All of this lead me to the decision that Tia would no longer be allowed outside with Nadya without a muzzle. So the next time I turned them out together, the muzzle went on Tia and she didn't seem to care too much. She's used to it anyway from her days at the track. (Racing dogs are always muzzled when turned out together to avoid any injury.)
The funny part is, Nadya has obviously never seen one of these things. She watched Tia trot out with this huge yellow plastic cage on her snoot and just gave her this look. It's hard to describe, but when Nadya trotted over to Tia and poked her with her nose, I think she said to her, "What the heck is that thing on your face?"
Nadya was obsessed with Tia's muzzle and she followed her around for a few minutes, then suddenly grabbed a hold of the muzzle and started pulling at it! She was bound and determined to help her bratty sister get rid of that thing. (Too bad she didn't know any beavers like in "Lady and the Tramp".) I'm not sure what Tia wasthinking, but all of this attention seed to tic her off. She snarled at Nadya and stalked away, grumbling to herself. Nadya just watched her walk away with a look of surprise. "Well okay! If you really WANT that thing on your face, Hannibal!"
We had another minor breakthrough with Nadya yesterday morning. As usual, when we go outside, Nadya made a circle around me and then leaned against me for her morning backrub. (As opposed to her lunchtime backrub and her midafternoon backrub and her early evening backrub...)
Only this time she stood straight up on her hind legs, planted both front feet on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye! I was so thrilled that I didn't even care that her feet were all muddy, (and now so was I) or that she was actually jumping up on me. I'm just glad that she finally trusts me enough to do this.
~Thursday, July 20, 2000~
To Grandma's house we go and Getting a License.
Nadya had a very big day yesterday. First thing in the morning, we drove 20 miles to my mothers house and visited "grandma". Mom just loves Nadya. She used to breed and show Whippets in the 40's and 50's so naturally I thought she'd flip over my Greyhounds when I got them, but Nadya is her "favorite."
From Grandma's house we walked up to the County Treasurer's Office where they
sell dog licenses. The Treasurer always tells me to bring one or two of my dogs along when I get my licenses because everyone in the office loves to see them. (This was the fourth time this year that I've been up there for licenses.)
Nadya walked with assurance until we hit Main Street. There was a lot of traffic and the cars were going along at a fairly good clip. This seemed to frighten her and she started to bolt at one point. I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and wrapped her up in a hug and whispered in her ear, "No one is going to get you Sweetie. Everything is all right. Mum's here."
As soon as I got her enclosed in my arms, I could feel her relax. She gave me this look that told me. "Ok Mamma. I'm all right now. Let's go." So on we went.
When we had to stop at the corner to wait for the light, I had her sit. A woman and her son came toward us and the woman exclaimed, "Wow! She's tiny!" I started looking around to see who she was talking to, but I guess it must have been us! I asked her if she was referring to Nadya who stands a full 31" at the shoulders, which is tall for a Borzoi girl. She asked me how old she was and when I told her that she was around 18 minths old she came up with, "Oh she's going to grow a lot more then!" Ya just never know about some people.
Everyone in the Treasurer's Office absolutely loved her. I gave them a brief summary of her previous life and of course they were horrified. They lavished her with, "Aren't you beautiful?" and "What a pretty girl!" and "Aw Sweet baby!" She wasn't overly thrilled with all the attention, but she was relaxed and allowed the "commoners" to approach the "royal self." (She's getting sooo snooty!)
After the license was purchased and a promise given to the Treasurer that it would be the last trip of the year, (nomoredogsnomoredogsnomoredogs!), we drove to Burger King for my daughter where Princess Nadya was once again served a hamburger! She ate this one, so maybe sitting on them isn't a priority afterall!
Later Nadya and Tia went with Mum to puppy class. Nadya did all of her sits and downs with regal dexterity. We also practiced recall which she did with a grunt and an "I don't have to if I don't want to" look. After class she found Penny, the mini Dachshund puppy again, but this time she actually talked Penny into playing with her. Nadya tried the same tactic as last week. Get down on your belly and closer to her level, (which is darn near the dirt under the grass). But she was still about three times taller than poor little Penny that way. So Naddy went to plan B. Lay completely flat out and stretch your legs out toward the puppy, give her the eye and a couple of wufs. Then lay perfectly still while the puppy bounces around on your head a few times. That gained Penny's confidence that Nadya wasn't going to eat her or squash her with her humongous hoofies.
Nadya rolled up into the sitting position and Penny started hopping up into the air and poking Nadya's neck and face. That started the play session and they had a great time bouncing and "gruffing" at each other. All of a sudden, Penny pulled the leash out of her Daddy's hand and started "zooming" around in circles in front of Nadya and Tia. Tia looked as if she were watching a live lure, but Nadya seemed to want to run with her. All in all, it was a good, if not exhausting day!
