I Never Asked for A Sister by Dog #1

I was sleeping soundly one evening when Mom came home with Mia and called her my sister.  We sniffed and then she went for my squeaky frog.  Wouldn't you know she would claim my favorite toy.  Right from the start she has been in my business.

Me with my frog

Who is Eeyore?

On the first day Mom started calling me Eeyore. When she says it she seems to be teasing and I don't get it.  Sometimes she calls me Napoleon and I don't get that either.

Around the 'hood

Mia is very tall and, well, truth be told, I am vertically challenged.  But I make up for it in the bigness of my demeanor.  It is important to let everyone know who is in charge so I always try to be there first to guard the door, protect Mia from the black lab next door, and make sure that the treats Mom hands out are safe to eat.

She bugs me.  She's younger and less mature and she nags me to play and teases me by taking my toys, biting my neck, and running with them.  Every now and then I like to run and chase, but not as often as she wants.

Keeping the house safe

Keeping her bowl clean

Mom thinks I don't realize that Mia gets more food than I do.  I see how many scoops she gets and I know I don't get that much.  But I do her a huge favor and clean out her bowl after every meal so it is ready.

She hoards toys.  Not just a couple of them but most of them (notice I got my squeaky frog back).

Sharing the new bed

She got a new bed.  I like it and I sleep in it when I can. Sometimes she crawls in bed with me.  I don't really mind because I can sleep through most anything.

Me and Miss Nosey

I definitely won this fight

If I sniff, she sniffs.  Nothing gets past her.  Well she stuck her nose in my business one too many times and I peed on it.  She didn't seem to notice.  Dumb or what?  Girls are so confusing.

She is the only one with a pinch collar - she pulls too much

People stare at us when we walk down the street on our split leash.  Sometimes people ask if I am a puppy and she is the mom.  It's so embarrassing.

We are a pretty good team when we hunt rabbits in the back yard.  It is important to note that I caught a rabbit by myself when I was an only child; together we have never caught one but we have fun trying at least.  

She walks fast.  Her walk is a trot for me and I have to work harder.  I just try to look elegant when I move along beside her.

She doesn't understand dudes.  She is impatient when I mark (ok a lot) trees and bushes while we are on our walks.  Because we have the split leash, she can pull me along when I am the most vulnerable.  It is really annoying.

Here she is trying to hog the treats

I sometimes wish for a little more peace and quiet.  She thinks she is part of the bark patrol and often tunes up when I am asleep and don't always hear the mailman.  I just want to note that the mailman  never got past the door on my watch before and I really don't need her to try to take over my job.

Sometimes I let her spend a little time alone with Mom or the boys but mostly I feel it is my job, my right actually, to intervene so they don't get too close.  Sometimes I miss the good old days of being an only dog.

With MY buddy

Oh boy did she get hollered at when she tried to dig out part of the pond to get a bullfrog.  I kept my paws clean on that one while she was covered in mud.  She didn't pay attention when I tries to warn her:  "ix-nay on the ond-pay."  I don't think she understood.  After that, trouble.

Me, with the headless bear

Ok so I beheaded her favorite toy that she brought from her foster home.  It was annoying and I had to get her back for taking my stuff.  Now it is two toys.  Most of the fluff is gone, too.

If I had a choice in the matter I probably would have said "no" to getting a sister.  But now that she is here, I guess I would miss her if she disappeared.  But don't tell her that.

--Dudley (aka #1 Dog)

PS:

I have several blogs (Mia only has one):

Internet Best Friend (that would be me)
Adopted Dog's First Year
Quarterly Review
A Doggone Good Time
About Dallas, my brother who preceded me

Mama Mia: Adopting Dog #2

Mia at home

Mia's journey began somewhere in Missouri when her owners dumped her without the puppies that she was still nursing. Sadly, this sort of thing happens often all over the country. For the Love of Labs pulled her from the shelter, had her properly vetted and spayed and placed her in the foster home of Melinda and Wahab.  She adjusted to life without her babies, crying sometimes and feeling very sad.  She was loved and had other dog friends to play with and soon came out of her depression and began to enjoy playing with them.

First photo of Mia

Before Mia was even listed as adoptable, Cathy, at For the Love of Labs, who placed Dudley with me two years ago, told me about her and I agreed to adopt her.  After talking to her foster mom, Melinda, I knew she was a great dog and trusted that she would be happy with Dudley and that Dudley would eventually adjust to sharing his family.  After all, they sent me Dudley and he is is terrific!

Wahab with Mia - ready for transport

Melinda saying good-bye to Mia

Two weeks ago, Wahab delivered Mia to the Alpha Dog Transport vehicle for the long drive to Virginia.  Melinda said good-bye at home and was very sad.

A word about the wonderful rescue volunteers, Jeff and Kelly O'Brien, who own Alpha Dog Transport .  Jeff and Kevin Almstrom drive the wonderfully appointed truck filled with dogs from Ohio to Missouri (where Dudley came from) and stop many places before ending in Maine. They take excellent care of the rescue dogs en route to their new homes and work very hard to make every new adoptive family feel special when they meet their dogs for the first time.
.   

Our first meeting (with Kevin)

My friend Deborah accompanied me on the 90-minute drive to receive Mia in a deserted Toys R Us parking lot in Haggerstown, MD.  Alpha Dog Transport took great care of Mia and they seemed very excited and happy for me, too.

On first glance Mia was larger than I imagined and the color of espresso with a very happy face and loads of energy.  We thanked Kevin and then headed for green grass and relief before getting in the car.  Deborah stroked Mia while she lay in her new comfy bed in the back seat on the drive home to Virginia. 

The introduction to Dudley happened 90 minutes later at a neutral place.  After much sniffing, they seemed comfortable walking together and home we went.

How play begins

Two weeks into it, all is well.  We've had a few little bumps here and there and Dudley has behaved like Eeyore for about half of the time.  Mia is so well-behaved and friendly and urges Dudley to move a little faster when we are on our walks.

Dudley on Day 2 - not thrilled

The adjustment for me has been much like having a second child.  I have spent a lot of time worrying about Dudley's feelings and giving him extra attention.  It's a little more complicated to go places and when they both put up a fuss on a walk, it takes some strength to get everyone cooperating again. Mia's bark is much more subdued than Dudley's (he barks like a hound) but together they make quite a racket.

I am very grateful to the volunteers at For the Love of Labs and Alpha Dog Transport and for foster parents Melinda and Wahab for saving Mia and taking good care of her.

Diary of my first two weeks - by Mia

Day 1: Phew that was a long time to ride in a truck.  I am so glad to be home but I am a bit confused.

Day 2:  I don't think Dudley is thrilled about me and everyone is calling him Napoleon.  I think he's mad because I am taller than he is (and 20 pounds heavier).

Day 3:  I eat my food fast or Dudley will eat it for me.  I make sure that if he gets to my bowl it is already empty.

Day 4:  Running around outside makes me tired and I like napping in my new bed and yes, I am a toy-hoarder.

Day 5:  I love all my new toys.  That is a good thing because Dudley ripped the head off of the bear I brought with me from Missouri.

Day 6:  Togetherness happens slowly when you come into the castle of a prince. 

Day 7:  Patience has paid off.  Today he let me help guard the back yard.

Day 8:  I am moving up in the world!  Now I get to help patrol the perimeter; squirrels and rabbits beware!

Day 9:  I love going on walks even though I am faster than Dudley.  I have learned to sit before crossing the street.

Day 10:  I sort of got in trouble because I unmade the bed and buried myself in Mom's covers and I had dirty feet.

Day 11:  Dudley and I really played for the first time.  We tumbled all over the house and growled and sounded fierce but nobody got hurt. 

Day 12:  Squirrels hide in the strangest places and I know I have seen them in the bird feeder.

Day 13:  Dudley has been hogging my bed whenever he can.  I learned to just crawl in with him.  The blanket came from Melinda and Wahab but I let him use it.

Day 14:  Pulling while I am on the leash is not allowed so I have to wear this collar that pinches me if I try to yank Mom's arm off when I see a SQUIRREL!  

It feels good to be home!






My other blogs about dogs:

Love at First Click - On finding and adopting Dudley
Dudley's first year
Dog Party - About losing a dog (Dallas)