Girrrrl! It’s so good to see you! I cried my eyes out last night knowing you were just two houses down, and outside in the yard. Would it have killed my lady to take me over to say hello? I could hardly pee I was so sad. Granted, we’d had a play date already yesterday, but these humans have no idea how hard it is to be cooped up in the house. They’ve barely walked me lately with all this snow.
Girrrl! I hear that. I get so depressed in the winter. I’ve gained, like, 20 pounds over the last year. Sigh. I feel like a Lab.
Stop it! You don’t look fat at all. Your coat has just filled out. Don’t ever say anything like that about yourself again. Now c’mon, let’s go sniff.
This is Jingle, waiting beside Riley while she does her math at the kitchen table. Since we made the decision to homeschool, Jingle’s workload has increased exponentially. No more four hour naps in her crate. Today she went to cello lessons. She got very concerned when a janitor came into the room. She let out a low growl (only heard by me), but I reassured her, and distracted her with a treat. She got over it quickly. I’m finding if I distract her with a treat, she does not pee that tiny dribble she does when her hero, HT comes home in the evening either. Distract and treat. Distract and treat. That’s pretty much the name of the game. If only kids were so easy!
By evening, she is whooped and gladly jumps into bed with Riley and stays in her room all night.
Two sweeter girls you’ll never meet.
It is nice they are having more time together to bond.
Jingle is having a riot. Her new BFF Glinda a couple doors down is a big fluffy black lab mix and they roll around in the snow, wrestling like bear cubs. She just loves other dogs. Jingle is a happy girl. Mostly.
A couple of times lately, she has stolen food off Riley and Seth’s plates (they were on a TV tray in the living room, shoot me, it was Saturday cartoons), and she’s been sniffing around the kitchen counters. Not good behavior, especially for a well trained service dog! I have corrected her with stern commands and have put her in her place. It’s just weird. She’s usually so well behaved.
Today I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, and an “aha” moment occurred.
Why would Jingle suddenly be acting out?
What is the purpose of the behavior?
It’s all food related.
Could she be hungry?
Riley feeds her twice a day, religiously, I watch her do it from across the room, as I prepare breakfast and dinner. Riley takes the silver measuring cup out of the bag and gives her a full scoop.
But what’s this in my hand? Why, it’s the silver measuring cup! Somehow the measuring “cup” got replaced with the ”1/2″ cup.
Jingle’s food intake had been cut in half. For how many days? I don’t know.
A college student who is a reporter for a local newspaper came by today to interview us about Jingle. She did an article last year when we were fund raising and wanted to follow up. Her first article caught the attention of a neighbor we barely knew, and he in turn brought it to the attention of the parishioners at his church, who in one Sunday service, passed around a second collection and came up with over five hundred dollars to contribute toward Riley’s service dog. We were very moved.
Most of the questions today were directed toward me, but at the end the reporter asked Riley how her life has changed since getting Jingle. Riley doesn’t always respond well to being questioned. Sometimes she gets shy or overwhelmed if she feels put on the spot, but not today. This is what she said,
“I feel like I have more confidence, and I feel like Jingle is my friend.” We didn’t know she felt more confident, but the friend thing? Not a surprise.
Jingle traveled with us to upstate NY to visit family for the holidays. She did great in the car, and was well behaved the whole time we were there, but appeared to be nervous. She refused to eat, just like when she first came home with us.
We are her fifth home. She was a rescue at a shelter, then she went to 4 Paws, then a foster family took her for basic obedience, then she spent time in a women’s prison for advanced obedience, then back to 4 Paws, then to us. She is just a year old! No wonder she didn’t quite know what was going on. Riley didn’t need her too much while we were away. Basically at Grammy and Grampy’s house, everything goes her way! Nothing to get very stressed about. There were just a couple of tiny blips.
Jingle is so happy to be home. She gulped down her food first thing. She joyfully bounced around the yard when I took her out. I wonder how long and how many trips it will take for her to know she’s here for good.
Last year at this time we were still fund raising. We had taken a huge leap. Decided it was okay to ask for help. The first time ever since having Riley. So many readers were a part of making “Jingle” happen. And it wasn’t just about the dog, you know? It was about putting our egos aside, to make room for good to come Riley’s way.
We’ve only had Jingle two months. We could not have received a better dog for our child. She and Riley match perfectly in sweetness.
Thank you again to everyone who supported us, and to anyone who has followed our story. Riley and Jingle are just getting started.
Have a Jingly Christmas and I double dog dare you to ask for help with something important to you in 2010.
Jingle loves to be wrapped in blankets. If she’s just hanging out with us, lying on the floor she adores having a blanket tucked around her. At night, she starts off sleeping with Riley. We usually wrap her in a separate throw blanket, which rests on top of Riley’s bed.
Then, just before the grown-ups are ready for bed, we take her out, and by we, I mean Todd. I’m not going out there. Are you kidding? It’s freezing!
After that, Jingle usually decides to spend the rest of the night in her crate, which is in Riley’s room, with the crate door open, facing Riley’s bed. She’s done her job, she’s seen the girl to sleep, now she’d like some peace. A bit of uninterrupted shut eye. It works for everyone.
Jingle’s papers say she is part Aussie part Boxer. When people ask, and I tell them, they flip out.
BOXER? She doesn’t look like a Boxer??
Seriously, you would not believe how up in arms people get over it. Like I’m trying to pull a fast one. It’s been happening from the first day we took her out in public. Lately, I just say she’s an Aussie mix and leave it at that. I can’t take the third degree. But yesterday, we met a little boxer named Kate. She had the same front legs as Jingle. Slightly splayed outward. The same doe like front paws, white from mid leg down. They had the same little twist of fur on their chest. And upon greeting each other, the hair on their backs stood up in exactly the same manner, almost cat like.
I’ll probably still keep her Boxer status on the down low. People get weird about dogs.
They love her right back.
