I guess that should give you a tiny clue that her "issues" have not been resolved. All is not bleak. There has been some teeny tiny progress.
Remember how she suddenly wouldn't come to her mat beside the table? Well, it took some time but I am pleased to say that now she is back to staying on the mat 95% of the time. Besides, I think she figured out it is much harder to beg for food from across the kitchen.
I wish I could say we have made the same amount of progress on the fear of the water dish issue. When I say that I have tried "everything", I really mean it. Including getting down on the floor on all fours, over the water dish and making fake slurping noises. Yes, I did it. I was desperate. STOP laughing!!
I bought 3 different water dishes for her to try - stainless steel, colored plastic, and ceramic. No dice. I sat on the floor and held the dish in my hands. She took a sip, jumped back. I stirred the water with my finger. Again, a sip then jump back. I moved the dish a foot to the left - she sipped. A foot to the right - she sipped. I cupped my hands and filled with water. She drank.
Well, I'm not doing that everytime she needs a drink! The next attemp was to hold her in one arm and the water dish in my other hand. TaaDahh! She drank so much I thought she might drown. But she would only do this for me - no one else. This went on for a few weeks.
The last week or so we are making a little more progress. Now she will drink if I just place my hand under her chest while she drinks. After a few slurps I am trying to remove my hand. I think we are getting a few extra slurps in each day. If things continue this way, we may just have this water dish thing licked soon.
See, I told you it was teeny tiny progress. But it is a whole lot better than when she first started her little crazy spell. It really is a good thing she is so cute. I think I'll keep her despite her issues :)
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Bless her puppy paws. I was wondering...does she wear a collar with tags? I pet sit some dogs that are scared when their tags clink the dish. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteHa! She's got you under her furry little paw, she does. She must have some separations issues and reacts in such a way as to have control over you. She's pretty smart for such a small dog.
ReplyDeleteYou on the other hand, you use some psychology techniques on her and little by little she's giving in. I think that you're on the way to winning this little war of the wits. Good luck.
You are a good mother to Millie and you deserve to have a Happy Mother's Day kiss from Millie.
Hugs, JB
She's just so adorable and little. I hope she gets better. I can't imagine having to do that to get her to drink and eat. Corgi's are always wanting to eat so if Jazz ever did that I wouldn't know what to do.
ReplyDeleteWell some progress is better than none. She has the cutest face I have ever saw. But maybe she is just getting you trained.
ReplyDeleteI would have paid serious money to see you fake slurping water from her dish. LOL
I hope you have a nice evening.
Kim, I must have missed a blog post, what is up with Miss Millie? why is she acting so out of character? Have you thought of using a fountain waterier? Hope things return to normal soon, your friends from Maine, Winslow Homer and Julie.
ReplyDeleteShe is just so cute. Do you think, by chance, her issues have to do with something with her eyesight? Although I'm sure you've thought of everything by now...sigh...
ReplyDeleteKim ~
ReplyDeleteYes, I am still laughing about you down on all fours making slurpy sounds. She's just lucky she's so darned cute!
Hugs :)
Lauren
You are a good mom to your furry child! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry....I'm sitting here laughing my head off. I know this is hard for you and scary for Millie..but I'm still visualizing you on all fours slurping. No one can say you are not a good owner...but they can say Millie is one spoiled pup! I do hope she can find some way to drink without being scared. I just hope she doesn't get afraid to poop outside and you have to "help" her...
ReplyDeleteLOLOLOLOLOL I am sorry.
ReplyDeleteI am so worried to hear about Millie's troubles. And didn't think of laughing. You are such a good mom to her. Than Yaya said what she said...
You on all fours 'helping' her poop...I almost choked on my popcicle. LOL Oh dear
Take care,Janet W
Oh wow, I must have missed what happened to Miss Millie also. I'm telling you, she is the cutest little thing I've seen in a long long time. It's a shame you have to work so hard for her to drink I'll be praying for both of you. Blessings dear.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet little puppy!!
ReplyDeleteOh what a cute little face! So worth the effort! I'm still wondering what's up though. Maybe it's the angle of the dish? Maybe if her dishes were elevated like on a bench? Maybe there is a problem with her throat? I hope the good progress continues! :-)
ReplyDeleteshe is so cute. but weird do you think she could have some mental health issues? like the rest of us?
ReplyDeleteCathy
Poor cute baby...She is so cute & I would pay BIG $$$$ to see you on all fours drinking from a doggie dish LOL...Seriously though, our Yorkie is weird like this too. Eating & drinking. Another person mentioned taking off her collar...That worked some for us too. Our guy is 7 years old & is very sensitive to routine changes. We give him a product called NutriCal (PetCo) to keep his sugar levels straight (that really really helped his appetite), he will not eat if his dishes are not on a mat or a napkin, & we have to play ball with him to get him to eat a substantial amount. We broke the water thing by taking him outside & playing with him really hard, so that he would pant, then put the dish in front of him. Our vet also said tiny dogs (ours is a whopping 5 pound on a fat day) like to be in control...Big time! So she may just be seeing how far she can push you. In the famous words of Cezar the Dog Whisperer..."Be the Alpha Dog & she will naturally follow" Have a great day
ReplyDeleteTop picture of Millie is so cute! I hope she continues to improve Kim. Teeny steps are good!
ReplyDeleteKim, What we do for our sweet doggies.I wonder what is going on with her? millie is so so cute.Hugs Cheri
ReplyDeleteYou have to wonder what is going on in that cute little head... she hasn't always been like this? You're a good mommy to be so sweet with her and patient. I don't think I would be - hence, we have no dog. (Although I've spent my share of years caring for many many dogs, cats, bunnies, birds, horses, etc.) Hope you can figure out this little quirk and move forward! She is soooo cute though!
ReplyDeleteMaybe she could learn to drink out of a straw! Glad she is coming around!
ReplyDeleteHer eyes are just so sweet. Glad she is doing well!
ReplyDeleteAs stinkin' cute as those photos of Miss Millie are, I'd trade them and then some for a picture of you fake slurping from the dog dish. Can't that Auntie of yours work a camera dang it??? ;o) Poor Miss Millie....you're right, she's a psychotic little fur ball - but a dang cute one at that. Out-thinking a dog is no easy task....we've had a heck of a time with that lately. We needed a urine specimen from the Snow Dog when he got blasto. The first time was fairly painless - they gave us this little catcher thing - a plastic bowl on a long handle....But, when it came time to do the second test, it took literally months for us to get it - he KNEW what that catcher was and wouldn't pee within miles of it. So, out came the dixie cups.... :o Robin
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