It has been a while, so we thought we would check in. Missy is on house arrest, again. This time for a planned surgery, not an injury. Much cheaper, too. I had her spayed and microchipped.
Being young and a border collie, keeping her confined and quiet for 7-10 days is damn near impossible. So I get her chill pills – a mild sedative. I give her 1/2 a pill, once or twice a day.
She’s chillin’.
“What, Mom? I was sleeping.”
“Okay, sorry. Go back to sleep.”
This little gal is NOT the lab found at Hurricane Point and turned in to the SPCA. That dog was male. This dog is female.
From the owner: “I am reaching out to you, since we have had our family dog, Candy Cane, taken from our home in Monterey last Sunday and likely dropped in the Big Sur area. Without going through all the details, I will clarify that the individual did admit to police that he did take our dog.
He also admitted to taken our dog last summer, due to barking. (We had suspicion, but did not know) We canvassed the montery area, day/night, hired a search dog, and did all the vet/pet store/rescue location notifications. Yet after a little over a week, our dog was actually located (dropped) in Carmel Highlands with her collar removed. We were happily reunited with her last summer.
The culprit has continued to inform police, he again dropped her in Carmel Highlands this time, but we have had tips it was Big Sur. We have thoroughly covered carmel highlands, but need to reach out to as many Big Sur residents as possible. We have posted some signs in the area.
Details
3yr old Female Labrador
White/with some tan marking
Small stature than avg. lab
Name: Candy Cane
She is microchipped, but likely without her ID collar
Any help you would provide, would be truly appreciated. We our remaining hopeful we will find her.
Melissa Dalton
tel:831-905-8779”
April found Missy added to my menagerie … And all the work that entailed. May found Missy going through heat … And all the work that entails. June found Missy with a bad cut, and eventually, 10-12 stitches, and not allowed outside for 10 days … and all the work that entails. oh boy, try to keep a young border collie quiet and calm? Lots of work.
This is the major reason I haven’t been”keeping up” with my blog. I really wanted to go to the Muster today, but she can’t be left alone.
Here is our progression …
To get from thereto here requires some assistance ..
If you clicked on the notification email link, this wasn’t up, yet, only the title and a notice. That was my fault. While I was composing this last night, for publication this morning, I accidentally “published” and sent out notifications prematurely. Hope I never do that again.
If you’ve missed the saga of Missy, the Mystery Dog, she has her own page under “pages” to the right. You can catch up and read her story, and how she came to join us, as much as I know.
She has completely and totally adapted to my tribe, or pack, or whatever you want to call us. She is a little leery of Dakota, the Alpha female, after the non-injury threats to put Missy in her place and teach her who is who in the hierarchy. Dakota has accepted her as one of her own, willing to groom her, if Missy would allow.
Right now, there are four of us who are miserable. Missy is going through her first heat. I have two intact males. All my time is spent making sure Gideon and Bear are inside when I let Missy out, and Missy is inside when they want out, and that Missy is in the bedroom when both are in, except when everyone is eating, which means Missy is in the bathroom, Gideon is in the bedroom, and Bear, Dakota and mellow Miranda are in the great room. Got that? Yes, the dance gets complicated – way more than I’d like. I thought of changing the feeding places to accommodate this new condition, but I really want as much consistency and routine as they like.
What amazes me, is that despite the very strong call of her instincts, minding and pleasing me come first. She is so wonderful. The dance of moving her from the bedroom to the bathroom for eating, passing through the great room past two intact males is accomplished with no problems. I carry a spray bottle, just in case. Never had to use it.
Missy has always required twice as much attention as all four of my others combined … she is young, and she is a Border Collie. Even this has doubled. I thought I had infinite patience, but at least once a day, I have to tell her to go lay down in her own bed and leave me be.
It looks like I am in for another week! It is like having three toddlers and a couple of teenagers in the house. Sleep is hard to come by! Bear has torn off the trim in the bathroom, bent my back screen door, and otherwise caused havoc. Gideon spends a lot of time “marking” his territory – inside – and I am spending an inordinate amount of time spraying a natural odor eliminator, and cleaning up. My whole life seems to be centered on this dance, and if I shared ALL the details of keeping this dance going, most, if not all of you, would say TMI! TMI!
Yes, we are going to the vet for spaying. I’ve heard owners should wait 2-3 months after a heat. I will, but I’m not going through this again! Oh, goddess, please let it stop! I really need to sleep sometime this month!
I had to go to Salinas today … A long story for another day. On the way home, about 2 and 1/2 miles up Plaskett, my tire went flat. The county graded the first 1and 3/10ths miles Tuesday and Wednesday. That kicks up rocks. Probably where the flat came from.
I pulled out my handy, dandy air compressor, and spent about 1/2 an hour trying to pump it up. No dice. No cell signal. So I drove on the rim until I could get cell service, and called my one and only neighbor. Thank god he was home. His vehicle, which had been in the shop for three weeks, was working, and I reached him.
I said I would keep driving, carefully, and slowly, and he agreed to come get me. When we met on the road, I was ready. I had my big bag with my cell phone, my iPad, my charger, my purse, keys, and all that stuff ready, jumped out of my car into his, locking mine, and leaving it behind, a mile or two from my place.
I got home before dark, barely, met by exuberant dogs, who needed to pee and be fed. The peeing was easy. When I went to feed them, I found I didn’t have enough food, I had left the new bag in the car. Damn. I gave them what I had, got each a couple slices of bread, got out the cereal and crackers, and hoped this would hold them until I can get to my Jeep, hopefully tomorrow. If I can’t, I will be cooking up all the beef, rice, and veggies I have, and making my own dog food.
Life on the mountain is always interesting. And life with 5 dogs is even more so! Thank gawd for a wonderful neighbor!
Finally had the first dog fight. The first time I left Missy home alone, I put her in the bedroom, the two alphas in the living room, and the other two outside, which is the usual. That worked well. The second time I left them home, I let Missy and the alphas, have the run of the house together. That worked, too. The third time I left them at home, I did the same. This time, it didn’t work, so I’ll be separating them, again.
Nothing seemed to have happened while I was gone, but when I got home, to be greeted by three excited dogs, Dakota, the alpha female attacked Missy. It looked and sounded quite serious. I was frantic, trying to break it off, for what seemed like ages, but was only a few seconds. Missy got away, and was running away, with Dakota following. I called Missy back, yelled at Dakota, and Missy came to me to stay by my side. I got her inside separate from Dakota, and checked her all over for blood, bite marks, anything. She was good. Not a mark on her, so Dakota never tried to hurt her, just teach her a lesson. It looked and sounded so very real, I was surprised!
Later, after thoroughly chastising Dakota, I spent time and attention on her, and then time and attention on Missy. Then time and attention on both of them together, as they cautiously eyed each other. But separating them, if I can’t take Missy, will be the way to go. I can meet and greet Gideon and Dakota together – no problems with them – let them out, then meet and greet Missy, and then let her out.
That evening, Missy could not go out to relieve herself, so I resigned myself to having an accident or two to clean up in the morning. Couldn’t be helped, and she is NOT making a habit of it. No “accidents” if she has enough outside time!
That night, all my fur kids settled into their beds or places, and it was peaceful … That was after one of the cats thought it would be fun to tease them. I put the two cats outside, and mixed myself a drink.
So, President’s Day weekend was busy up here, for both my dogs and I. The road is dismal, so it takes a lot to get up here.
I hadn’t locked the gate, just closed it. It had a BIG no trespassing sign on it. Doesn’t stop some people from opening it, and trying to come on through. Not gunna happen. I’ve got guard dogs. Boy, do I have guard dogs. They don’t usually bite people, but tires, mud flaps, and the like are fair game. If a car gets within sight of the house, they are off, barking, and letting the trespassers know what is what. This is not a place one wants to mess with. And that doesn’t include my Smith and Wesson .357. I don’t need it, with these dogs. Missy is not really part of guard dog duty, yet. She doesn’t bark, but she responds to the others. My blind Alpha Male would take whoever it is on, but I call him back, as well as the new kid on the block, and let my Alpha female and her two pups (now 7) deal with the intruders. They are good at their job.
Dakota is 1/2 healer. The other half appears to be Doberman. She is a good guard dog, and has well trained the one male and one female pups that I kept of her litter. They are a great team.
I just don’t understand what some people think when they come upon a closed gate, with a brand-new No Trespassing sign on it, and decide to open the gate and drive in. What are they thinking? Dumb, really dumb. These idiots tried to drive through twice! What, they thought the guard dogs weren’t real? Even if these idiots COULD get past my dogs, my Jeep Commander blocks the road. Can’t get through … For almost 19 years now.
There was also a large drunken party at Turkey Flats that Saturday night. I didn’t engage – large, drunken party, they tried to challenge me for just driving by … as if THEY owned the road? Not happening. When they left Sunday, they left their campfire burning and tons of trash, which Rock Knocker had to deal with. Really, people? Is it any wonder “The more I get to know some people, the more I like dogs!”?
It is a little early for my summer cynicism to start – my calendar says February. By June, I may be a crotchety ol’ woman on a mountain in Big Sur. my neighbor tries to see them as butterflies, all different, and all fragile and transient. I tend to see them all as puppies, eager, undisciplined, and helpless. I LOVE dogs. Help me love idiots and keep my sense of humor and perspective, my friends!
Missy has been a member of my household for two weeks, now, and she has experienced so many new things. She and the rest of my pack have found their relationships.
The first time I left her home, I put her in the bedroom, my two alphas in the living room, and closed the door between them. When I came home, it was as if she didn’t know I would be back. She was quite relieved. The second time I left her at home, with the two alphas, I left the door open, so Dakota would have access to my bed, Missy would have hers, and Gideon would have the couch, if he wanted. I was worried, but need not have been. They were all fine.
In the two weeks she has lived with us, she sits, stays, comes, goes where I point, lays down on her bed when told, gets in the car, gets in the back, but “down” is the hardest order she has to obey, as she likes to get up on me, whether sitting, standing, or laying down. She knows it, but has trouble obeying.
The other night, one of my two cats decided to hide after she was fed, so I wouldn’t put her outside. I said out loud, “Where is the cat? Where did she go?” To my surprise, Missy started sniffing around, following a path into the bathroom. I followed. I watched her sniff between things, under things, and then alert behind the bathtub. Damn, that is where the cat was! I gave her lots of congratulations, but I was astounded. How did she even know the word “”cat?” She is either brilliant or psychic.
What a gal!
Trying to learn who she is, and I am learning she is the sweetest, smartest dog I have ever had find me. I will never know how she came to me. I wish I could read her mind better. She has become thoroughly, and completely attached. She needs to stay close to me, or watch me, constantly. I cannot go to the bathroom alone … reminds me of when my kids were little. It is only when I am safely in bed does she lay on her own bed, right near mine. I know she doesn’t talk, except through her eyes, and her behavior. She still is not barking or otherwise making any sounds. I wish I were a better dog whisperer.
I took her to the vet Wednesday. She did not want to get in the car, and then, when she did, with much help from me, she shook for the first 1/2 hour or more. After I got her in the car at home, she wanted out, so I was concerned about stopping anywhere, lest she try to escape. She never did. She found her spot on the passenger side back seat, and was comfortable. She got out easily at the Vet, and was not fearful there. She enjoyed the little girl who wanted to be friends, the staff, who fell in love with her, and the only procedure she objected to was having her temperature taken. We postponed any shots or other things until her next visit in a month.
She played a lot of ball catching with her last owner, per her canine teeth, the vet assistant said. She is not chipped. She is not spayed. Probably not de-barked, just trying to get her confidence about her place in the pack, per the vet. She is between 1 and 2 years old, and in good health, especially considering her travels.
She got back into the car at the vets with confidence, and happily. I wasn’t leaving her.
When we got home, I let her out with the others off leash for the first time. She couldn’t get any privacy to do her “business” so snipped at Gideon. Dakota, Bear, and Missy came in when asked, but I had to put Missy into the bathroom so that Miranda, my most skittish dog, would come in, which I did. Gideon could not be found, until later. Thursday, I let them all out together, and she did really well.
Missy was very insecure, as could be expected, But is adapting very fast. There is a fine line I must tread in making her feel welcome, and making my other dogs not feel displaced. But we made a lot of progress on Thursday. She is not snipping at the others, and is wanting to play with them. The others are not sure, after her initial snarling. We need to work out her place in our pack … Our family. But each day she settles in more and more, finds her place, and everyone becomes a little more comfortable than they were the day before. She and Dakota are deciding who will be number one in this pack. Gideon and the others have always bowed to Dakota’s decisions, so we are 1/2 way there.
I’ve received a few inquiries, but so far, all for males. I have become very attached, just in four days. However, if there is a heartbroken owner out there, I will relinquish her, sadly.
I stopped for lunch at a Chinese buffet. I got two fortune cookies. One said, “a great reward will come to you.” The second said, “do not stray from the path that fate has laid out for you.” I gave Missy the cookies, and decided she is both my fate and my reward. I am just glad a Great Dane or St. Bernard didn’t show up!
Well, she easily made it through her first day in her new found home. She has managed to cower all four of my other dogs – individually, and as a pack. Amazing, as they are all twice as big as she is. I imagine her snarling at them, “You ain’t nothin’ I just survived weeks in the wilds with mountain lions, coyotes, and foxes. You think you scare me? Ha, this is MY human now! Know what I went thru to find her? I walked miles and miles through the wilderness. Yup, she’s mine now!” And it is true. She has won my heart. Not over the others, but in addition too. I worked hard all day to make sure the others did not feel neglected. Whew, I had no idea the turn my day would take when I woke up.
She ate 4 cups of dog food yesterday, spread throughout the day so she didn’t get sick. She scarfed the last one as hungrily as she did the first. it will take some time to put all that weight back on, so I may have to add some things to her diet.
I took her out on a leash, twice, and she did very well, although not her “business.” She is either leash trained, or not wanting to get more than inches away from me, borne out by her inside behavior. Not fond of the great outdoors, at the moment. That’s okay. She can have a few mistakes inside, as long as she doesn’t make a habit of it. She gets some special consideration for a while.
She needed constant reassurance yesterday, so my day was completely rearranged to accommodate her needs, assimilate her into my tribe, make her feel safe, above all. She followed me everywhere, and whenever I sat, stood, or walked, she was right there sitting at my feet. She wanted up in my bed, but it is too tall, and I did not want to encourage a tick-infested dog into my bed. So, I laid a big fluffy bath towel near the back window door, where I was within sight. She can watch the world outside and me, too.
I have yet to hear her bark, yelp, or make any sound other than this slight snarl she used with the other dogs to establish her place in the pack. They all listened.
I called the shelters in Monterey and San Luis Obispo, posted everywhere, checked Fido Finder, Craigslist, and did what I could to find her “other” human. I emailed and took calls all day. At sunset, we were all settled in for the night, including the cats.
About 9 pm, Missy started acting a little differently. She gave out a quiet whimper, the only sound I had heard her make all day, with the exception of the quiet little dominance, leave me alone snarls I had heard directed at my dogs. She was wandering through the house, so I decided since she needed to go outside to go potty. I had taken my leg off, was in my pjs, and dogs don’t go out at night up here, due to mountain lions.
I got up, put my leg on, didn’t bother getting dressed, grabbed the leash, led her to the door and opened it. Dakota got out, but Missy took one look at the dark, and decided she didn’t want to go after all. I can only imagine the scary nights she shivered and hid through recently, but I reassured her and led her out. Dakota stayed with us, and Missy stayed close to me. We went to a dirt area, we went to a grassy area. All she did was sit. I gave up and told her we weren’t going out anymore tonight. Then, she looked at me with those sweet, loving eyes again. I pretended I didn’t notice her, and she went back to her spot and laid down. Smart dog.
