I have been trying all week to get a shot that show just how teensy Miss Spring (I decided I didn’t like Bounce) is, but as she doesn’t know any commands like “sit” or “wait”, and since she is always trying to climb right inside my skin and hibernate there, it’s been more or less impossible. But yesterday,while I was cleaning out the shed and ignoring the dogs, Spring actually wandered off on her own a little, and I managed to capture this tableau:
Is there something behind me?
No doubt you’re all “Sure, whatever Food Lady, Spring is obviously laying about 10 feet behind Tweed.” But actually, she is laying less than a foot behind him. She is just really freakin’ small, and so narrow she is practically 2 dimensional. I brought her to agility class on Thursday and we stood her next to Rogue (who was none too happy to be in such close proximity to something small, girly and possibly cuter than she is. She is the resident border-collie-or-something-jack and doesn’t appreciate competition) who is just 16″ bang on the nose. Spring is much smaller, maybe a good inch shorter at the shoulder. Mon petite chienne!
I also taught her the A-Frame in about 3 tries. I rewarded once for putting paws on the scary thing, once for bouncing part way up it and once for going up and over it. After that, I couldn’t keep her off it! She kept racing up and over the Frame at any given opportunity (and executing a perfect running contact at the bottom too). This is a dog who is begging for someone to challenge her brain.
Although she is so little, I can’t imagine where she would be hiding said brain.
She is overly fond of her crate, preferring to hang out in it to just about anything else, although she paws like crazy at the door if she thinks I am leaning over to open in. We’ve just about conquered not doing that, and waiting for an “ok” to exit the crate – she’s very bright. However, she needs some serious confidence building. Somewhere along the line, someone told her she was a chihuahua, or some other kind of lap dog, and she is constantly asking to be picked up. I deliberately have dogs that like to walk on their own feet for a reason, so I don’t oblige her often, which means she is frequently pawing at my legs as we walk, or jumping up to mouth my fingers. I’m ignoring it for now (and rewarding her when she starts walking on all 4 feet, and NOT on the backs of my shoes), but I’d really like her to stop as my calves are getting all scratched up. Ideas?
As soon as I sit on the ground, she’s on my lap. If I turf her out one too many times, she runs away and hides … there is no in between for this little girlie: you either love her, or you apparently despise her. Poor thing.
Aside from the malevolent TWooie, she is fitting in very well, even playing with the other dogs … even when they look like they are possessed.
But she prefers to play with Wootie
… when TWooie will let Wootie play, which is like, never.
And STAY away from him, got it?
But, when she can keep up with him, Dexter remains her all time favourite play companion.
She seems to be okay with kids. Initially she barked at my landlord’s little girl, because Tweed and Dexter did, but then she decided she was a-okay. Or possibly edible, not sure which.
But nobody loves a small child like Piper does :)
Which is the opposite reaction that Dexter has to children …
I guess I failed in this socialization department :( Dex met lots of kids when he was a puppy and I made sure he did, and that his experiences were good. Then one day when he was just shy of a year old he met a kid that he thought was scary, and that was it for him and kids – he wants nothing to do with them. Fortunately, retreat is his one and only choice when confronted with kids. No nasty face, no lunging, nothing even remotely aggressive. Just abject terror and some distance ;-)
Anyway. Spring apparently brought summer with her, as it’s been quite lovely for most of my days off!
It would not be unreasonable to claim that it’s hot outside, even.
Piper concurs.
We’re going to go enjoy it some more before I have to go back to work tomorrow. And while I wait for the guy who is coming to buy one of my many roosters. That’s right, you heard me … my many *bleeping* roosters. It would seem I SUCK at selecting chickens, because 3 of the 4 Ameraucana “pullets” I bought were actually roosters. Bastards. I am so disappointed, I really wanted lots of blue eggs :( But I did buy some Welsummer pullets (sexed by someone else this time!!) that I get to pick up in a couple of weeks, so I will get dark chocolatey eggs.
If you want a free Ameraucana rooster, just shoot me an email. Seriously, come take them away. Otherwise I’m going to have to eat them (Mr Bantam Rooster is kicking ten kinds of holy hell out of them every day) and I haven’t figured out how to do that without killing them, so … come on, help a sister out! Take a rooster!
Please? I’ll post another cute photo of Spring?
If that doesn’t work, I’ll SEND Dexter to FORCE you to take a rooster.
How come she never offers me a rooster?
Cath says
Oh she is so tiny and cute! Looks a tad devilish, though
Cath says
,,,and how many shots did you have to click off before getting that terrific “possessed dogs” one?
Cora says
Not what we expected but she is cute! We didn’t get what we expected either. The 2 “seniors” are 3 & 7-8 yrs old, hardly senior, lol!
I did ask for weights on all the dogs but never got it, next time, I’ll insist!
Jonathan says
Thinking back, Dexter didn’t seem to have any trouble with Alexander. Kinda wonder what’s up there.
And you can’t fool me. I remember a certain *other* recent placement of yours who is, umm, not to put too fine a point on it, an incurable cuddle slut.
In fact, the *only* thing Faith likes better than cuddling is cuddling while drooling on an iPad. I often read while lying down before going to sleep. The hard part is to keep her darn head out of the way. If I close the case on the iPad and put it down, she’ll stick her nose under it and flip it over (because sometimes I just put it face down). If that doesn’t work she’ll use her nose to flip the iPad back into my hands (or as close as she can manage).
Me: “Faith! I’m tired! It’s time to go to sleep, goofy girl.”
Faith: “So sleep, silly two-legs. But I’m not done drooling on the iPad yet. Oh. And can you explain again about where the little flying dragon comes from?”
The Sprollies 'n' Border Collies says
She’s amazingly petit, but she stands up for herself!
Tatyana says
Hey Food Lady – as an owner of two italian greyhounds, I think the rescue was right when they pinned Miss Spring as an IG mix. Not only does she look like she’s got IG in her, but she really *sounds* like one in terms of personality. Most IGs are very clingy/under-your-skin. Lots of them need to be touching you at all times, whether its leaning against you, sitting in your lap, or sitting two feet away and staring at you until you pay attention and pick them up. And not all but many IGs are very bouncy.
That last photo of her standing, I’ll bet you just about anything that she’s an IG/BC, not a borderjack. Or maybe there’s JRT in there too. But there are some very IG-like traits, including the legginess, lankiness, a sorta-curvy topline (from this angle, anyway), a neck the same width as her head, and that long long nose.
But also I saw a thumbnail of her on your flickr before actually reading about her on your blog from that shelter pic of her and thought I saw a familiar sighthoundy face. If an IG owner’s intuition is worth anything in deciding what mix a dog is… ;)
Just some thoughts :)
Sage says
Spring is fitting in well! She’s a cutie. And what a great job on the A-frame.
Of Pit Bulls and Patience says
Too cute! She looks like a little cartoon dog! And I’m fairly certain one of your dogs is turning into a werewolf in that possessed playing picture. I’m just saying. Watch out.
Carol says
Ooh, ya had me with that first photo of Tweed!Handsome! And to think I never went for the older guys…
I guess you CAN’T feed the roosters to Twooie, or he’ll be rewarded into thinking the hens are available for munching. But that’s what I was thinking of as a fine solution…
sally says
I had a little whippet bitch once who was a dead ringer for Spring. She too wanted to live in my pocket. Anyway, sounds like Spring’s found her calling with agility!
Ruth says
The only suggestion I can make to get her to stop pawing at legs is a modification of the technique we used to get our pup to stop jumping on people: as soon as she starts turn and step into her, force her to back up till she actually steps away sits and looks at you, then reward and go on about your day. It worked very well for my Tibetan Mastiff pup, but I’ve never had a collie, hound, or terrier to try it on.
Our pup stopped grabbing at hands when we taught him that the only way we’d give him a treat was if he licked our hand. Didn’t matter how good he was otherwise being, it he grabbed for the treat teeth first he didn’t get it till he licked. We got our hands knawed on quite a bit for a couple days, but he caught on quick. We started out doing it just randomly, when no other reward was due so as to not confuse him, just offered a treat that he couldn’t have till he licked. Then once he caught on started using it all the time.
She’s a cutie (and the rest of your clan are insane, how many tries does it take to get some of those awesome face shots?) good luck with her!
Mary says
I’m so in love with Spring. I would snap her up in a heartbeat if circumstances allowed it.
Jennifer says
Love Piper’s photographs, especially the one with the love shining in her eyes.
(Piper’s my favourite!).
Alice says
I love–love! Miss Spring. She’s gorgeous and delightful, and sounds like she’s got an agility bug. As for the leg scratching, my BC Emily used to jump and catch pant legs and the elbows of coats (she’d get very excited over walks and when dad gave her free rein, she’d snatch his pant leg or arm and then gleefully take off) until we started reinforcing “off” more strenuously and using a hell command to get her to stay alongside rather than behind or ahead. FL knows best–I’m sure you’ll get her to come around.
Alice says
Ha ha, not a “hell” command, but a “heel” command. Though a “hell” command certainly sounds like something you’d need for a headstrong border collie.
SweetCeana says
Best Twoo stink eye picture ever! I want that face and body language on my morning coffee cup.
Carolynn says
that picture of Piper looking up at the little girl melts my heart…absolutely precious.