Happy International Dog Day!

Today is International Dog Day! In honour, today's post is all about this big girl:

Her name is Phteven but we call her Stevie. She came home with The Frenchman and I about two and a half years ago; she's three and half years old now. At one year old, she had already been dumped at the local human society twice. They fully expected us back within a week, but there's no way either of us were giving up on a supposed problem dog - she would have no chance if they had to disclose she'd been returned three times.

I won't lie and say it was an easy adjustment, because it wasn't. I've never had a dog before Phteven. She was nervous, scared by everything, peed everywhere, and was really, really jumpy. She's 40lbs and long enough to have HR called in when she touches my chest, so that caused some issues! But she truly doesn't have a bad bone in her body, she was just never given a chance to learn how to behave. We taught her that you must sit for food, it's polite to give personal space, and you never, ever pee in the bed.

We have done a lot of work with her. She's still nervous, and probably always will be - I wouldn't expect her to never have separation anxiety, after being abandoned twice. But having Phteven in my life is incredible. She's playful, and sweet, and really, really stupid (she falls off the bed way too often), and I love her so much. Her favourite toys are dirty towels and her own kibbles - she's a very simple lady.

Happy International Dog Day <3

- Cedie

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