Gidget had a visit to the vet because she came into rescue with a slight limp on her left front leg. The limp and swelling had subsided due to crate rest and pain/anti-inflammatory medication. Gidget is phenomenal in her crate, resting, chewing bones and just hanging out! Never a peep! Since her leg now seems to be better, we have added a bed on the floor in our kitchen and she switches from lying in the crate to lying on the bed.
I asked the vet about her age. She checked Gidget’s teeth, which had a little tartar but if she was running around on the street for any length of time she was probably eating poorly and her teeth would not be a good reference for age. Her teeth typically look closer to two years but she is probably younger. She is in heat right now, so will need to wait to be spayed. She is a baby herself, pulls the blanket up between both paws and sucks on it as though nursing. Her eyes are closed and she kneads the blanket with her toes. It is very cute but also sad that she may have left her mother to soon.
Gidget is a very sweet, loving girl and just needs some manners training. She has already come so far in the 10 days she has been here. She is just so excited about virtually everything, so we are working on self control and she is very eager to please. She understands the word "sit" and "crate" perfectly now and although she was like a little truck pulling fiercely at the end of the leash, she has understood how to walk from the house to the yard and how to walk politely around the yard. Now that the vet said I can use a harness, I will begin to venture out for some short walks to see how she does. If she does pull on the leash, I always stop short or go backwards and she is starting to understand that if she pulls, it will just take her longer to get there. She is completely house trained and has not had any accidents.
I have been feeding Gidget out of the crate so we can work on sitting in her place and waiting patiently until I say "OK"... that is extremely hard for her! Since she is like a little vacuum with her food, I split it up so we can do this training twice at breakfast and twice at dinner and she has already understood the game.
Gidget is working on being polite and is doing a fabulous job for being with us such a short time. She has an awesome personality…sweet, sweet, sweet and wants to give kisses all the time! She jumps up on her back legs to see what you are carrying in your hand and if it is not food, I show her. If she thinks it is food, she does her happy dance! If you are looking for a gal with an awesome personality, Gidget is your girl! Although she needs some manners training, she loves to please and she is already progressing quickly...patience is key! She is a quick learner and if you want a dog to be your best bud, Gidget is the one for you. If you are a runner and interested in a partner to run with, I am sure Gidget will give you a run for your money! Will keep you posted on Gidgets progress soon!