
It’s been a few weeks since Sheila arrived and I am quickly learning more and more about her personality. When I first adopted Sheila she was incredibly malnourished and timid. She was originally rescued from a ditch in Athens during a rainstorm where she and her sister almost drowned. After a few days of love and attention, however, she started to open up and trust me more. It’s impossible to adopt a pet; you have to let them adopt you. (more…)
Welcome Home, Sheila August 18, 2009
Sheila, now referred to as Sheila-Bug, is my 4 month old Black Lab-Husky mix. I adopted her from the Athens Humane Society when she was 12 weeks old and it’s been an exciting adventure ever since she’s gotten home. I’ve designed this blog to document Sheila’s “puppy years” because I know that she’ll be growing up fast (she’s put on over eight pounds in the last two weeks). Soon her bad behavior and puppy accidents will all be a distant past that I’m nostalgic for… or perhaps, not that nostalgic for 🙂
Sheila has taught me a lot about myself and the people closest to me. There’s nothing like a new puppy to either bring people together or tear them apart. I never considered just how much Sheila would affect my daily life; my every decision revolves around her. I’ve never had to put another living being before my own wants and needs. Sheila adds a whole new dimension to what I can and cannot do and all of my future plans. Suddenly, this small dog is the determining factor in every relationship that I have. Shelia’s presence in my life has been a blessing that has opened my eyes to confidence, independence, self-worth, perception, and judgement.
Sheila Bug 