Hello Blog! Meet my new girl Sydney; she is a 5 year old purebred Maltese who weighs less than 5 pounds! Today is our one week anniversary and she’s the reason I’ve been neglecting my blogging duties recently.  It’s been a challenging seven days to say the very least…

Two weeks ago I finally decided to email Heavenly Creatures to get my name on a waiting list for a mature, female Maltese.  And guess what? That same day they told me they had one for me, but she came with some serious baggage.  The first few days? Brutal.  I had no idea how to handle her fear, her dominance, her biting.  I have teeny bite marks on my hands to prove how little I knew …

This Friday past, Ashley, from HC, graciously came by with a trainer (thank you thank you) who quickly soothed my tearful worries and were able to show Sydney who’s boss. Since then she’s a new dog, and I’m a new owner.  It wasn’t all her fault; I was handling her almost entirely wrong, making some of her habits worse.  She now knows the meaning of tough love!  She’s wearing a leash at all times while I’m home (it drags behind her constantly…quite sad, but funny too), is being kennel trained (I have the bags under my eyes to prove it), is learning her commands, and is pretty familiar with constant discipline.  It only SOUNDS bad….it’s really exactly what she’s needed.  Dogs who become aggressive often wind up with a quiet fate at the vet. Tough love doesn’t seem too bad now….

Syd is super smart: I can’t tell you how fast I’ve been able to correct her biting, hiding, and jittery behaviour and replace it with hugs and kisses.  Those hugs and kisses go both ways! I can’t say thanks enough to the HC crew and to Syd’s past owners who had a terrible time letting her go.  She is thriving and getting walks lots!  She’s great on a leash, doesn’t mind other animals, and has one heck of a funny personality!  Sleeping with her legs straight up in the air? Why not!

Today was my first time having her groomed…her long hair was tangly and I spent 10 minutes pulling thorns off her legs last night, so it was time for a ’stylish’ new cut.  Poor girl, she looks a bit ashamed!  Check out her pink sweater…diva.

The before shots!  Her hair was long and tangled so it had to be clipped pretty short…but now as it grows back it will be brushed tons…

The after! poor girl…it’ll grow in soon…