Haha don't worry about the hijack star! I love seeing pictures of little Mia! I've known dogs that are simply the lowest dog on the totem pole, too, but with Lacey we really think there were extra fears involved. She had so many different fears when she got here that we've had to work on. First she was scared if we moved our hands to quickly, too close to her face - she would flinch and cower like we were going to strike her. She was TERRIFIED of TOYS! I tried tossing or even rolling random toys around her during her first week and she'd run and cower. She had no idea what a dog toy was or how to play - and she's 2 years old! We had to teach her steps aren't evil, cats and rats are animals, and that she HAS to pee outside. She's also deathly afraid of water/rain and going outside in the dark. Her foster mom said when she tried to bathe her before sending her off to us, she fought like she was going to be drowned.
To us all her fears equal the story of a dog who was never allowed in a house, stayed outside day or night/rain or shine, never saw animals other than dogs, was never allowed to play, was struck if she got out of line, and wasn't fixed for the first 2 years of her life before being dropped off at a high kill shelter when she was no longer wanted - backyard breeder anyone?
Now we could be wrong, and they could all be random fears when she had a perfectly nice home prior to ours, but we're just not convinced of that...
We worked easily through almost every single one of her fears though! There's still small things here and there, like the fact that we have to chase her down to make her go out before bed, but she's giving in sooner and realizing that we ARE going to make her go out - like it or not (if we don't she pees on the carpet while we're sleeping).
No matter what her start was before, she's now in a loving home where she's being spoiled rotten and she knows it!
Hehe and thanks Minnie for the comments on Dopey. He's learned how to use those eyes over the years to get what he wants and be the spoiled brat he's become.
He actually loves the rats, too, and has felt to need to protect them all since my first two, but I expected that with this easy-going boy. I didn't expect it with Lacey. I was just content about the fact that during her home visit she didn't growl, bark, or jump at the cages when she saw them running around - just whined a little, looked confused, and then ignored them. That was good enough for me. She definitely surprised me.
they are extra cute!!!!
