Phantom Pooper

You always have the dog owners who refuse to pick up their dog's poop, right? The dog owners at my apartment aren't any exception. We have poop filled courtyards due to Phantom Poopers. Residents talk about these Phantom Poopers as if they are ghosts. It's like there is a clue game going on right before my eyes.

Resident #1: Well these are large deposits so I feel it is from that chocolate lab that man walks over here!

Resident #2: It must be those people from over there at the B section. They tear up everything and don't care where they let their dog poop.

You can imagine the other comments. They speculate that the dogs come over once everyone is asleep and have a party in the courtyards. It's comical the way they discuss this issue. 

When I first brought Stella home, I was questioned by one resident in particular about whether I picked up after my dog. She would see a fresh pile, point to it and then say "Did your dog do that?" She was seriously the poop Nazi. It annoyed me at first until I realized that her dog had a passion for devouring these lovely piles. I would watch the dog owner get so angry as her dog would run over to the closest pile and consume it. I would laugh to myself too. You KNOW his breath was bad! It couldn't happen to a better dog, the affenbitcher. Yes I am probably grossing you out by now, but when you're a dog owner, these are all facts of life. Sometimes you step in it, and sometimes it is all around you. You can chose to point fingers and blame others foryou being knee deep in it, or you can get a shovel and help clean it up. 

PS- I normally add pictures to my entries but today I'll spare you :-)

She is overweight...

When I go outdoors with Stella, she gets so many compliments. She is a show boat! If she doesn't win over strangers with her beard and eye brows, she wins them over with her sweetness and kisses. What's not to love?

One day I was at the dog park and I came across a woman who had two schnauzers. I was thrilled that Stella had other schnauzers to run with and play! So was Stella! As the dogs played, the fur mommies conversed about how we acquired our babies. We talked about their quirky habits as well as the funny things they do to make us laugh.Then...she said "Your dog is overweight though."

Wait what? You just said my dog is overweight. I thought people only said things like this about other people...not dogs. Hey lady! You leave my dog outta this!

I realize that she wasn't trying to be malicious with her comments. She just compared her schnauzers with mine and assumed that because mine was a little stockier, that she was fat. 

I don't often seek validation from others but her comment made me worry. I started asking my schnauzer support group and my friends and family if Stella were fat and I didn't see it. They all assured me that Stella was a good weight and she wasn't fat. They also questioned why I was listening to a random person at the dog park. They were right. Often we can tune out negative comments until they become personal. That's when we our patience is tested. Normally I can brush such things off, but because I was caught off guard, I let it get to me. Lesson learned!

Boy or girl?

At the dog park, a common question asked is whether Stella is a boy or girl. I don't mind being asked. She has the beard of an old man and wears a lime green collar. I would probably ask too! 

What I find funny is that dog owners often act offended when you assume the wrong sex of their dog. At first I thought I was being a little insensitive. So I tried to ambiguously refer to dogs by their breed. "Your beagle sure is nice looking!" or "That bulldog is gorgeous!". Then one day, Stella and I were minding our own business as usual when a long haired mixed breed approached Stella and they began playing. The owner sat beside me. I had noticed that his dog had an artsy looking collar. The dog was dainty and the longer hair obscured her/his parts. As the dog approached, I asked how old she was. The owner looked at me crazy and said "You mean how old is HE?" I of course responded politely but was a little peeved. I am sorry I didn't do a full body inspection before I talked about your dog and attempted polite conversation. 

I think our animals are extensions of ourselves sometimes. If anyone assumed Stella was mean or aggressive, it would hurt my feelings because she is the furthest thing from that type of behavior. I guess assuming his dog was a female is the equivalent to the same.

Stella and I have learned a lot of lessons at the dog park thus far. Initially, I felt all the dogs would gang up on her and try to attack her. The first week of taking her daily nearly made me have a stroke. My anxiety was so high! I didn't like the aggressive little dogs or their owners. I didn't speak to anyone because I was so busy keeping Stella out of harms way. It angered me that people would just sit there and stare at their phones while their dog was trampling or being aggressive towards Stella. 

After a few weeks of dog parking it, Stella gained confidence and learned to ignore the aggressive dogs and I learned to ignore the owners. I even made friends with Sharon, a dog park regular.She has been going to the park for several years. I asked her how she managed her dog when the weather was wet or cold. She said she comes to the park every day regardless of the weather and her dogs are used to going in all conditions. While we were talking, she pointed out to the grass out side of the dog park. I looked in the direction but all I saw were grackles. She told me to look next to the grackles. There I saw about twenty of the most beautiful green birds. She said they were wild parrots that lived around the park. They had beautiful blue feathers on the under side of the wings. I found this discovery to be be so inspiring. 

If I had decided to quit going to the park after one week and if I had kept to myself and not have reached out to Sharon, I would have missed out on a lot. I wouldn't have noticed the beautiful birds, or gained a dog park family. 

The neighbors...

In the weeks that I spent preparing for my four legged baby, I invested time in talking to the neighbors at my apartment who had dogs. I asked them where they walked their dogs, what time of day (if our area was safe) and they gladly offered information and were eager to know about my new addition.

As I would come home from work, or in passing, the neighbors would ask if I knew what dog I was bringing home and the time line. They were as eager as me to meet my little baby. Ron is the kindest man. He has a Cocker Spaniel name Tiny. Let me be the first to tell you...Tiny is not Tiny. Ha ha! Then there is Naomi. When Naomi heard I was searching for a dog, she dropped off a dog breed encyclopedia. She detailed all of her experiences with each dog and I gladly listened. She has an Affenpinscher named Gidget. Gidget is not very friendly. He tried to bite me once and I never forgot it. He was on my list of dogs to avoid.

When I found out about Stella, I eagerly showed them pictures. They wanted to meet her as soon as I brought her home! I kept my word and brought Stella to meet them. Tiny (BIGGIE) tried to mount Stella and Gidget snapped at her. To be honest, Mama Bear Lindsey almost lost her temper. That was MY BABY and their dogs were being rude and I did not like it one bit! I made a mental note to avoid Gidget at all cost and limit time with Tiny.

Over the past four weeks, something magical happened. After continually seeing Gidget on our potty walks, Stella and the affenbitcher (no, that's not a spelling mistake) because semi friends. He actually wags his tail at Stella now. Tiny became friends with Stella too. Often, all three dogs collide when we are all out on potty breaks. You know what happens? Absolutely nothing.

So what changed in four weeks? I didn't cast a spell. The dogs didn't suddenly get the fear of Jesus.

I changed. I became more confident in my dog and my ownership. The dogs were feeding off of my energy. I was scared there would be a fight. I was scared Stella would be hurt. My body language was one that conveyed fear. Once I gained that confidence and Stella gained hers, then things changed in more than one way. Other dogs were not an issue, and Stella was able to meet more humans. A human like Herb. Herb is an older man who walks with a cane. He has sparkly blue eyes that are full of life. Even though he struggles a little bit with his strength, his highlight of the afternoon is to visit with Stella. She can be really hyper but then see him, jump in his lap and instantly is calm. She lays there sweetly while he fusses over how cute she is and he asks for her kisses (which she gives generously).

Sometimes it's amazing how things can change when you look at a situation differently. My neighbors feel more like family since Stella has entered the picture. Before Stella, I didn't know any of my neighbors. As an introvert, I kept to myself. Now I am getting out and meeting others. I am learning who lives in which apartment and who has dogs. Just tonight we were all talking about the torrential rains that are in the forecast and our plans for the dogs. I know that if I ever got in a bind, they would be there for me. Stella opens doors...to their hearts and to their homes. I am blessed indeed.

The adjustment stage...

When I brought Stella home, I was in for a rude awakening. I understood I would be sharing my living space with her, but I didn't realize how increasingly small my apartment became with the two of us. I was used to living alone, taking a bath alone (without a pair of brown creeper eyes watching me) and sleeping alone.

Suddenly, my mindless thoughts at home became thoughts where I subconsciously was aware of where Stella was located at EVERY WAKING MOMENT. Her water bowl was always on my mind. Is it dinner time for her yet? How many treats has she had today?

I must admit that the first night was really rough. I found myself staring at her like she was a foreign species. Did she need something? Was she scared? Was she about to pee? Did she like me? Can I be a dog mom? Will I fail? You name it, I thought it. Thankfully, I had a good support system. Once again, Nikki to the rescue. Jennifer gave me advice as well as the other contacts within the organization. Who would have thought Stella would bring so many amazing humans into my life?

My younger brother called to check on me that night. He asked what I was doing and I even told him that I was staring at the dog. She was "sleeping" on the couch but her eyes were open. I told him all of my paranoid thoughts and he told me to stop staring at her and go about my business. She would adjust. He was right and so were the others.

The first weekend I brought Stella home, I took her to my older brother's house as a test. He has two cats and three dogs. He also has an adorable two year old son! It was very important to me that my dog like kids, and do well with other animals. Stella did escape his fence (long story that I am sure my brother would love to tell since it involves me yelling "STELLLAAAAAA") but I got her back. She was a little testy with the dogs but my brother encouraged me and told me she was doing well. Did she pass the test for liking kids? What do you think?

Stella and I are currently on Week 4 together and we continue to learn and grow. I can't wait to share more stories and life lessons. Thanks for reading about our journey.

The beginning...Part 2

Continued...

After things didn't work out with the dog in Bryan, Texas, I decided I wanted to wait a while before I started looking on websites for dogs. I was emotionally exhausted. Finding a dog was hard work!

One evening (only a few short days later), I was stalking the MSRH Instagram page which is operated by the very fabulous Nikki who also conducted my home visit. She posted a picture of a young looking black miniature Schnauzer:

At this point, you're falling in love with her as I did. Amazing how a little picture can easily snag your heart. I didn't know Stella's history, but I was certain that she and I could have an amazing future. Her foster at the time was Jennifer. I found Jennifer to be as kind and as helpful as the other volunteers with the organization. I was the first approved person who was asking about Stella and she assured me that no one was going to jump ahead of me in line. She knew exactly what to say to assure me that if Stella and I were a good match, that she was mine.

After Jennifer described Stella and her sweet behavior, I knew that when I did meet her for the first time, I would also be taking her home with me. I waited nearly a week before I was able to pick her up and bring her home with me. This week included plenty of hand wringing, plenty of preparation and baby proofing my apartment. I had sleepless nights. Everything had to be perfect.

Finally the day came and I was able to pick her up! What an exciting day! When I first met Stella she barked and howled and went crazy with excitement. I wanted to cry but kept it to myself. In that moment, my future flashed before my eyes. I saw dog parks, lakes, bones, snuggles, and poop duty. As cheesy as it sounds, I felt like I found what I had been missing. Something to call my own. A sweet little Schnauzie Schnauze. Stella Star. {Look below for a picture of Stella leaving with me and going to her furever home!}

The beginning...Part 1

Hello and Welcome to my blog!

It's going on four weeks since the day I brought Stella into my home. My life has changed dramatically since I brought my little wiggly girl home. Please allow me to introduce myself as well as the star of the show, Stella.

I'm Lindsey, a very single woman living in the big city of Houston. It has always been my desire to have a dog but the timing was never right and I wasn't prepared for the responsibility. It was just me, myself and I, and I loved it! Over the past year, I had been researching dog breeds. It was just for fun (or so I thought). I wasn't ready for a dog. I needed a house. I needed a yard.

Then life happened, heart ache set in, I had changes at work, I had high stress levels and after all of that, I realized I wanted to live differently. Occasional internet dog searches turned into narrowing my dog breed list down to three breeds. My wild thoughts about purchasing two thousand dollar pooches changed to wanting to help a dog in need. My thought process was no longer about the status of my dog or how many outfits I could buy for him/her. It became more about "give me a small short haired breed and I'll give you my heart and my life."

In my daily conversations with colleagues, I found myself obsessively talking about getting a dog. I was ready. I was committed. One fateful day while in my training class, the trainer over heard my dog talk. He asked me if I knew about MSRH (Miniature Schnauzer Rescue Houston) and of course I did not. He explained that it was a great organization, that schnauzers were amazing dogs,and that he personally had received two dogs from the organization and was thrilled with them. Well...schnauzers were one of the three dog breeds on my list. I thought I'd give it a try. I contacted the organization and was talking to a member of the organization within an hour or two. She put me in touch with an adoption counselor. I then found myself signed up for a home visit by someone from the organization. Wow. Things were moving fast but I told myself that I could still wait a few months before I chose a dog.

I was amazed by the helpfulness and kindness from the MSRH volunteers. When it was time for my home visit, I met Nikki who conducted the official visit. Nikki and I hit it off instantly. She was sweet and funny, and I admired her passion and dedication to the rescue. When the visit was over, I was one step closer to dog ownership!

While I was looking at the available dogs on the MSRH website, I was also looking elsewhere for a Mini Schnauzer. If I could find a dog that I knew didn't have issues, and didn't come from an abusive situation, then I would take them in a heartbeat. My mother found a little girl in Bryan, Texas. After a week or two of back and forth with the owner, it didn't work out. I will admit that I did cry. The woman who didn't previously want the commitment or responsibility of a dog, found herself reduced to tears when it didn't work out. It reinforced that I was ready for a dog, but scared of failure. I also had unfair assumptions of rescue dogs that I needed to work out...

To be continued...