In my ongoing effort to keep and maintain a high quality and classy website, I am pleased to announce that during our morning constitutional, Lily finally, after 60+ hours, did a #2, and it was a beauty. Quite honestly, I’m not sure where she was keeping it. At any rate, that is a relief, as I was beginning to get concerned. I guess she is starting to get relaxed, which is good.
I’m startingto see some of her personality come out. She still spends most of the day willingly in her crate (I never shut the door, figuring she needs her safe personal space) or down at my feet under the desk, and doesn’t explore the apartment much, but I’m sensing a real difference. When I woke up this morning, she was passed out in her crate, but unlike before, she had a very open body posture. When I go to get her out of the crate, she doesn’t look petrified, and when I talk to her, her ears perk up and I see recognition.
For those of you looking at the picture and saying “She doesn’t look very relaxed,” well, she does by comparison, and also I just violated her before taking the picture. I rammed a pill down her throat, then gave her a beaker full of liquid penicillin, and then inspected her for ticks, so she is wondering what is going on.
She also is much more animated when we go for walks, and is starting to explore while we are out, sniffing and what not. She still has moments when she startles and tries to make a break for it with her tail between her legs, but this is happening less frequently. She is also not freaking out as much when a biker whizzes by us on the trail.
She still doesn’t recognize her name, but I am spending a lot of time just saying it when I am around her. I figure if I just keep saying Lily when she is looking at me and I am looking at her, she will figure it out eventually.
At any rate, getting Lily is turning out to be the best decision I have ever made. I’ve got work to do, you are on your own till later this afternoon (unless Doug, Tim, and Anne have something to say).
MNPundit
Do dogs recognize their name?
JR
While I’m sure getting her was a great decision, I think leaving the Rightroots before the “KKK is a leftist group!” ball got rolling may turn out to have been a better call long-term.
Scruffy McSnufflepuss
What, no pics? (j/k)
Scott
I think dogs at least recognize that their names are something that their bipeds say often that is important to them.
Also, I think Lily looks quite relaxed and comfortable in that pic — not tense or stressed at all.
JR
@MNPundit: Better than cats. Why do we name cats when they’re about as likely to come when called as goldfish are?
maye
Your Lily updates are such a bright spot in my otherwise dismal Internet reading. Thank you.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
Thanks for the demeanor and digestion update. This is good news! Thanks also for giving us just a verbal report on the beauty of #2. I think we all agree there was no need for photo documentation.
But what the hell does Tunch think of Lily on HIS futon?
Rachel
Lily is looking beautiful! Do you have any children? You sound like you would be/are a great parent. It’s so refreshing to hear someone speak about their loving and caring for another, be it a dog or a child. When I read your blog, it always makes me smile and say awwww, how sweet. Keep up the good work and keep taking Lily pictures.
ellie
Awwww! I love your dog! She is very beautiful.
Krista
Can’t maintain something that never existed, my friend. We trashed up this joint YEARS ago.
Lily looks awesome, though, and her progress seems (to me) to be REALLY fast, so I think it won’t be too long before you’ve got a happy, outgoing dog on your hands.
It doesn’t take long to fall head-over-heels in love with them, does it? When we first got Dreyf, I didn’t even want a dog, but nobody else would take him in, so we did, and I figured it would just be a temporary thing until we could find him another home. That sentiment lasted all of 12 hours, and then that fuzzy, old, cantankerous beastie had my heart for good. He’s been gone longer than I actually had him, but I still miss him every day.
kid bitzer
poop reports! awesome!
this is what new parents are like all the time–obsessed with their offspring’s output. it’s completely normal to be constantly checking on whether it’s completely normal.
the amazing thing is that you have an entire community of commenters who are are in new-parent relations to a stray dog.
hundreds of us out here, saying, ‘awww, isn’t that sweet? and what a talented pup, too! she actually did her #2!”
the internet has many mysteries. this is one of the more benign ones, i think.
Cat Lady
Reminds me of the old Larson cartoon – You say: Stay away from the garbage Lily! Come here Lily! Lily, put that down! Lily hears: Blah blah blah Lily, blah blah Lily.
Except she probably hears blah blah blah blah blah.
This will take some time, but good luck. You’re on your way.
Brett
@maye: Yes.
Rey
Nothing like a big old morning dump to get the day started. Good girl Lily.
Lily’s transformation from an uptight and timid dog to a more relaxed and trustful one is sort of the way I’m feeling about having a new President.
John, you are Lily’s Barack Obama, the change she needed. Bless us all…
horatius
So Mr. Cole. Have you turned in your letter of resignation to your boss Tunch that you are no longer going to be his personal valet?
gbear
@MNPundit:
Of course they do.
Lily looks a LOT less afraid in that photo, violated or not (I though you’d said that she didn’t mind taking pills. How come you had to ‘ram it down her throat’ this morning?).
JL
I love this site. Lily looks healthy.
SGEW
Keeping our fingers crossed for Lily’s rehabilitation. Good doggie!
[Still waiting for the first unbearably adorable Lily/Tunch spooning pic. When? When?!]
J.
WHAT ABOUT TUNCH? It’s always Lily, Lily, Lily.
Scuffletuffle
@JR
Not true, all my seven cats respond immediately to their own names, unless of course they are tormenting a small creature. BTW, they also respond to a variety of nicknames I have for each of them and sometimes even each other’s names.
Keep up the Lily pictures/updates–I’m loving them.
A Mom Anon
Yay Lily! Hell John,you had me worried about her too,lol. Glad she’s adjusting and doing so well. You both are lucky to have found each other.
Michael D.
Hmmm, what if you let the house get reeeeeally quiet – you sitting in your chair, Lily lying on the floor, just listening to each others’ breathing – and then jump up out of your chair and yell “LILY!” really loud and really quick?
Or how about while walking on the rail to trail thing – enjoying the peaceful time together. When a bike whizzes by – spin around and, again, scream “LILY!“??
That might help her remember the word. Dogs love being surprised.
Either that or you can give her one of those tiny Bil Jack liver treats every time you gently say her name and then scratch her on the head. That might work, too. Not as fun though.
Trinity
She’s looking lovelier every day John!
Keep the Lily updates coming.
gbear
@J.:
Tunch is SO five posts ago…
John Cole
Yes, I have two. Their names are Tunch and Lily.
Figure of speech- it is still unnatural for a dog to have someone feed them a pill, no matter how well they do taking it.
The Grand Panjandrum
Oy. Words matter.
I am, however, glad to know that your newest addition to the family took a dump. Good bowel movements are important to a healthy lifestyle. In this case when shit happens it portends well for Miss Lily.
JMA
Seeing the two pictures side-by-side, Lily’s pose goes a long way in explaining the extra limb(s) in the Pamela Anderson photo.
Jimbo
Here’s what we did – Multi-grain cheerios. When you say the name and Lily looks at you, she gets a cheerio. The cheerios are small and won’t add much to her daily diet, and it doesn’t take long for her to associate that sound with something positive. It should also be obvious, but I’ll say it anyway, never call her to you to do something “bad” or uncomfortable, always go get her.
Lily looks great, you’re doing an awesome job!
Face
I realize you could have titled this “Pictures of Lily”, but then I’m sure an angry Pete Townshend would have emailed you a threat of copyright infringement.
Of course, you could tell him to fuck off, and he’d never hear it.
AdamK
My cat not only knows his name, but comes when called, if not otherwise occupied. He’s the second cat I’ve had that does that. Most cats know their name but think you’re an idiot for naming them in the first place.
Dog is My Co-Pilot
Love the updates on Lily! She knows she is home. You will see these improvements in her daily. Once in a loving and patient environment, it’s amazing how quickly dogs will come around to their natural personalities. We’ve had several rescue dogs and it’s wonderful to see. We’re more “dog people” than “cat people,” but I can appreciate cats and their behavior. Love the pictures of Tunch, too, and love hearing of his antics.
Punchy
J — wrap it in cheese. They’ll eat/swallow it whole. No reason to force it down.
SGEW
My cat thinks her name is “Aaaargh! Stop attacking my foot!! Ouchie ouchie ouchie!!”
She still doesn’t respond to my imprecations, but she does seem to at least recognize that they refer to her: I can tell by her smirk as she pauses before continuing to nibble on my toes.
Betsy
@Punchy:
Not my late, beloved dog Katie. Put a pill in cheese (or anything else that was tasty), she’d eat around it, getting every last morsel of food and avoiding the pill altogether. Getting her to take meds was a nightmare.
R-Jud
She doesn’t look relaxed in the picture, but there’s something about her posture that says, “Wait, you mean I live here now? Where there’s only one cat? And I have my own crate? And this nice guy who takes me for walks? Is this for real? Really for real?”
Dunno if it’s the best decision you ever made, John, but you’re certainly the best thing that’s ever happened to her.
WereBear
Hey! Cats do come when they are called… when they are only called for GOOD things.
One incident of “I came when I was called and got a pill” takes about two hundred “I came when I was called and got a fishy treat!” to make up for it.
Plan accordingly.
Betsy
OT, but I was so astonished I have to share: I was having breakfast with a friend this morning in a new place that just opened up in Cambridge (MA). Part of its schtick is that it’s filled with kitch – you know, old advertisements, clocks, various objects from the 50s, that sort of thing. Well, at one point I looked up and saw that they have a lawn jockey mounted on the wall!!! And it was full-on racist caricature – wide red mouth, big white eyes, unruly hair, etc. I could not believe it. The owners are from New Hampshire, so I can only hope that they have no idea what it signifies and just got it along with a bunch of other stuff at yard sales or something. I explained to the hostess as we were leaving what it was and why many people would consider it extremely racist, so I can only hope that they take it down. But I was really shocked. Even if you didn’t know about lawn jockeys per se, you would think that with features like that it would be obvious there was something wrong with it. But apparently not.
dmsilev
@Punchy:
Depends on the dog. Some of the pets we had when I was a kid (both dogs and cats) became quite good at consuming the cream cheese ball and spitting out the pill.
Oh, and John, can you turn on the red-eye-reduction on your camera? That poor dog looks like she’s possessed by a demon or something. (and yes, the Right Way to solve that problem is with a proper bounced flash, but a DSLR plus external flash is a pretty $$$ toy).
-dms
dave
Jimbo
@Betsy: Re – Pilling via cheese/bread/etc. Yep. Been there, done that, seen the movie, got the t-shirt…
jrg
The geniuses at beliefnet have diagnosed the von Nutcase problem. He’s an evolutionist!
greynoldsct00
My male cats come when I called them…one of them answers to two names, his actual name “Noah” and “getthefuckoffthecounter”
geg6
I dunno, John. She’s got a bit of cheesecake going on in that pose. I think she’s falling for you. ;-)
The Other Steve
My cat Squeak comes when you say her name. She even responds with a meow.
Roxie dog knows her name.
Alexander on the other hand is confused, he doesn’t know if he is Alex, Alexander, Xander or Sasha. Neither do his parents yet.
Notorious P.A.T.
Lily’s so cute. I’m jealous.
@Betsy:
They probably didn’t know.
@Michael D.:
Haha )
The Saff
Hurrah for Lily! I love these updates. John needs to have his camera ready at all times for Lily/Tunch interaction.
@kidbitzer:
Agreed. I don’t mind cleaning out the cats’ litterboxes for just this reason. And 2 of my cats will be 10 years old next month. As a pet parent, you want to ensure everyone is healthy.
Mary
Teaching a dog its name is easy. Just sit down with her and a bunch of treats, then repeatedly say her name, giving her a treat each time. Eventually she’ll start to associate her name with getting a treat, and will come looking for you whenever she hears it.
The key to treat based training is that each treat can be very very tiny – basically scrape a little bit of cheese or meat with you fingernail, and that’s enough to constitute a reward.
Also, John, if you haven’t yet bought a clicker, go out and do so. It will be the best $.99 you’ll ever spend. I’ve been working with my dog for over a year and a half, and just recently switched over to the clicker. The difference is amazing.
tess
Both my feline girls always came when called, and when they wanted to tick off the other (a favorite pastime), they’d come when the other was called for lap time, toys, treats, whatever. They’d also sit when told to do so, would often stop doing something wrong with a mere “No, m’am,” and the question “whatchadoin?” usually resulted in seamless u-turn that said “nothing!”
They also responded to their nicknames, though “no!” for one always needed a name attached–otherwise she pretended not to realize you were talking to her. We could never figure out if she wasn’t very bright or if it was an act.
Now that one is gone (in may), if her name is mentioned, the other will look at me and meow, like where have I been hiding her the past month? She seems to miss her nemesis, though she only actively looked for her on her own for about 3 weeks. On humid days, she finds the corners where her nemesis would sleep and seems sad and confused again. It’s sad to watch, but I admit to being a little jealous–I miss her scent, too.
Doctor Science
Isn’t that Tunch’s couch?!?
You fiend.
Betsy
@Notorious P.A.T.:
Oh, I know, that’s why I said that “I can only hope that they have no idea what it signifies.” I guess part of my astonishment is about the possibility that anyone could not realize what was wrong with it, if only in the most general way – it seems so obvious to me.
birthmarker
Betsy- I live in the deep South, and even here lawn jockies are considered pretty politically incorrect.
Also, John, to paraphrase somebody (Bob Greene?) parenthood means taking a real intellectual interest in poop…
Bey
@WereBear: Oh, ain’t that the truth. One measly pill and I’m Dr. Evil for days. Cats are the ultimate drama queens. But all 5 of mine know their names. Choosing to respond is another matter however.
Meanwhile, Lily is looking decidedly perkier. I’m sure being able to poop had something to do with it. There’s a lot less anxiety in those eyes today.
Loving the updates – thanks.
Betsy
@birthmarker:
You know, it actually doesn’t surprise me that people in the deep South would be more likely to know that lawn jockeys and minstrelsy are racist than would people in New Hampshire or Maine. The South has a long history of overt racial conflict and a relatively high black population. New Hampshire and Maine, though, have very low black populations, and there’s a lot more ignorance of the issues and history (I would guess, anyway).
Dork
There’s something about Lily’s sly smile that says “I need to see Obama’s birth cert”.
Careful with this one, you shall be.
Geeno
I’ve never had a problem teaching either dogs or cats their names. I usually don’t even make a special effort outside of always using their name when I talk to them. Cats DO know their names. They may not come when called, but they know you’re talking about them.
Bret
Maybe she’s just closed off because she’s a Ravens fan.
Cain
I’m reminded of a song by Pink Martini called “Lilly”. I think the song refers to a dog, I never can tell. :-)
Lilly
BTW my feline rockstar got stuffed into a traveling container and has gone off to the vet to get his teeth cleaned. The guy has like the worst breath ever. He’s got gingervitis, so it’s kind of hard to have breath in your face. He’s gotta go under general anesthesia, boy he’s going to be pissed when wakes up. It’s going to be the cold shoulder for the rest of the day followed by “You better love, after the day I had!”
cain
dmv
@Scruffy McSnufflepuss:
ROFL. I thought exactly the same thing. I hesitated before scrolling down. :P
dmv
That may be the sweetest thing ever. I want a doggie so bad. :(
The Saff
@Cain:
I feel your pain. My cats have been to the vet/dentist several times in their 10 years for regular teeth cleaning. The hardest part for me is having them fast from 10 p.m. through the next day. They are obnoxious during the night because they want to eat; then I have the guilts for (a.) starving them during the night and then (b.) putting them in their carriers for the 10 minute car ride to the vet. Lots of meowing/yowling ensues. I’m exhausted from the whole ordeal.
@Bey:
So true.
daruskii
Having been adopted by two wonderful shelter dogs, one of who requires glucosamine daily, I subscribe to the hotdog school of pill delivery.
BTW, I also use hotdogs for training. Tiny, Tiny pieces work wonders….
Tattoosydney
You’re a good man, John Cole.
Rescue dogs forever!
sus
I do NOT want to get another dog right now. I miss my dog. Ahhhh, but look at Lily.
You are making this very hard to deal with, John.
Tattoosydney
Great places to hide pills : grapes, tiny bits of cheese, peas.
With enough sticking out that the pill will still dissolve, these count as special treats, and get swallowed instantly – no more problems with pills and it reinforces good behaviour if the dog sits to take his or her pill. YMMV.
ETA: Punchy beat me to it.
Annie
Is she sitting on Tunch’s futon??????????????
Where is the “little” man?
Xecky Gilchrist
I am pleased to announce that during our morning constitutional, Lily finally, after 60+ hours, did a #2 […] I’m starting to see some of her personality come out.
If she’s anything like my dog, some of it will go back in.
And then come out again, one end or the other. And possibly even in again.
The Saff
Dogs should not eat grapes.
Cain
@The Saff:
This is his first time. Looks like there will be many more times after that. We think that’s why he’s not been eating enough, he’s all skin and bones. He didn’t bug me at all during the night, but the other one did. Jeezus. We couldn’t have any food out so the other cat had to suffer and boy she was doing all kinds of antics at night eventually she ended up being a cat hat on top of my wife’s pillow. The patient was asleep the whole time, dreaming cat dreams. Poor guy. My wife told me he went from mewling plaintively to meowing in panic when he saw the vet. :(
cain
passerby
Yay! Poop-dee-doo!
And thanks Cain for reminding me of the great sound of Pink Martini. Must download some mp3s. Your link was very appropriate.
On Tunch’s futon…ruh roh…does Tunch know about this?
The Saff
@Cain:
And you can’t explain to them you’re only doing this for their own good.
I hope your kitty is OK. I’ve read where cats stop eating when they have a diseased tooth that causes pain when they chew. Dental health is as important for animals as it is for their humans.
Screamin' Demon
I think they recognize whatever silly appellation we choose to give them as a command to stop whatever it is they’re doing and snap to attention. Our cocker spaniel always turns his head toward my wife or me when he hears “El Duque!” If he’s out in the yard playing, he turns and runs toward us. During the 2005 AL LCS, he popped his head up and turned toward the TV when he heard Joe Buck say “Here comes El Duque,” when Ozzie Guillén made a pitching change.
kay
The dog is very cute and endearing, and I love flower names for girls.
I’m not going to compare the dog and the cat, because that’s apples and oranges. And not fair to that huge, mean cat.
JenJen
@ John, top:
That made my day. And isn’t it a wonderful feeling? I certainly feel that way about every dog or kitty I’ve adopted in my adult lifetime, too. Every know and then, we humans get it right, you know?
You Don't Say
Sounds like you’re in love. Congrats. And keep the Lily (and Tunch and JRTs) updates coming. I concur with many others who said they are such a nice respite from … well, I won’t sully this thread with mention of what they’re a nice respite from.
Michael D.
@Tattoosydney:
Absolutely not!! Other things to avoid:
1. Dairy products such as milk and cheese.
2. Raw fish and raw eggs.
3. Raisins and grapes.
4. Vitamin supplements for human that contains iron or too much liver.
5. Vegetables such as mushroom, onion, garlic, and potato.
Devon
She is so cute. I am glad I got to meet her. I guarantee she will be a completely different dog in a few months. Has she barked yet?
Anne
Pictures of Lily, and stories about her coming out of her shell, make my day. Keep ’em coming.
KRK
I assume Tunch was eating at the time this photo was taken? Otherwise please explain Lily’s unmolested occupation of Tunch’s futon. (Or maybe your entire apartment is covered in light blue woven blankets?)
jamie
ecky Gilchrist
I am pleased to announce that during our morning constitutional, Lily finally, after 60+ hours, did a #2 […] I’m starting to see some of her personality come out.
If she’s anything like my dog, some of it will go back in.
And then come out again, one end or the other. And possibly even in again.
I laughed out loud when I read that comment.Our dog did the same thing,gotta love them…
Violet
She’s smiling! Oh, she’s just gorgeous. I can totally tell a difference in her body language from this photo and your previous ones. She looks just a little bit more relaxed. Less on edge. Love her!
So glad she’s feeling more comfortable. She’s going to be a great dog for you. And you guys are lucky to have each other.
Awww…I’m a big old softie. This sort of thing makes me so happy.
geemoney
Let me just pile on to what Jimbo and Michael D. said about the name/treat thing. As they said, it is important to get dogs to associate a positive outcome with it. The other part that I think is important, is to train her to keep looking you in the eye once you say her name. The training is the same, you just make the time she has to look you in the eye longer between when you say her name, she looks at you, and then she gets the treat. Anyway, the reason I think this is important is twofold: it makes her react to when you want to get her attention. The second part is that you are asserting your dominance, which can be calming for her. If she starts having a hard time, it will give her something to concentrate on doing, and know that you are taking care of things. Everything else that might be freaking her out can then fall by the wayside.
The only other thing that I wanted to say is, please find a positive trainer. That stuff works, and will be a better thing for Lily, I think, given her history and general timidosity. There’s a lot that you can do yourself, and I recommend the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Positive Training. There’s lots of good stuff, though, like the Monks of New Skete, who also have some good advice.
Anne Laurie
Congratulations, John, Lily does look more relaxed. (Of course, a good… evacuation… will have that effect too.) I don’t expect a shot of them together yet, but if Lily’s only 17lbs, she’s not that much taller than Tunch, right?
As to the general question of whether dogs recognize their own names… hell, most well-loved dogs recognize two or three names as ‘theirs’. All dogs being rules-lawyers, a certain percentage of them make a game of ignoring direct instructions unless their names are appended (“Sit. SIT, dammit! Dexter, sit!” Dexter sits, then does an elaborate mime to indicate that he thought you might be referring to some other dog than the one at the end of the lead.) And anyone who’s lived with more than one dog knows that yelling one name angrily will get you one dog looking guilty or hiding while the other(s) look smug. (Which is why *cats* get names, of course.)
And for treats, Zuke’s Mini Naturals are irresistable to just about any dog and quite a few cats, they’re the perfect size for tossing gently to encourage a timid dog, and if one of the chicken or peanut butter treats somehow gets overlooked it will dry up without leaving a stain on the couch/carpet/your pocket. (There’s also a salmon flavor, but I’m afraid to bring those into the house for fear our Maine Coon, Demon Kishkan, will mug the dogs over them, or possibly me.)
Irony Abounds
Not that I’m a cynic or anything, but given that every Lily post is accompanied by such glowing comments from the gals out there, gushing about what a wonderful guy John must be, you begin to wonder…
Krista
Well, cute dogs ARE notorious chick magnets. Mind you, they can’t carry all the weight — so if the guy looks like a hobo and has the personality of a rabid meth addict, even the cutest dog in the world won’t help him. But John’s not a bad-looking guy, and has a certain grumpy charm about him, so the Lovely Lilly will do a wonderful job at hinting to the fact that John’s got a huge heart and is very kind.
Loneoak
I bet Lily was saving up all the poo while trying to decide whether JC is a keeper. That she let it rip on a walk is a good sign. Had he not been a keeper …
passerby
@KRK:
Heh. Got a pretty funny mental image with that. LOL.
serge
John…I haven’t scrolled back far enough to get to the beginning of your ‘relationship’ with Lily, but I have to comment. She is the spitting image of one of my rescue dogs (in her case literally), a sweet dog named Roxy.
I say sweet somewhat guardedly as she is clearly not wired right. She won’t leave my side and we sleep together nightly, but even when I try to pet her she’ll pull back reflexively. It’s weird.
She was abducted, along with with her mother and siblings, from a north Florida trailer park by a bunch of rabid, fire-breathing animal activists. The mom had given birth while chained to a tree, no food, no water, no nothing. They brought a bolt cutter and were out of there in minutes.
I got her when she was two weeks old and had to be hand fed. I’ve had people visit who’ve lived in Africa, and they say to a one that that is the prototypical African junk-yard dog (I cast no aspersions on Lily). I love her to death despite the fact that she “ain’t right.”
Raenelle
About the appropriateness of bowel movement news–the entire country eagerly awaited news of President Garfield’s first bowel movement after he got shot–he had a normal one (no blood), and that meant no vital organs had been hit.
I’m a little bemused that I’m so interested in Lily. I want to know how she’s doing–in detail–at least until I know she’s OK. It is such good karma to take in a needy friend, and I think I’m just enjoying the natural glow off that.
Steve D
Good stuff. And as the owner of a golden retriever pup that took 6 months to housebreak because of ongoing bladder infections, I have only one word for you.
Patience
Martin
Ours absolutely does.
It’s not a standard command for us and gets used for all manner of things. If we need to gently call him back (or we just wonder where he his) calling out his name gets a nice leisurely walk/jog back to us, tail wagging, looking for a belly rub. His command to call him back is ‘now’ and he stops immediately and sprints back and sits next to one of us.
If we just mention his name in passing, it’s always good for tail wag or a stroll over for an ear scratch or belly rub.
I think the key is to be very disciplined when you are training the dog and not mix up your commands or be inconsistent about them. We’d mention his name when we are doing fun, happy things with him like playing ball but in all manner of circumstances. We never use his name sternly.
NLB
Sorry to change the subject, but JC, you’ve been awfully quiet about the Queen of Alaska’s latest tantrum. It’s partly your work, so sign it: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/sarah-palins-politics-of-grievance-are-back/
Mnemosyne
@Cain:
No, he won’t. He’ll be pissed off the next day, though.
(That is our late, much-missed kitty Boris after his teeth cleaning.)
Beauzeaux
I wonder if maybe Lily had been punished for doing #2 by former owners. She may have been holding it in to avoid punishment.
asiangrrlMN
Awwwww, Lily looks so much better. Happy sigh. Keep us updated, John, but don’t forget…more Tunch!
Blue Raven
OK, I gotta ask. It’s been months I’ve been reading this blog, and I have to confess something. I have no idea how you pronounce Tunch. Does it rhyme with lunch or is is said Toonch? I’ve assumed the latter for my own twisted reasons, but I’ve had my odd pronunciation kinks blamed on how I didn’t learn to read using phonetics.
Tattoosydney
@Michael D.:
Oh please.
So much stupid drama about what dogs can’t eat. Chocolate is bad, nutrasweet is bad. Otherwise, as far as I can tell the whole OH MY GOD YOUR DOG IS GOING TO DIE IF IT EATS CHEESE!! is all a bit sad.
KathyBeagle
Hi, I work with rescue beagles and have fostered about 100 dogs. Lily is going to be fine. You are doing great with her. These shy little dogs blossom like you wouldn’t believe. It’s like watching a flower bloom before your eyes. Just be kind, give food and shelter, she will be a star.
For shy dogs, I recommend not looking directly in her eyes too much. It is too intense and freaks them out. If you can pet her to the side or behind you, not looking directly at her, that is good. Let her watch you while you pet your cat. It will make her feel safe. She will see that you are a kind and good person and will want to hang out with you.
For these shy pups, just give them nutrition, vet care, and time. Don’t get in their face too much. Let them quietly watch you and follow you around in day to day life. Then one day, a miracle occurs, and you have your sweet dog for life. Good luck to you and Lily. I love this kind of story. I’ve done it over and over again and it never gets old.
P.S. I know you’ve said negative things about beagles in the past, but that’s OK. To each their own. I love my pack and wouldn’t trade them for anything. They are sweet and enthusiastic and beautiful to behold. And they howl on command!
John Cole
@KathyBeagle: I honestly love beagles… that other people own. They are super sweet, and love you to death, but they are just so damned willful. I have never had a beagle or beagle mix come when I call. Ever.
Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist
@jamie: Our dog did the same thing,gotta love them…
Yes, indeed. Mine is adorable but kind of psycho (not exactly a rescue but had been owned by different people before us, and I suspect they did not treat her well). But I have admired her thrift in being able to eat the same meal three times.
Zuzu's Petals
Another lovely pic.
Still…one with a reference point to tell her size?
HRA
What a difference from Lily’s earlier photos. She is gaining confidence. Keep the updates coming and of course, more pics of Tunch, too.
BTW are you possibly related to my husband? I have to hear Tiki’s daily bowel movement in detail.
Toni
Lily sounds just like our dog when we first got her. She was so shy, she never made a sound, and was always looking for someplace to hide. She cringed whenever anyone put out a hand to pet her. We thought she’d never come out of her shell.
Now she goes up to everyone and demands to be petted. She only hides when she wants a quiet place to sleep. Otherwise, we have to watch we don’t trip over her because she’s always underfoot. Every time we go out to her yard (it’s not ours anymore) we are greeted with a loud “woo-woooo.” We take her to the dog park so she can dance around with other dogs.
And we have now gone from being dog owners to the owned.