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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Juris Prudence now a Dixie Chick!

Contributed by her Adoring Forever Mom

CP Juris Prudence nka Dixie getting settled in Forever!

Yes, Miss Juris Prudence has finally settled on a Forever name:  Dixie!

Dixie aka “Little Miss Bossy Boots” arrived on March 3 and life will never be the same in our household!  She had a long journey from Wisconsin to Illinois to Maryland before she finally reached Virginia, but she wasted no time making herself right at home.  She tested all the chairs, found a perch from which to survey her kingdom, and soon thereafter let the chipmunks know there was a new sheriff in town.  In the backyard, she bounded joyfully from corner to corner, announcing her splendid self to the world at large, and she was equally at home tearing around inside the house with her toys.  


Dixie tries out the first look-out perch…
…Well, maybe this perch is better?...
What?  I need to see what’s going on out there!
The poor critters that lived in the crawl space have now been forced to find a new home, since Dixie kept her Mom up all night long, whining and scratching the air vents in protest of the subterranean land claim.  There will be NO INTERLOPERS allowed on her watch!  Needless to say, this is at odds with Mom's “live and let live” policy - and with her pocketbook!!  Even shopping around, exterminators tend to be pricey when you really NEED to clear out whatever it is under the house! 

I just KNOW there is something down this vent!
Training has been interesting…  Displaying a propensity to pull like a sled dog, we tried using the gentle leader to improve her walking skills.  Dixie HATED it, and did a very funny little dance each time she finished a walk and was released from THAT HORRID THING!  Indeed, the gentle leader was the only thing that made her very big personality shrink a bit.  We swapped it for a gentle leader harness, and Dixie seems much calmer with this new arrangement (“calm” being a relative term).  She is still, of course, very energetic and loves to run and run and run at the dog park.  Sometimes I put her on a regular harness and leash and we have a good run.  She loves that!  

Come on, Mom!  I’m ready to go!
Dixie is truly adorable, but “Selective Compliance” is her middle name!  We've had several training sessions (LONG uphill battle...), and we've been to daycare a couple of times.   Dixie has proven herself to be a skilled hunter, very nearly trotting her prize rodent into the house one time!  The only way I could convince her to drop it was to make a swap for ham! 

Did I mention we are working on training?!!!   

Maybe this will make a good bed?...
When Dixie doesn't feel she's getting enough attention, she'll steal something and wag her entire back end until I chase her!  When she becomes bored with that, she'll bring whatever she's stolen to her "safe place" (a particular rug in the dining room) and demand belly rubs and scritches. 

Well, maybe a little Yoga move will do the trick?...
A good hard bed, maybe that’s the ticket?...
Back to the blankie pile – what can I say!
Did I mention we are working on training?!!!   

Dixie is also an escape artist, and Mom is now having to put up a new fence...  Oh well!!!  Never a dull moment with this girl!   


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