From commentor Rob!:
Attached are pics of our dog Johnny, who is a Pomeranian/American Eskimo mix.
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She just turned five a few months ago, and we got her when she was 4 months from an older couple who adopted her and her sister and came to the conclusion that two dogs like this were too wild. We got example after example of this during Johnny’s first few months with us–she chewed on every conceivable corner there was available, chased the cat, and barked at every other human being in existence.
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She’s an unfathomably smart dog, and knows how to manipulate a situation–when she sees I’m about to go out, she gives me her most pathetic look and rolls over so I can rub her belly, knowing I can’t turn the offer down (she is correct). Also, if she’s bored and my girlfriend and I are both busy, she will quietly disappear into the bedroom and return with a sock or pair of underwear, showing it to us knowing it will get the proper response.
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As is the case with many smart dogs, she’s a handful. She seems to hate every human being on the planet except us and my parents, whom she adores. But everyone else is a suspect, a potential predator, or at the very least worthy of barking at. She would bark non-stop at perceived threats outside if we let her. We’ve tried over and over to control this, and have had only marginal success.
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And that disdain for everyone extends to other animals–we have dreams of owning lots of dogs, cats, what have you, but we both realize that’s probably not realistic while we have Johnny. She wants to be an only child, dammit.
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One of the things I am most thankful for is the realization that Johnny had not ended up with us, she might not be here at all. The older couple who first got her were determined to give her up, and I shudder when I think where she might have landed. The average person might have seen how much work she is and dropped her at some shelter, where her inherent fearfulness and aggressiveness would probably have scared off any potential parents.
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We named her after Johnny Cash, because when we first got her she was nearly all black. Over time more and more eskimo white is popping out, including some patches on her back–we call them her angel wings.
stuckinred
She’s a lucky pup.
gene108
Question for video gamers: How do you manage playing games on multiple platforms?
I’ve been playing PC games for the past 10 years. I bought a new T.V. a month back and it was on sale with a PS3 bundle.
I can’t figure out how to commit enough time to play both PC games and PS3 games. When I played MMORPG’s, guys kept talking about how they played console games and PC games, and I couldn’t figure out how they made the time.
I still don’t. Can anyone let me know how these guys do it?
SiubhanDuinne
She’s certainly a lucky pup, and all credit goes to you and your g/f for that, and for being so attuned to her specific needs. And oh my, she is lovely — that tail in the top picture is wonderful! (I am reading on a tiny BlackBerry, and when only the tail — but none of the rest of Johnny — was visible, I was quite perplexed as to just what I would see as I scrolled down!!)
WereBear (itouch)
I’m familiar with Poms. The way my mother handled it was to say, “That’s right, Bear!” because what he wanted was attention.
This being a mix, who knows?
But that face!
JPL
Johnny looks like a little cuddly bear. It’s unfortunate that he fears humans, because he’s so cute that I’m sure folks just want to rub his tummy.
@SiubhanDuinne: We definitely should get together. Pick a date. From what I have sensed from you and SIA, it might be best to meet for lunch near Perimeter or Lenox.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
You are a saint. Period.
Mike S
There is nothing quite so endearing as that look of “Were you going out without me:-(”
I’m glad she has a good home
ET
The expression on her face in the first picture is a dead giveaway as to her personality.
jayjaybear
My god, that’s weapons-grade cute. I’ve always been partial to the stocky, compact dogs…shibas, eskimo dogs, elkhounds. How I ended up with a rangy, all-legs dog like our bearded collie mix I have no idea…not that I would ever give Daisy up!
Sputnik
She may be the cutest thing I ever saw.
Kristine
Johnny’s a little beauty. Good on you for taking her in. Handful dogs are a handful.
Deb T
What a charming face. I’ll bet she is a devilish charmer. I had a Skipperkee who I swear was not fully domesticated, but she knew how to charm folks and got away with murder. I decided my dog was a good source of exercise and practicing patience. If she hadn’t made me laugh so much and lover her so much, I might have killed her. I miss her very much now she’s gone.
Good luck with your wild child.
WereBear
She’s really two sled dog mixes, shrunk down.
I love sled dogs; bred to be independent, smart, and responsible.
But it also makes them stubborn.
quaint irene
What a cutie!
But get that doggie a bigger bed! ;-)
Dog is My Copilot
Johnny has to be one of the cutest dogs I’ve ever seen! We have also had dogs who were a handful and I’m convinced they came into our lives for a reason – to teach us patience and tolerance! Thank you for sharing your story about Johnny. So cute.
CatHairEverywhere
What a cute, cute dog! How wonderful that you have taken her in! American Eskimos end up in rescue all too often because they are such cute puppies and such smart, naughty dogs with a big need to be with their people. I have had 2 Eskies, both from rescue, and they were wonderful companions. My first Eskie was the sweetest, most affectionate girl. Juneau loved everyone she met, and I was devastated when she died. My second Eskie, Lily, had more of the negative Eskie temperament that you are experiencing. She barked aggressively when anyone came to the door, and was afraid of so many things. Both girls preferred being “only” dogs, and both loved running with me. They are gone now, and I have my sweet little muttleys, Jasper and Mayzie as well as their 4 feline friends.
bystander
Oy! That look. Has a bit of C’mon… c’mon… in it. Given the incredibly bright eyes, and that glorious tail, one couldn’t help but love everything in between, but I’ve no doubt Johnny is a handful. Smart dogs always are, and smart, insightful dogs (fetching the socks and the under ware), highly attuned to their human companions, are not to be ignored.
… Weapons grade cute… (what a great expression) just about sums her up, but I wouldn’t suggest one ever underestimate her.
Good job, Rob!. Mad props to you and the g/f for having the chops to meet the needs of this little girl. She’s done landed on all fours having connected with you both.
ruemara
That…damn…face! How could you say no to it?
Scuffletuffle
Awwwwwwwww…too, too cute! Best of luck with your adorable armful!
Beauzeaux
How adorable. Reminds me of my late, lamented Pom, Dave. (He loved everybody, though.)
trollhattan
A Pomeranian-Eskimo mix? How does that…uh…even happen?
Anyhoo, continued best of luck with your cute little bundle of trouble.
Johnny's mom
@ruemara: you can’t
She has a million little attention getting behaviors that should horrify us- but, they don’t. She charms us with her ingenuity. She’s a clown – when we took her to agility classes, the instructor had to tell the rest of the class not to laugh at her , because it encouraged her antics. We can’t stop ourselves, which probably means we’re never going to have an angel. Our fault, not hers.
I have a million stories about her that would melt your heart, but SOMEBODY has to go for a walk.
“weapons-grade cute” – Perfect.
rob!
Thanks everyone for the nice words. Johnny is a handful, but we love her so.
@quaint irene: The bed in the picture was for our cat Berry, who left us in 2009. Johnny had a bigger bed that was meant for her, but she insisted on using Berry’s much to his annoyance.
Johnny’s Only Child preference will be tested soon, when we will be adopting a rescue kitty.
Just Some Fuckhead
rob!, would it be too much to ask for you to post semi-regular links to photos of Johnny on flickr now that Stuck has galted poor Charles cuz his butt got hurted?
Bloix
trollhattan – American Eskimos – a made-up name for a breed of German Spitzes – are fairly small dogs. They’re not sled dogs and they’ve got nothing to do with Eskimos – the name comes from the fact that they’re all white.
Poms are also Spitzes. A big Pom could be as big as a small Eskie.
And that is one beautiful little girl.
rob!
@Just Some Fuckhead:
Johnny does have her own Facebook page, if you’re there: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Johnny/276763185736?v=wall
She also went on a series of adventures with then-candidate Obama, which you can see here: http://namtab29.blogspot.com/search/label/adventures%20of%20johnny
asiangrrlMN
@rob!:
@Johnny’s mom:
That is the cutest dog I have ever seen in my life. I can’t get over that face! Such pure, uninhibited joy is a sight to behold. I hope she takes well to having a kitty sibling!