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So you know I've been angling towards getting a dog. Yesterday Robin, for whom I need a better title than "the mother of my son-in-law" or "my daughter's mother-in-law" took me to the County Animal Shelter and we looked at the dogs and I saw a dog with the characteristics I want so I put down the money and tomorrow she's available.
It was not love at first sight. It was "I can fall in love with this dog."
First, the things about her that are not what I was looking for: she's a puppy! I was looking for an adult dog. I was also looking for a dog who, if she turns out to be a ratter, could kill a rat with one snap of the jaw instead of having to mess around: she has a smallish muzzle (but not small in proportion to her size, not a tiny face or a mushed-in snout: it's a normal dog muzzle and she will breathe normally). But she won't be a puppy for long, and I have no idea whether she'll be a ratter. She's part chihuahua, which shows in her bark (though she isn't a big barker). She does that weird little howly chihuahua bark. But mostly she just huffs.
Now, the things about her that are what I was looking for: she's lively, energetic, playful, independent-minded and yet friendly and affectionate, engaged, and smart. At six months she will chase a ball and bring it back, and that's special. She jumps a lot, which I'll have to teach her not to do, but it's not a bad sign in a six-month-old, from my point of view. A puppy who jumps a lot has energy, is eager, and is just asking to be taught tricks. So I figure I'll give her some jumping tricks to do and teach her not to jump just for sheer exuberance.She almost comes when called, which is great considering she hasn't been taught that yet. She orients to the person she thinks is "hers" before a stranger, but she pays attention to anybody. I'm not looking for a one-woman dog.
Notice the only things I mentioned in terms of appearance so far was her face, and that only in terms of function. I wasn't looking for appearance, though I knew for sure that any dog who reminded me of Truffle in looks as well as behavior would have an edge,. And she does, a bit. She doesn't have a barrel chest or a broad head, but she has a long body and half-flopped ears and expressive eyes. She's blond, with amazing red-orange eyelashes. Of course she sheds a lot. I'm resigned.
She comes with the name Nala, which Keith points out is from the female lion in The Lion King. And so therefore I think I'd like to change her name to something not Disney. I also prefer names that are not human names. Any ideas?
edit:What do you think of Žlutá? It means "yellow" and it is not a human name, unlike Zlata. It is pronounced "Zhluta."
It was not love at first sight. It was "I can fall in love with this dog."
First, the things about her that are not what I was looking for: she's a puppy! I was looking for an adult dog. I was also looking for a dog who, if she turns out to be a ratter, could kill a rat with one snap of the jaw instead of having to mess around: she has a smallish muzzle (but not small in proportion to her size, not a tiny face or a mushed-in snout: it's a normal dog muzzle and she will breathe normally). But she won't be a puppy for long, and I have no idea whether she'll be a ratter. She's part chihuahua, which shows in her bark (though she isn't a big barker). She does that weird little howly chihuahua bark. But mostly she just huffs.
Now, the things about her that are what I was looking for: she's lively, energetic, playful, independent-minded and yet friendly and affectionate, engaged, and smart. At six months she will chase a ball and bring it back, and that's special. She jumps a lot, which I'll have to teach her not to do, but it's not a bad sign in a six-month-old, from my point of view. A puppy who jumps a lot has energy, is eager, and is just asking to be taught tricks. So I figure I'll give her some jumping tricks to do and teach her not to jump just for sheer exuberance.She almost comes when called, which is great considering she hasn't been taught that yet. She orients to the person she thinks is "hers" before a stranger, but she pays attention to anybody. I'm not looking for a one-woman dog.
Notice the only things I mentioned in terms of appearance so far was her face, and that only in terms of function. I wasn't looking for appearance, though I knew for sure that any dog who reminded me of Truffle in looks as well as behavior would have an edge,. And she does, a bit. She doesn't have a barrel chest or a broad head, but she has a long body and half-flopped ears and expressive eyes. She's blond, with amazing red-orange eyelashes. Of course she sheds a lot. I'm resigned.
She comes with the name Nala, which Keith points out is from the female lion in The Lion King. And so therefore I think I'd like to change her name to something not Disney. I also prefer names that are not human names. Any ideas?
edit:What do you think of Žlutá? It means "yellow" and it is not a human name, unlike Zlata. It is pronounced "Zhluta."
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A friend of mine had a cat named "Turkey" because that was what they kept calling him when he did goofy or destructive things.
P.