So, Darby and I are a week in and seem to be settling in together.

From way back.

Congrats brenda!

What everyone else said about it taking time for the settling in. You probably won't see her full personality for 2 to 3 months. But, in the meanwhile, you can encourage petting proximity by squishing one hand in cat food, or other tasty treat and then moving the other hand closer while she licks the food off.

Approach under the chin and to the side, so that she can see the hand. (This is a key skill to teach kids about approaching dogs, the top of the head and near the eyes is a bad idea, but we all seem to want to do it!)

You make a good point about a well-behaved dog not needing to be food oriented, but it sure helps. Keep upping the ante until you find the food that really does it for her...there is something, I guarantee it!

In any case, Darby is one lucky dog.

Turns out I did have the oomph, so Pinky vodka and Absinthe hve been obtained. YAY

Thanks, bonny! I may be reaching out for advice as we go.

She's mostly okay with being petted, though oddly more comfortable if I'm standing and reaching down than if I crouch down to her level. Quick movements toward her are a definite no - not that I'd do that on purpose but I tried to grab her the other day when the door was closing too fast and she went down into a frozen crouch that broke my heart.

I did get her to take some turkey from my hand so I'll get some more of that and dole it out carefully.

What everyone else said about it taking time for the settling in. You probably won't see her full personality for 2 to 3 months.

Yeah, I'm good with this. The rescue people were so concerned and earnest and all "you just have to give her time!" Makes me wonder if they've had people after a week or so be all "this dog doesn't love me yet, wahhh", either with her or with other dogs. I'm sure they have. For now I'm mostly giving her her space, letting her mostly direct the pace of interaction and trying to keep to a routine where I can.

It also might be worth checking with the foster to see what they used for treats. In Frankie's case it was cheapass hot dogs cut into little bits, and he took that when he wouldn't take much else. I'm so glad she's settling in.

Frankie has decided, after some growly encounters on walks, that he lurves the crazy boxer next door. And by lurve, I do mean he started humping him, which is the first time I've seen him do that. His personality continues to evolve.

Hate to post and run, but I've got to get to bed.

Yeah, I may ping them about the walk thing at least.

Oh! One thing she does that's so freaking adorable I can't even say. She wears a harness for walks. Which is better for them and they said it seem to make her more confident so. But you put the one part over her head and then her leg goes through the one loop and then it hooks under her belly.

So when she really wants to go for a walk, she'll come up and stand there with the one leg already pulled up against her body. I swear I thought there might be something wrong with her paw until I figured it out.

OMG, I just turned on the end of the Celtics/Lakers game, and now I'm all stressed out.

So when she really wants to go for a walk, she'll come up and stand there with the one leg already pulled up against her body.

Oh, my heart. What a sweetie.

On the dog topic, we are really relieved that the dalmatian has had a good couple of weeks in terms of her mobility and apparent pain level (since dogs won't just tell you if they have pain, and in fact will hide it instinctually) -- a quarter-tablet of Rimadyl twice a day seems to be helping her mobility, but isn't making her sick (half a tablet twice a day was making her sick).

We have lots of carpet squares so she can get her feet under her, and a ramp off the back porch (from a U-Haul truck; we are PURE CLASS), and while she isn't running around like a puppy (or, frankly, like she was just a year ago), she's doing a lot better than she was a few weeks ago.

She's eating well again and has put on some weight -- she could stand a few more pounds, but she's looking much better.

She's old, and we know that she won't be around for many more years, but for right now she's sticking around and has a good quality of life.

Kato (the black-and-tan coonhound) is, as always, a brilliant, good-natured, hilarious FAT CHUNK of a dog.

Here they both are being cute: [link]

So when she really wants to go for a walk, she'll come up and stand there with the one leg already pulled up against her body.

Oh, my heart. What a sweetie.

And she's thinking, "Pfft! I thought humans were supposed to be SMART!"

We will not speak of MGG.

He needed a hairbrush more than a haircut. CK and JP were at least groomed. But he does look cute with the new do.

CK frequently has two fingers on his right hand bandaged. It may be a guitar thing?

Bandaged fingers are cute. Not sure what that's about.