Michelleva

The vet put it nicely, she's having the puppyhood she never got.

Thats a lovely way of explaining it... I wonder if it would work on a 42yo husband though... LOL A local pet store was doing santa photos today, so I took my son and the dogs down. Bonnie was really scared, so scared that she barked and barked. Her bark is only half as loud as Georgia's, but the tables did turn for a little bit. I think she's a dog who will bark if she gets overwhelmed, but doesn't bark at every noise like Georgia does. The photographer was amazing with the dogs, she got a fantastic shot. As soon as I receive it, I'll show you guys a copy. Bonnie is now relaxed again in the backyard, her smile is back. :)

Ummmm don't know whats going on with the princess, but me thinks she's feeling rather comfortable here. This morning she attempted to raid the bin, stuck her head in the dishwasher, licked some dishes and stood in the litter tray in search of kitty crunchies.. OMG, that was all before 8am..

Thanks for your input. From the get go I have treated Bonnie the same as I would Georgia. And I've made a concious decision if I give one attention, the other gets it too. I don't want Georgia getting jealous and she was a little in the beginning, but she's passed that now. We don't have any dogs on beds or couches here, mainly because Georgia can't jump due to a bad knee. So Bonnie hasn't been exposed to that, so hasn't even thought of it. As Bonnie's confidence has grown and she's letting her hair down a bit, she's showing her cheekier side. Like jumping up against the coffee table to see if there's anything good up there, so I've had to say No or ah-ah just like I would to Georgia. She needs to know whats acceptable and whats not, regardless of her background. Dogs need to be taught manners, lets face it she will need them, wherever she lives in the future. Last night I had a long think about what it would be like to say goodbye to Bonnie and it didn't feel good at all. I think I will stop thinking about it for now, and at the end of next week I will sit down with the family and discuss her future with us. To be honest I already know what they will say, they're a bigger bunch of suckers than me. LOL

My problem is if I keep her, I can't help anymore dogs like her, the fact that she fits in so well here and is the most amazing creature is making it so difficult. I may have to just give in and admit my fostering days are over.

Like chalk & cheese, aren't they.. Bonnie's sensible like Danny. The UQ eye-specialist vet used to call him, 'a fine young Scot'. Shelley was known as the lunatic. We thought we might put a pole in the middle of the yard, with an audio tape that said, every 10 minutes, 'Shut up, Shelley!'. But she'd have barked at the pole because it was obviously sent to kill her. When she was the only dog, she stayed at the kennels while we were away. When we went to pick her up, the kennel attendant, said she''d put Shelley in with a a shy, retiring sheltie boy whose family were overseas for 3 months. 'To cheer him up.' That poor little sheltie... away from his home & someone puts a lunatic in with him! So there are other sweet shelties out there... you've got your Bonnie. Definitely a replica of your two, thats for sure. :-) We had another breakthrough this afternoon. I put the collar and lead on her and let her walk around with it for a while, then I just picked it up and started walking towards the front door. She freaked out and tried to get away from me BUT once she was out the front door, she thought it was the best thing ever. We walked up and down our street together, both with goofy grins on our faces. She walked in every direction, sniffing everything as she went and I let her. Now is not the time to worry about walking nicely, that will come later. Tomorrow we're going to tackle going around the block! I think if we go a little further each day, soon she'll forget about her fear of the door, just like she got over her fear of the crate so quickly. I can see the time fast approaching where we need to make the decision to adopt or let her be adopted. Its not going to take long to rehabilitate this special little lady.

Thats encouraging Mita. I think Bonnie will be fine too, its just a step by step process. Once we'd seen the vet she was quite relaxed there and would even walk on the lead with encouragement. She walked back to the caar without a problem, she's smart though, she probably knows thats the way home. I just mowed the back lawn and Georgia did her usual carry on, OMG, the sky is falling, blah blah blah, so she ended up being crated. While Bonnie sensibily sat on the concrete away from the noisy thing, she didn't look scared at all. Its amazing that two dogs of the same breed can be so different. I'd always assumed they were all like Georgia.

Already in a week the hair on her back is starting to regrow. When I got her she had a mowhawk running down her back, with bare skin on either side. She has flakey bits coming off all the time now, but I can see it improving. I was advised to not brush her, I think so it doesn't aggrevate that skin. She'd been to a groomers the day before desexing and they said she just had huge matts of fur come off her back, poor thing. But she's going in the right direction now.

Oh and to further prove she is a princess, look how she holds her paws, she does this all the time........awwwwwwwweeeeeeee She still has manky skin on her back from having fleas and left untreated. She's getting flaxseed oil on her food, I'm told thats good for skin and coat, does anyone else have any other suggestions, otherwise it probably just needs some time and a decent diet, which she is getting now. It seems to be itchy because she's been walking under the outdoor chairs and dragging them all over the place, trying to scratch herself.

Princess Bonnie had to go to the vet yesterday. A couple of days ago she was making this funny coughing noise, then it stopped and yesterday she was doing it again. So I bundled her up and took her in. She has an upper respitory infection, so is on AB's for that. The vet also cleaned her ears, as she had some wax in them. The poor girl wasn't herself the rest of the day, I think she feels safe in the house with us, but outside of here is still very scary to her. I did get her to walk in on a lead though, so that was a positive. But I had to carry her to the car, those steps out the front door are terrifying to her.

That is NOT true, you have them mixed up with the Lost Dogs Home surely? They are not a pound anyway. Please don't make such comments without checking your facts as you can do a reputable organisation damage. Sorry guys, you are right. My apologies, please disregard my comment.

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Bonnie is hereby christened Princess Bonnie.. And crazy beautiful Georgia xo

Now, now, don't go getting ahead of yourself. I'm just back from shopping and bought both puppers a little present.. ha ha. I'll post a pic later. :D

Change definitely is possible Mita.. and even Princess Bonnie is changing by the hour. Today she rolled on her back so I could rub her belly, if thats not the ultimate in animal/human trust I don't know what is. Oh and to balance it out and prove she's every bit the sheltie, she raided the kitty litter box, not once but twice.. oh dear!

Bonnie does have the taste for liver treats, thats what getting her into the crate etc. They smell pretty strong too. So I will keep them handy when I slowly get her used to the lead. Can I tell you a secret Mita ... I can see Georgia changing. Today is only day 6 with Bonnie and Georgia is the calmest she's been in her life. Prior to Bonnie's arrival, if we went out for an hour or so she would be crated. When we return and she'd hear the key in the door, she would bark and bark and bark, I think out of pure excitement. Surely she didn't believe the house was being broken into. The last two days when I've had to go out and the two are crated together, Georgia has been quiet as a mouse when we get back. If Bonnie has the ability to make Georgia a calmer and easier dog to live with, I can't possibly see us rehoming her. Georgia used to spend a good part of the day inside even in good weather, because she would just go feral at the slightest sound. Even the neighbour turning on the tap was enough to send her into overdrive, we're being abducted by aliens, freak out.. But today she's out there with Bonnie and I've only heard the odd yap, but it stops in 10 seconds. To be honest it excites me to see Georgia's behaviour improving so much, I didn't think it was possible.

I haven't done a great deal, I just took the advice I was given and let her settle at her own pace. I'm working towards getting her to walk on lead next. That currently freaks her out. But we'll get there. :)

Hey Pers, thanks so much for this advice, it worked a treat, parden the pun. I have managed to get her to walk into the crate all by herself twice today..

She is a clever little sheltie . She's figured no bad things happen in the crate ... & she can come out each morning to a great new life she's clearly enjoying. I like Persephone's idea of flicking some treats in there ... but not for Georgia's consumption. :) As Bonne's bonded trustfully with you, I'd also put something in the crate that strongly has your scent on it. Old unwashed T shirt, old towel you've slept on, toys you've rubbed your hands on. That'd connect the two parts of her life... in the crate & out. I will try both those ideas today Mita and Pers.. thanks! Today is a wet, grey day and Princess Bonnie has decided, she doesn't like wet feet, just like Princess Georgia. Ha ha

Yay!!!! I'm normal, thats a relief.

I was more just thinking is there a way I can get her in there without freaking her out. But guess what this amazing dog just did? Walked in and out of the crate by herself, not once but twice. She's crate training herself I think. I really have to stop over thinking it, she'll get it sorted in her own time. :)

Does anyone have any pointers to help get her into the crate. She's gets very scared when I call her for bed time, and everyday I've had to pick her up and put her in there. At this stage I can't even get her to walk close enough. I've tried to hold a treat to her nose and she'll walk a little way but not get close to it at all. Once she's in the crate she does a couple of scared paces, then lies down and goes to sleep. In the beginning I couldn't get her to come out of the crate either, but now she comes bounding out, complete with a smile and wagging tail. Today she is starting to walk on the grass by herself, without needing to follow one of us.. baby steps.

ha ha... love your description of Shelley and the fireworks! Gets spookier, Michelleva. Eating was the same! Shelley, like Georgia, wolfed down food ... & Danny was a dainty, calm eater. I had to separate them when eating , because bossy Shelley would gulp her food, then fly across to little Danny & take over his food. Years after they'd become 'brother & sister', I once forgot & put the dinner plates in the same area. Shelley wolfed hers down, raced over to start on Danny's. Only time in his long life, Saint Danny lost his temper.... & he lit into much bigger Shelley. Shelley went into Drama Queen .... squealing for help, 'This dog is killing me!'. She got no sympathy from anyone. Danny's daintiness in everything, meant strangers thought he was the girl of the pair. And that great big pushy Shelley was the boy. I'd believe Bonnie was calmer than Georgia with the fireworks.... Danny would be, too. And Shelley the same as Georgia. All Drama Queen, 'We're all going to die here. Fix it, bark, bark, bark!". Yep.... Bonnie's a gift from heaven, calm, sweet & dainty. :) So good that she's eating. Ooooooh, the latest pics of Bonnie. She's stunning & there's a changed look in her eyes already! Agree with DD.... definitely Princess Bonnie.

You have a great big heart Koala.. Juniper is a beautiful dog, you've done so well with her.