She is feeling better every day, yesterday she bounced up to me and was going to jump on me, I stepped back but not far enough and I got both paws sliding down my legs... Ouch.

She doesn't growl at Fuzzybutt, it is more a game OH look I am going to chase her back down stairs.

It is so nice to have out happy girl back. I have been able to give her a partial hygiene trim on the back quarters, her hair is so much longer than when we got her, she was getting pee on the long feathers on her thighs. I have a few knots in the tail that got there because she wouldn't let me brush any where near her hind quarters for 2 months. So blowing coat and no grooming has left us with a mess. But slowly I will get it cleaned up, she will only tolerate so much tail grooming before she gets snarky (telling me that is ENOUGH).

It's good to hear that Neilla's herself again. She certainly knows how good she has it.

have fun,
MJ

Yesterday she went to the Vet to have her nails done. She refuses and will snark at me when I try to do them, but as the groomer said she was a princess for her. So to me that is a good $16.00 expense.

Sunday my mom was here and we were watching TV, Neilla looked into my office and started barking, it took me a little while to figure out what she barked about, my computer screen when into sleep mode and she saw it change. When it convinced her it was ok, she looked at my mom and gave two short woofs, like she was saying hey you did that because I never saw it happen before, so you must have done something.

I will say a few things about the breed, they are every bit as smart as the GSD, very loyal and protective just like the GSD. The one major difference is they don't require as much physical exercise.

Glad to hear Neilla was so good at the Vet for a nail clipping. My Sasha is apparently a little angel at the Vets when I'm not around. I found that out when she had the elbow dislocation and all those visits to the Vet.

I don't like doing nails but I insist that they be kept nice and trim so I have to do it myself. Otherwise it would cost way too much to take my two in. Kody does ok with it and Sasha does well with it now too. Now that I know the trick to take her outside to do it. That way when she's pees all over its outside (learned that from the boards here)

Having a dog that doesn't require so much exercise sure does sound good to me. I never tire my girl out and that concerns me when I know I'll be going back on chemo soon.

Val, I hope your mom had a few treats for Neilla to persuade her she's not responsible for the computer screen changing to sleep mode.

Well I can say that this girl will keep you on your toes. I put a dog paw refrigerator magnet on the side of the frige a few weeks ago, no problem, last week I added her Loyalty Nail Trim card to the magnet she noticed that and gave it a woof. I told her it was OK, it was just her Loyalty Card, no more woofs.

Deer Hunting opened yesterday, had her out for potty break and she saw deer running and banging noises. I got her back inside before she started her barking at all the different things going on. If it is within her eye sight, she notices any changes.

Sounds like Neilla has HLAS syndrome? My house is so chaotic that if my dogs track changes they keep the news among themselves. I am impressed that Neilla doesn't run the deer. Mine are quite OK with bangs and crashes but deer? When I'm at par, I try to run the deer off before I let the dogs out. Deer don't always herd easily either - some saunter (young bucks more than does) and try other corners before they give up and go over the fence. Dogs could get this done in a flash but that would be ill-advised, illegal and not what I want. So I am impressed that you are able to get Ms. N to pass on deer.

For grooming, really, it is easier with cornstarch worked into the coat. Like it is a powder you want down on the skin. Maybe Ms. N would like that a bit better? (It seems to eliminate pulling pretty much.) As you work it in, it also seems to work as an intro to grooming as a "good dog" reward. So don't know but maybe?

middleofnowhere, Neilla is either in a chain link fence area, on leash or tie out. She has proven she is independent and has no recall if she wants to investigate something. The tie out is her preference, she can lay on the deck, depending on the time of day she can pick either sun or shade, she is happy right now no bugs and temps perfect for her.

I have pretty much all the knots out, but she needs a bath. I did the hygiene cut because her hair is too long on the back of her thighs also on the inner thigh. Will the cornstarch work to remove dirt and some coat oils? What brush do you use to brush all the cornstarch out?

Hmmm. I started the cornstarch routine with Barker Sisters the First - two long coats. If I remember right on them it was 1. cornstarch work in 2. matt cutter where needed 3. undercoat rake 4. comb designed especially for long coats that is no longer available 5 top off with slicker brush and maybe follow up with the ancient bristle brush dog brush. The current duo - I work it in, and then sort of random with what I use next or maybe don't even do the corn starch if I've got the furminator handy but either furminator or undercoat rake or a comb (not the long coat comb) that works pretty well, then to slicker brush and bristle brush.

I don't know if it will work with the oils or not but it would seem to be an absorbent and may help. But my dogs love being groomed. They compete for the opportunity. The great deal with cornstarch is you likely have some on hand and even if you don't it's pretty cheap.

Middle Neilla LOVES to be brushed, except when her tummy was bothering her and dumb mom didn't figure it out for a while. Her pops were OK, just she was grumpy and sensitive. She doesn't have many if any knots as long as she lets me brush, she is back to letting me brush her tail.

She really dislikes (hates) water or spray bottles. So spray on grooming stuff or a good hose off are not in the cards. I can't wait for a nice deep snow so she can go play in the snow and take a snow bath.

You may get your wish tomorrow. Although not a deep snow the midwest is supposed to get a wet snow mix.

We got rain first which cut down the amount of snow, but made it really nasty to plow and shovel.

Neilla doesn't like getting dirty, so until it get cold and stays cold she is only doing face snow baths.

People wonder how long it takes a rescue dog to really come out of their shell. For the last few days Neilla has taken to playing with her Wiggly Giggly ball. This is the first time since she has come to live with us that she has cut loose and just played. She would play with a rope tug for few minutes, but the Wiggly Giggly she actively went after to bat around and play with. I should try to get a video because it is so cute, big dog trying to get traction on tile floor and to play with her ball. It is the smaller one so when it got out of the living room she would pick it up and bring it back.

This is so huge for her to be playful. It is cute but sad at the same time because you wonder why she is so reserved with cutting loose and playing. But the plus is that she feels comfortable enough to do so.

Thanks for the update. How great that she's feeling more comfortable, but yes, sad that she waited this long. On the "more than a puppy" ones I've had, I wondered about their back story. They would tell part of the story but much was left out.

Another tow Neilla things to share with you.

When it is nice (nice for Neilla is Sunny and 20 Deg or above) she likes to lay out on the deck on a tie out. So the other day it was Sunny but cold and windy but she wanted some fresh air so I tied her out and 15 mins later I went to go bring her in. She was sitting on the deck next to the clip on the end of the tie out. Apparently when I thought I clipped the loop on her collar all I got was her hair. She likes to go wandering and check things out so this was a BIG event for her.

Last week hubby was peeling some Apples and Neilla was watching to make sure he was doing it right. An Apple slipped out of his hands landed on the floor and she grabbed it, I was in my office but heard what was happening so I popped out of my chair and said "Neilla, Leave it" she didn't see me and I wasn't near her, but she opened her mouth and the apple dropped on the floor. I haven't worked the "Leave It" command a lot with her, just in every day things like Leave It when she is checking out the garbage.

Both occasions she got some really yummy treats and lots of praise.

Hey that's amazing! Teagan did that once with the leash, and I was super impressed, because it was a high stress situation.

VERY impressed at the leave it!

I love it when our mistakes are forgiven and the dog knows what they are supposed to do. Good Neilla!

Good Girl, Neilla

If that had been Ciara with the apple, she would have brought it to me and dropped it at my feet. She doesn't eat the apples, but enjoys a good game of "apple ball" fetch when our trees are dropping apples.

I worried about Ciara when we first moved up to NH. Down in CT, we had a fenced yard for the dogs. This house does not have a fenced area and occasionally she would wander off to the woods. We used a tie out when we would come up for a weekend and were busy working on the shop. Haven't used it since we moved, she is content to spend her time with me - she's my dog and Caleb is DH's. You should hear him cry, sitting at the shop door, if he thinks DH has gone to work outside without him.

Neilla update. She had to go to the vet last month because I though she had bladder infection. Nope she has Perianal fistulas. So some antibiotics and some probioitcs. She seems to be doing well, she is happy which when she wasn't feeling well she was a big grouch. I am glad the Antibiotics worked because using the cream would have been really ugly and probably impossible. At the vet they have to muzzle and have more than two people to do any thing around her rear end.