Pollie

I've been pondering adopting a dog for quite a while.  I've been divorced 5 years and I still get lonely in this empty house when the kids go to their dad's.  I've especially noticed the quietness since we switched to a 7&7 schedule.  I was planning to adopt a smaller dog since that size wouldn't need as much exercise but either I wasn't finding what I thought we should adopt or the dog already had a pending adoption before I got to meet it.  Early in my search I found Pollie at the Beatrice Humane Society.  She looks like my first dog, Emmy Lou.  I really like bigger dogs for walking and just feeling the safety of having somewhat of a guard dog.  I told myself that I needed to get a smaller dog this time.  About once a week, I'd go back to the Beatrice Humane Society website and look at the pictures.  On January 27th, I called to ask questions.  They told me that she was indifferent to the kids from the local elementary who came to read to the dogs (neither excited nor aggressive).  She'd been through training and had possibly been previously house trained as she had not had any accidents in her kennel since adjusting to the staff schedule of letting the dogs out.  I took about 20 minutes to decide and then drove to Beatrice to get her.  She was very calm when I met her and I knew within minutes that I was taking her home with me.

The last 6 months had been rough for Pollie.  She'd been surrendered in IA weighing 25 pounds.  That shelter got her up to 50 pounds but no one wanted to adopt her so they were going to euthanize her.  Second Chance Pups brought her to Nebraska where an inmate at the state pen trained her for 8 weeks.  I was told she'd passed her AKC good manners test, but later I read the paper signed by the tester and realized the "did not pass" box was checked!  During that 8 weeks no one adopted her, so Second Chance Pups asked the Beatrice Humane Society to take her since they are the only no kill shelter in Nebraska.  She'd been at the humane society for 2 months before I adopted her.

The first kennel I bought off facebook was too small for her.  I made her stay in it while I went to the basketball game to watch Mena.  When I told the girls that I'd adopted a dog, Maggie declared that she didn't want a dog.  Um, I already adopted her and she's at home.  Mena asked if I was serious.  I told her yes and showed her the picture of Pollie in my car.  By the time we left after Mena's performance, Maggie was asking if we would introduce Pollie to her and Mena so she wouldn't be scared.  Her step-mom and I assured her that I would introduce them and it would be fine.

After the game, I took Pollie to Petco to buy a bigger kennel.  The one in the picture was too big and too expensive, but it worked until I was able to borrow one from a friend.  Then I ordered the right size off Amazon for a much better price and it is in the living room now.  Who knew I'd have so much trouble over a crate for her!

Monday night the girls came home.  Mena bonded with Pollie immediately.  Maggie was excited as long as there was a good 6 feet between her and Pollie.  Tuesday morning, I took the picture of Mena and Pollie in my bedroom shortly before Maggie came in.  Maggie came into my bedroom with her hands behind her back and asked if we smelled a dog bone.  I replied that we had a dog and there would be lots of dog smells in our house now.  She then turned to Pollie and excitedly yelled, "Sit, Pollie, Sit!"  Pollie laid down and Maggie threw a milk bone at her.  There was only 2 feet between Maggie and Pollie so I called that progress!  Tuesday night is when I took the picture of Maggie brushing Pollie and shortly before bed, Maggie actually touched Pollie with her hand!  Huge progress in a short amount of time.  Wednesday morning, Maggie came into my bedroom and took Pollie's leash while telling her, "Come on, it's time for me to get dressed!"

Maggie had a time out with Pollie in her room and later told me that Pollie helped her calm down.  Mena enjoys petting and sitting with Pollie.  I think Pollie has a calming effect on all of us!  

We bought Pollie a dog bed which she loves laying in.  Within a week, I was able to let Pollie sleep in my bedroom rather than kenneling her at night.  She's been doing great with my training.  I can definitely tell she was previously trained.  I'm still working on training her to stay off the furniture, but it's getting better.  The only time she barks is when she sees someone near our house.  She likes running from the living room window to the kitchen window to watch out both the front and back yards.  She barks and tries to go play with other dogs she sees on walks.  She pulls on the leash so that's another thing I need to work on.