Episode #32: SO CLOSE!

Bonnie

Clyde

The humane society was giving free surgery to any Pitbull that needed to get fixed. They said the population was very high and were trying to help control it. Regardless of the reason, we decided to take advantage of this free service. Bonnie is scheduled for mid-October. We kept watching as she got closer and closer to the age of her first cycle. We noticed some swelling, then noticed the swelling get extreme. She was ready to pop. Was she even going to make it to her surgery date?

As we made jokes about it, Bonnie got up and left the room. We couldn’t deny the blood spots left on the carpet. She didn't make it. Now, she must wait until she is completely done with her cycle before she has surgery so we will have to reschedule. So close!

Ashley quickly weighed her, and Bradley drove to the store to buy a diaper for a 60 lb pup. He came home with one. They were just too expensive to buy more. We wash it while she sleeps, then wash her bedding during the day.

So far, it doesn’t seem as bad as I build it up to be in my head and the other dogs seem to handle it ok. Maybe she is young and not releasing the full aroma that male dogs are drawn to, but it’s not bad. Maybe I will be telling wild stories of Bradley fighting of male dogs on their walks on the next blog.

One problem is: we know Bonnie's girl parts are hurting. She just mopes around and tries to cuddle all day long, and barely eats any food. Every now and then, she will get a burst of energy and play. About the third day in, she decided to eat more regularly... crisis everted!

The biggest issue is getting the diaper on her. Circle, circle, almost, grab her tail, circle, circle, be still, grr! She looks up at you like you are torturing her! But then, an ah ha moment…her training!!! "WAIT, WAIT Bonnie, just wait!" She’s doing it, woo hoo for training! The diaper goes on, but she is too scared to move. We all laugh as her back legs appear stuck in cement. It must be an awkward feeling, poor thing. She stays there for several minutes, even barked at dogs outside from the middle of the room. She eventually realized that she could move but did so sparingly until she got used to it. Too funny.

Every morning we get the dogs out of their individual crates. If I get Clyde out first, he wants his morning cuddles, to wander the house a little, and to start his morning routine. But if I get Bonnie out first, she immediately goes to Clyde’s cage to show him that she missed him. She sits by the door of the crate until I let him out and we start their morning routine together.

UPDATE: I take it back. I have now noticed that Clyde misses Bonnie as much as she misses him. He runs to the other crate also. When Moxie and Penny are hear in the mornings, it is easier for him to become distrasted, but they both show clear signs of connection to each other.

Ashley sat in the floor to shower the dogs with attention before she left. Bonnie, climbed into Ashley’s lap, made several circles until Ashley made the biggest circle her legs could make, then squeezed into a ball, forcing Ashley to spread her legs wider. Then Bonnie nestled in and took a nap (while Ashley petted her). She knew how to get what she wanted, and she DID!

I usually let the pups out one more time before I go to bed. This night, Bonnie just happened to get distracted, AGAIN! This time it was a caterpillar. It was so cute and fuzzy. But Bonnie was totally enthralled! I couldn’t figure out if she was trying to play with it, smell it to death, or watch it from a safe distance. All I know for sure is that she tracked it in the dark and scratched at the concrete long enough to get my attention. She stayed at it long enough for me to get a flashlight, watch it with her; then decide to get my camera. I took shots from many angles, adjusted the light, even watched as Clyde joined in. She was enamored. She eventually let it get away, I guess it moved to slow for her to stay any longer.

Now that the doggie diaper is a prominent fixture in our lives, Bonnie thinks that every time we take it off her, she gets to go outside. This is mostly true, so I understand her confusion; but there is bedtime and bath time that happen as well.

Tested out the WAIT command this week with Bonnie and her diaper. She obeyed perfectly when commanded. But I will say that she has a time limit on how long she will WAIT! When she has given ample time, she just walks away.

At the beginning of the week, all the dogs got baths. Moxie and Penny got theirs then Clyde, then Bonnie. They all do great, and they have their funny moments, like when Clyde stretches his legs as far as the tub will allow because he doesn’t want to move. But the cutest was outside the bathroom door.

The door stays closed so Clyde sat outside the closed door until Bonnie was done. What a good brother!

Bonnie has been taking the new diaper wearing like a champ. I tests her “waiting” skills and as long as she doesn’t “wait” sitting down it is a fast process. But once, I guess I took too long trying to adjust the diaper, and she decided that she was done waiting. She walked off with the diaper left in my hand. I learned then and there that perfection is not needed or wanted. Just get it on and make sure it covers the needed areas. I had to walk around checking for spots! Why Bonnie… just why!