Maude Update

Many of you are enjoying my adventures with Maude the Basset Hound. She is so sweet and loving, but she can be a stubborn bitch when she wants to be. Examples:

• The morning I'm running late, she runs out of the house and chases rabbits and I'm chasing her.
• The day she tries to eat a lab puppy thinking it's a rabbit.
• The time she peed on the floor because I shut the bathroom door and she didn't like it.

I was convinced that perhaps I'm not a dog person, my poor assistant principal and friend Misty (who calls herself a dog whisperer) keeps telling me to give it time and patience. Well, she was right. I've had Maude almost 2 months and I honestly can't imagine life without her. I love her so much, I can't wait to get home to see her!!
Now.... she's expensive..... more than I thought...... Examples:

• Puppy nanny - $15 visit, at least 2 visits a week if I'm working late
• Puppy spa - $45 a visit, once a month, Maude goes to get a bath, dip, teeth brush, nails done, and furminator (she sheds like a mo-fo!!)
• Puppy training - $75/lesson, we've had 2, we'll have at least 2 more to deal with her leash training and aggression with other dogs

Speaking of puppy training, I hired the same lady that my sister and mom have used with their dogs. She comes and we start with the choke collar. Maude doesn't respond. It takes 35 times to get her to sit. We have to use the pinch collar - she yelps every time I use it. I feel bad, but she's stubborn. After Karen left, I was really worried that I was the worst dog owner and I had a crazy dog..... I cried.....

After a couple of weeks, Karen came back and I'm pretty sure that Maude and I floored her with our dazzling abilities. She learned three things this lesson and did great on them! We are hoping to move from pinch collar to choke collar at her next lesson. I'll keep you posted - say a prayer for Maude (and me!!)!!