My Life is a Changin'

Although I am a little nervous, I'm very excited about the latest change in my life. It is really happening...Kodie is going to live with me full time.

For those of you who may be new to my blog, my dog Kodie has never lived with me. I know it is a really bizarre situation but it worked for us. My friends, Tamara and Dave, live a block down the street and kept her almost all of time. I walked her, trained her, and took her on camping/backpacking trips and for weekend visits.

About a year ago, Tamara and Dave took on another puppy, Tequila, and I walked her and worked with her some. I didn't put nearly the time in with her because we wanted to keep her as Tamara and Dave's dog. Although years of obedience work with Kodie made her into an exceptional dog, it also made her "my" dog.

Well, Kodie and Tequila are VERY different. Teq is dominant, cunning, aggressive, tall, sleek, and thin. Kodie is submissive, friendly, stocky, and mild-mannered. These differences also make it so they don't get along. After a year of trying, Tamara and Dave have decided that the dogs aren't happy and neither are the people. Both dogs are nervous...Teq is pretty much anorexic and controlling...Kodie eats like someone is going to steal it and spends most of her time in the kennel. This all was going on despite my efforts to entertain them.

So, the new arrangement is...Kodie is my dog and Teq is theirs. I will still walk Teq some and pick her up when Kodie and I go to the dog park. I hope this will give Tamara and Dave the opportunity to really focus on Teq and help her learn to be a better dog...who eats, doesn't fight, and relaxes.

So far Kodie has spent most of her time laying flat out on the floor napping. I think the change is good so far for her ability to relax.

The interesting thing is that I haven't been able to find any travel plans for my upcoming vacation. Hmmm...what a great way to help acclimate Kodie to apartment living.

I'll keep you updated with our progress. It will certainly be an adjustment for Kodie, Katie, and me.