the saga of the bark collar

The first week I moved in to my new house, a neighbor came and knocked on my door. She asked me if I might be able to keep Ruby inside. It was 9:30 at night, she was barking at something and the neighbor had a sleeping 9-month-old. Because the back door has a doggy door, it's difficult for me to control her habit. So I bought her a bark collar. I started out with a citronella spray collar. Every time she barks it sprays citronella. The smell, sound and spray are supposed to surprise her. Well. the dogs conspired and got the collar off while I was at work. Then they chewed it to bits.

After a couple days without a collar (and a lot of barking) I went back to the store and got a SHOCK collar. Well, it works, I guess. But the dogs are too smart. Again they got it off of Ruby, this time in the snowy yard. Luckily it's waterproof.

So the next day I put it back on her. Once again, I got home that afternoon and Ruby was collarless. I didn't have to look far. In the middle of the living room was her shock collar. they had chewed it and it was missing the battery. I found the battery, the collar still worked (although it's probably not waterproof anymore) and I soaked it in Bitter Yuck.

Today it was still on Ruby, although it had been loosened. 

I'm hoping she just learns her lesson and I won't have to deal with this anymore. 

Ruby Tuesday 11-18

Don't question why she needs to be so free

She'll tell you it's the only way to be

She just can't be chained 

To a life where nothing's gained

And nothing's lost

At such a cost...

Time for a Ruby Update.

Ruby had her first kennel experience, first (and hopefully last) surgery, and first real encounter with wildlife in the last few weeks. 

She got to go to the Micanopy Animal Hospital when I went to Indiana on a work trip. She seemed to enjoy it, but was glad to come home. We forgot Vernon, her pink octopus, but he was in bad condition so I just bought a new one. 

Ruby's spay went well, she milked it for everything she could, whining, caring on and only eating out of my hand. But the next day she was fine and I had to go to work so she would stop playing. 

Her first encounter with real wildlife was an armadillo in the backyard. she cornered it under the dog house and didn't know WHAT to do with it. 

Her favorite game right now is sitting on the couch, dropping

 her toys and chewies on the floor and barking at me to pick them up. She is a two year old! 

Not a great picture of me, but I love the expression on her face!

have you ever put gel in a dog's hair?

hmm me either. I'm trying to remember if it is against the rules when showing dogs. I gave Ruby a bath this evening and started playing with all the cowlicks along her back as she was drying. If I just put some gel on her, she would look more like a border collie with all her hair standing up. Is that animal abuse? 

Ruby finds the weirdest things in the backyard. We had a photo shoot with some of the odd items that she let me put together. Some items: a coconut, walnut shells, avocado seeds, and bones. Lots of bones. Big bones. She wouldn't leave the avocado alone so it's not pictured. Every time I think she has found everything in the yard worth finding she brings up something new.

Do I talk about my dog too much? Perhaps I need a new hobby. Oh and I'm not going to put gel in her hair. She would prefer mousse. 

ruby's whining

Ruby wishes I was a cooler mom. I can see it in her eyes every time we go to PetsMart. "Why can't I have the squeaky? Why am I not allowed to lick the little girl? Fargo's mommy would let him eat the treats off the bottom shelf." 

She also gives me the same look at the dog park. "Stop being so protective. Let me play in the mud. Why can't I sniff that pit bull's butt?"

She judges me. "Why can't I have a bonfire like our neighbors? like BOTH our neighbors? Why can't I visit them and their fires? I think they LOVE me constantly barking at them through the fence, telling them what they are doing wrong and why they should pay attention to me. The dust that I kick up when I play chase with the other dogs tastes wonderful in their drinks. I like it in my water. Why won't you open the gate? Do we have to go to bed so early?"

"Why can't you be cool?"

more training for motherhood - this time with the dog.

Ruby is about 5 months old now. I can't believe how fast she's growing up! 

She weighs 25 lbs and has a really long and lean body and tail. She has also lost 2 teeth in the last couple days. Her behavior has gotten better, she listens most of the time, although she has selective hearing sometimes when I call her. 

The other morning, Ruby was particularly rambunctious because of the cool air. I had a faculty and staff meeting at 8:30 so I had to get to work a little earlier than usual. Of course I had stayed out till almost midnight the night before at the Brad Paisley concert so I was moving a little slow. I put Ruby outside and left the backdoor open because she was being very needy that morning. Well I sat down on the couch with my chocolate milk and my laptop after I had gotten dressed and even blew my hair dry. Ruby came bounding in at full speed, launching herself at me. She hit my glass, and half of my milk went up and all over my head, my shirt, my couch. Luckily it missed my laptop.

 I had 10 minutes before I had to leave for campus, so I sprayed my hair down with water and tried to comb it out. I took inventory of my clothes, and I was thankfully wearing a brown shirt that didn't show the spots too bad. The rest of the day I worried that I smelled like milk and wondered if people could see the stiff section of my hair that I missed with the water. 

Puppy Vs. Plant

Who needs goats or a lawn mower when you have a vicious herbivore puppy? The weeds don't stand a chance- I think I need to buy hanging baskets for any flowers I want!

Puppy!

I've told myself since I graduated high school that I would get a puppy once I was out of school and somewhat settled. Well that time has come. When I started looking for my new apartment in Gainesville, one of the requirements I had was the ability to have a dog at some point (along with a washer and dryer). I've been scoping out the rescues in Gainesville to see if there were any dogs that really caught my eye and my heart. I had decided that I wanted  a dog, not really a puppy. I also wanted to get it from a rescue. Well fate had different plans and I found the cutest puppy on craigslist. 

It was a very shady deal. The puppy was located in Jacksonville, meaning I had  to drive an hour and a half to get her. At this point I thought she was a he and eight weeks old. well it turned out she was a girl, most likely not eight weeks old, and both people I talked to (one on the phone, one in person) seemed to have different stories that didn't quite match up. I felt so bad for the little darling that I agreed to take her, even though she didn't have her vet papers, toys or anything else. I just didn't want her to go back to wherever she came from, and it seemed like they would give her to whoever had the money. We have a vet appointment for this afternoon, so they will be able to tell me how old she really is, and if she has any major issues.

So now I have a very cute, very little girl. She is supposed to be a border collie/aussie mix, which might be correct. She absolutely HATES being separated from me, even when she can see me she still whines and carries on (like when I took a shower this morning). She also has an odd habit of talking while she eats her food. Maybe she will grow out of it.

UPDATE: We just got back from the vet and she weighs in at a whopping 5 pounds. She slept through her entire appointment, even her shot, and everyone was worried if she acted like that all the time. If only they could see her racing around the house biting feet and shoes! She seems tuckered out from her first day in her new home. 

AND I am still taking suggestions on names...