Tuesday, March 27, 2007

little dog in a big city


Our pooch is sleeping next to the desk as I type this. We've begun to bond in the 28 hours she's been here. But the poor thing is very scared so it's going to take awhile for her to settle in.

I just hope she doesn't wake us every night with wolf-like howls at 2 a.m. No, I think it was just that she woke up and forgot where we were (upstairs, she didn't want to come up when we went to bed) or maybe she even forgot where she was. After all, in her nine short months, we're her third, but thankfully final, home.

She seems particularly afraid of going outside (perhaps she came from a quiet suburb of Osaka) but we already see progress. Twice today I was able to get her to go up the stairs on her own 4 feet, without me having to carry her. And just before dinner Alain took her out and apparently she dragged him straight to the park right next to the embassy where I took her last night.

I'm just anxious for her to feel at home amongst Tokyo's ever flowing rivers of humanity so we can sniff out new adventures together. Welcome, Grace.


Comments:

Hi,

I don't know if you get the National Geographic channel, but they have a show called the Dog Whisperer, the host is Cesar Millan and he is just amazing with taming dogs.
 
awww, welcome home grace-chan! :)

i'm sure with your patience and reassurance she'll become more confident and outgoing in no time at all!

congrats again - she's beautiful!
 
AWWWWWWW DOGGIE!!!!!!!!!!
She'll get used to you guys and her new surroundings. Just you wait!! :D

*hugs*
H
 
Update:

Last night she walked (slowly!) down all 4 flights of stairs. Then we met the ambassador and his dog who barked her little (purebred something or other with long frilly ears) head off at Grace. The ambassador admired my mutt!

But the biggest news is that she didn't wake us once last night! She slept (outside our bedroom door, I think) from 11 to 6 when I woke and took her, on paw, down all the stairs again. Adjustments in progress!
 
Carol, I so love what I'm reading! :)

You have a lot of patience and respect for her. Like you say, she probably didn't get a nice life so far and you're totally understanding and respectful of that... hurray for you, I admire you! Keep showing her that man can be dog's best friend too! She's a lucky doggy. Oh yeah, she's amazingly cute also!

Stephsters xx
 
Thanks Steph! It's nice to hear you're enjoying her too, because I sure am. I so lucked out because she's not only cute but she's SO well behaved!

Another update: Yesterday we hung out in our complex's little playground for a couple of hours, me studying on a bench and her enjoying the sun (it's like 20C here right now) and adjusting to the comings and goings of construction workers working on the big cheese's house right next to the playground. AND we also had company for quite awhile. She now has a pal named Dodger (a big sweet springer spaniel) and she also had a brief play with Fuji (an infectiously friendly mini schnauzer pup).

She also makes it right through the nights no problem! She now sleeps at the top of the stairs, a few feet from our (almost closed) bedroom door but never pushes it open or makes any noise!

The longterm project is taking her on short forays out of the complex grounds. She's very scared of cars (side streets here are very narrow with no real sidewalks). I've been going early in the a.m. and late at night so as to have the least traffic possible. Petit a petit!
 
aww so happy to read it's going well day by day!
ps: your new plant looks lieka type of orchid! it's gorgeous!!!!!!!

*hugs*
H
 
Hi Carol,

I finally entered you blog, I was thinking about you when I heard about the earthquake, but didn't have time to write to you, sorry.

I adore everything that you wrote about your baby. You are right, she needs a period of adaptation, the specialists say around 3 month, so everything that you have done is great until. You know, the play is the best bonding with a dog, so try and play directly with her with a ball or something like this, throw it and ask her to bring it to you, you'll see, you won't be able to get rid of her after she gets it.
I find the name Grace very gracefull, a beautiful name, no fuss or pretention as Aran says, and in my eyes goes very well with her appearance.

I wish you to enjoy her the most. SHE IS WONDERFUL!

Kisses
 
I am sorry again, I forgot to wish to Alain a more than a Happy Birthday, even though one day late.

Tell him to be healthy and happy, it's all that matters.

Kisses.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?