I really hoped that Maggie and me would make a pair. We started out good but once she was "at home" her true colors came out. I'm happy that she is attached to me but she is my shadow and that is our problem. She will not let me get out of her sight and she has discovered she can climb the chain link fence.
The first time I thought she had jumped it as I parked the golf cart close to it but the other evening when I went to visit my neighbor to inquire about his wife and how she was doing, I watched as she literally climbed over the gate. Once she was in his yard, she found a place where she could climb over his fence and when I came out of the house later, there she was laying in front of his front door.
I put her back into the yard and we stood there and watched as she climbed up and over and was right back to where we were. I managed to get her home and into my yard and scolded her and for a couple of days everything was fine.
Well, as fine as it could be. Since she is a puppy she is in to everything but she decided the cats bowls were something that needed to be destroyed and she did a good job on them. I started putting up the others overnight but have to keep an eye on her during the day. Since the cats are nibblers, their food lasts most of the day while she manages to gobble hers down in nothing flat.
Since Maggie has discovered she can go over the fence, anything or anyone who attracts her attention is fair game and she is gone. Having a neighbor who thinks he has to be the best friend to every dog in the area by giving them treats or special attention, he has aggravated the situation since she has learned how to get into his yard now. He has been warned by every dog owner around here to please not give treats or try to make friends with their dogs as some have them as watch dogs and when he does that, he is ruining them as they will overcome their protectiveness thinking a stranger will give them a treat. He just doesn't understand and insists he is doing nothing wrong.
Well now he has ruined my dog and I am going to have to throw in the towel and find her another home or take her to the shelter so maybe they can find a home for her.
She was out this morning and I got a call at 8:00 AM from another neighbor to tell me she was out. I tried to get her back but a trash company came and she was off again with the men petting and loving on her and she refused to come home. I had to leave as I had to go to the grocery store and she only came back so far and laid in the yard but would not go into the fenced yard. I left not knowing if she would be here when I returned or not.
To my surprise, she was in the neighbor's yard. The gate was open and I don't know if he purposely opened it for her to go in or not. But he was paying her attention as I drove up. I opened the gate and drove in and left them open in hopes she would come home. Instead, he went around the side of his house and she followed. Not sure if he coaxed her or not. When I saw him go inside later, I went out to call her and finally got her home.
It is a shame as I thought maybe she might be what I was looking for and needed but I don't think it is going to work out for us after all. I just hope we can find her a home where she can have the attention she needs and the freedom to run and not be a bother to anyone
I know I'm not the most patient person but I have tried and now I will give up. I've done all that I can do but until I can control the outside sources, our relationship will never work. The saddest part is that I really like the dog. But she is still a puppy and I'm not sure the two of us can survive each other for another year and a half or maybe more. And she may never grow out of this as she is a very friendly dog who does not know a stranger. I guess I should have realized this the day they brought her and she just came in as if she owned the place and never once was leery of me or barked at me. But I chalked it up to being a puppy and wanting to explore new surroundings.
I want the best for her. She deserves it. So I'll throw the towel in and guess I'll buy a security system since I can't find the right dog for me.
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