No, as much as you might want to think I have a real tail, physically attached to my body… I don’t. But I do have a dog.
Her name is Gretel.
She is 14 years old.
She’s an australien Shepard mix.
The sounds of the military firing range near our house scare her. But not as much as fireworks.
Her fur is the most beautiful red color I have ever seen on a dog.
I rescued her when she was 7. I was in high school. My mom called and said she had found a really ugly dog that needed a new home. Gretel was so neglected she was covered in mattes.
But the first time our eyes met it was love. True, serious, forever, love.
I know dogs are called “man’s best friend” but Gretel has been mine, and she came at a time when I really needed her.
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But seven years later… well, we have a problem.
I can’t move more than a foot with out her getting up. Currently she has positioned herself at the corner of the living room and the hallway. That way she can see me on the couch, and she can see when I go to the bathroom. When we’re in the office she is under my desk. When we go to bed she likes to sleep right umm… well… where I need to step when my pregnant butt gets out of bed every 3 hours.
Recently we started locking the dogs in the office at night. BUT… every time I would talk or couch or hiccup or well… do anything she would bark. Ya know “just making sure you’re still alive Jessica!”. That bark. I quickly decided that wasn’t going to work, because if I have a sleeping baby and a cold the dog will bark all night long. So now the dogs are still corralled into the office, but with the doors open… and a baby gate keeping them in.
The barking stopped (mostly)… not she just whines. It breaks me heart!
EVERYONE: My dog has separation anxiety. And I’m not talking about me leaving her for days. I mean… if she can’t see me she freaks out! While I find it endearing that this sweet animal loves me so much… I am starting to get annoyed. If I stand up, walk 2 feet to just grab something and then turn to go back, I’m liable to trip on her! When I get home from work on Tuesdays and Thursdays she dances and jumps like a little puppy. Then she refuses to go anywhere except for… under my feet.
I had never considered that there might be dog problems when baby comes along… Gretel has always been such a sweet spirit, and she is great with children. But I wonder if she’s the jealous type. She didn’t have a problem when we got Zuko (our little dog)… but I just wonder if adding a baby to the dynamic is going to throw her for a loop. I also worry about having her under foot while I try and walk around. It’s not like I’ve done anything to spoil her (I’m the stickler, no people food for dogs, and we didn’t even have dog treats in the house until Zuko came along).
Any one have personal experience with this? I don’t want to make my sweet doggy feel unloved, but I also can’t stand having her 6 inches behind me at all times!
