Sorry it has been so long since updating Jess's blog. Time has flown by...
Well it has now been 3 months and things are still going well. I am learning new things about Jess all the time, likes and dislikes. Still have some 'quirks' which are not all just her but I think are traits of the breed.
Having met up with a few Rotties on walks now some of Jess's behaviour - like the freezing when spotting another dog and looking like a 'gonna pounce on it' mode seems to be part of their makeup.
Jess has had a season while with me and was very clean, She has just finished and now the wait for 6 weeks before I can have her spayed. I did debate whether to or not at her age but it was hell not being able to walk her properly and I do worry about an older girl getting Pyometra especially after her being used for breeding. I have talked it over with my vet and her condition is much improved since she came home with me. She has put on 3 kg and has muscled up with being walked twice a day. It will cost £150 and although not something I was thinking would be done but that was mainly because I was expecting to have Jess for a month or two before her time had come, a nice comfortable home to end her days but she has come on so far, she looks younger than her given estimate of 8 yrs old, she bounces like a tigger out on walks bless her.
Jess has also learnt all about how to play with a ball - has been out with Linda's dogs many times with Jay chasing the ball and then one day 'boom' she had to play with the ball and kept picking it up when Jay dropped it and running off with it. Jay is the cornish border collie and is so good with other dogs, no possessivness just leaves her to run around with it and then pinches it back when she drops it or I retrieve it from her. She now has her own ball and 'chucker' but I have found she cant chase it too much as her wonky front legs let her down and if she turns too fast she falls over. I tend to let her chase Jay for a while as she doesn't twist so much then and I throw her ball a little way for her so she feels she is getting her own ball.
Mine and Linda's friend Suzi with her husband James have been over this week from Tennessee and they have come walking with us too. Jay is smitten with James and follows him about and get the ball thrown in the garden. Jess is not fussed one way or another if Jay has his ball she just follows him about.
I have yet to take Jess with me to Linda's as her collie x spaniel Meg is quite frail and elderly but we are going to time it so that they have been for a lovely walk/run to Capstone the large country park and preferably on a warm day so they just want to flake out as they do when they get back and so it will be a calm visit - that is the plan anyway.
We got back this afternoon from a nice walk at Capstone and I thought I had better mow the lawn before I sat down or I wouldnt get up again !! I had help and supervision from Jess and Billie as you can see from the photo above ....
It is so lovely to see her in the evenings curled up in her bed sleeping so contentedly, snoring for England - stereo with Billie. They seem to be very happy together and will share the same bowl of water after a walk and lay side by side, they have even been seen to give each other kisses but never when I have a camera handy lol.
I did think long and hard before I took on Jess and am so glad I took the decision to take her, I cant say that every older dog will work out as well and there have been downs as well as the ups .... Like the time that Linda came over to let the dogs out for me while I was working and text me to call her - when I phoned her Linda let me know that Jess had decided that the VERY full kitchen bin (it was due to go out that night for bin day) would be much better if all the contents were spread throughout the downstairs in the house !! Linda never knew my bin held that much !! it took her 45 minutes to clear it up, I still had more to clear up when I got in bless her, she did have the decency to look shamefaced when I got home. the bin is now kept in the outside toilet lol. There have been teething problems with Jess in respect that she is the first full Rotty I have owned and I was wary of taking an older dog without knowing any history but she has such a sweet temperment and has not put a foot wrong when meeting people - apart from the incident with the Kennel owner and I feel there was good reason for her reaction and still blame myself for that incident (see earlier post re that)
That is all for now but will try not to leave it so long before the next update.
Just a word to anyone thinking of adopting an older Rotty - Please give an older dog a chance you may find that you gain so much.
It is definately something I would do again in a heartbeat, I would fully expect there would be adjustments to be made and I try very hard to adopt a Cesar Milan attitude of not feeling sorry for her for anything that may have happened in her past but being positive in outlook for her future. The look in Jess's eyes when she is laying beside me indoors and rests her head on me and gives a big sigh and snuggles into me is reward enough and when she is out with Billie and doing her funny crooked bunny hop when chasing the ball or Jay.
