Borrowed Dog, Gone Dog, Keeper Dog, Dumb Dog

Oh, where to start...?

So, we got a new dog. The previous "new" dog was a long-term pet-sit at our house situation. Mookie was a pit-mix like Ginger but her owner was a flake and wasn't holding up his end of the deal. Once, he took her for an overnight visit and she came back smelling like cigarettes - gross. We really liked Mookie, but it was really hard having two BIG dogs in the house. So, finally I sent him a text telling him that we couldn't afford to feed two dogs, and that Ryan seemed to be allergic. The girls finally have stopped asking about Mookie aka "Moo-tee" after I kept telling them "She had to go home with her daddy."

So, as soon as we were done with Mookie, a coworker (that I'll never forgive, wink) Sarina said she had collected too many dogs and wondered if I'd want her Schnoodle.

What the heck is a Schnoodle???

Well, it's a schnauzer poodle mix. I remember her exact words, "He's smart like a Schnauzer and curly like a Poodle." Since Ryan is into princess type dogs anyway, I thought this might be a good match for us.

Oh Sarina, how I curse you!

Well, the little schnauzer-poodle "Jack" is not smart - he is curly though. We gave him a haircut, a bath (and used conditioner of all things!), and trimmed up his nails. He's still only 9 months old, so he's very "puppy" and chews on everything. I can handle chewing. It's the dumb I can't handle.

Example #1: Time to let the dogs out to go potty. I walk to the door and say "Come on dogs." Ginger comes. Jack sits down and looks at me. I open the door. Ginger goes outside. Jack stares at me with head tilted. I pat my leg and point outside and say "Come on Jack, go potty." More staring. I snap my fingers and point excitedly outside. More staring. I step outside and pat my leg and call to him more. He tilts his head to the other side. "Come on Jack!" Ginger is back from her jaunt outside and wondering what the heck I'm doing. (I'm heating the neighborhood.)
Example #2: Time to let the dogs through the toddler gate into the kitchen. See goings-on of Example #1.
Example #3: Time to let the dogs through the toddler gate into our bedroom to sleep. See goings-on of Example #1.
Example #4: Time to get the dogs out of the girls' room so cranky twins will nap. Again, refer to Example #1.

Don't even get me started on his bum problems....










Jack's bum aside, I think we'll keep him. He'll eventually grow out of the puppy-chewing-phase, but I'm not quite sure they grow out of "dumb"...

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As the nursery rhyme says "You know the cat came back, the very next day. The cat came back, we thought he was a gonner! But the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away!" Well, "JACK WENT BACK" within a few days. With all the stress Ryan and I were dealing with and the new diagnosis of bipolar, we just couldn't handle the one more thing. I feel like such an "Indian Taker" which is the opposite of Indian Giver, I guess. I'm glad to be back to just Ginger. But I'd take Mookie over Jack ANY DAY!