Once You Go Terrier, You Never Go Back

And this is a good thing! Chowmein is a terrier mix, what fun is being a terrier if you don't get to 'be' a terrier! Sure, she's not exactly the dog she came in as, but that's okay. She's HAPPY. She's comfortable in her skin. She's become the personality of dog she is meant to be.

Chow has graduated at K9HQ from playing only with the small dogs, to doing a mix. Sometimes she's in with the big dogs, and if she gets a little overwhelmed, she's back with the small dogs. When she first came she was quite pertrified a big dog was going to eat her and sat in a corner looking like she thought she was dessert. Now she tackles with the best of them. She starts zoomie games, she snarks her terrier bum off if her playmate catches her too quickly. She wrestles and sometimes boxes, but mostly forgets where her legs are and clumsily crashes into things (ahh, puppies!) There are still some really big, boisterous dogs she's a little leary off, but the confidence usually wins out.

Still, she's not a complete terrier thank goodness.Chowmein's extra non-terrier bonus? She HATES to be told she's wrong. (This isn't really a sharpei trait either, so I thank whatever other mix is in there somewhere! Maybe there's a piece of Shepherd somewhere?). I haven't been working on any obedience or anything ---I personally leave that to her new family to do the commands bit-, but Chow really hates being told 'no'. She's sulky. She likes to be right, and for the most part, wants to please. Why don't all terriers have this trait? Most terriers (and sharpeis for that matter) usually have a 'screw you' attitude when it comes to being told off. Mixes, you gotta love them :) You can have the terrier with the off-switch!

Today I will also show her off to one of our clients, that asked Meshum this morning who Gangster's new playmate was? They saw a scruffy, orange dog on the webcam who seemed a new addition to Gangster's 'poose'. Gangster is a spoiled, typical purebred Airedale. Like most teenage terriers, he's not a bad dog, he's just a BRAT! And right now, he's also a brat sporting a lion cut. (Did someone lose a bet?)

Gangster

After Meshum told them it was Chowmein, and that she was for adoption, the excitement got into them. So, I will show Chowmein off to them. They're looking for another dog to add to the family, but don't want a pup, and would prefer to rescue. Of course, applications, Yvette's approval, homecheck and all the regular rescue route stuff still applies. Although Gangster is not my favorite dog in the world (but then again, I don't know a terrier at our daycare that doesn't cause some sort of chaos :P), he'd be a fantastic play partner for Chow. He's taken extremely good care of (hair cut aside). I might get to see her at daycare too which would be a bonus.

I love the possibility of a terrier-savvy home. They'll get the naughty guarding tendency things, the bratty parts, the goofy parts, the very loving parts. The attitude. It reminds me of getting Honey's home, where they'd had terriers they're whole life and it was like 'yep, she's for you then'.

Not that she needs a breed-savvy home by any means, but of course it would be nice.

We'll see what's in the cards. Daycare client or not, that doesn't mean its the best home for Chow -or that they'll even apply for her after I show her off.

So, there I go getting ahead of myself. I think I just wanted to show off Gangster's haircut :P.

Stealing Minnie's bed!