From Puppy to Adult
Alyson has taken Molly out for a few ski runs…skijoring…and she has taken to it like a champ. Here is a video we did showing how well she is doing.
We think with lots more practice she just might give our other dogs a run for their money (ok dog treats LOL).
Molly is a little lost this week as two of her best play buddies went to adoptive homes. Chloe went on a sleepover with her boy Zach so she was left with all of the mature “we don’t play like puppies” dogs. She slept alone for the first time in the theatre room with no incidents. After an early breakfast on a weekend morning she decided she wasn’t going back to bed. She went from mildly agitated to panicked in a matter of minutes. We brought her down to the bedroom but she was still agitated and ended up trying to go after Maggie. Maggie gave up her spot under the covers and retreated to her crate. Maggie could and would take Molly out in less than a minute but she does her best to try and avoid fights. We try to keep Maggie socialized but also separate as she is a fierce dog fighter, if she is cornered. Molly than paced around the room for a while, picked up a toy and then decided to try the bed.
She finally fell asleep and slept like a log until we got up. She was stuck to me like glue all day and then as soon as it got dark she was back to slinking around and refusing to come back in the house. We have resorted to putting a long line on her after dark. If the line is on she has no issue coming in the house and doesn’t behave irrationally.
Molly has got to be one of the biggest clowns. She is always looking for a way to make something funny. So today the poor Roxie dog who is getting older and has a great deal of difficulty walking (but still maintains her position as the alpha female) was walking by Ms Molly and Ms Molly reached out and grabbed her tail and started pulling backward. This sent Roxie sprawling to the ground. Molly was so pleased with herself she was smiling.
Molly the ever adventurous and ever curious canine. Always looking for trouble and usually successful in finding it. But deeply loved anyway!
Molly is getting more and more mature each day. She still loves to play hard with the other dogs but she is less and less puppy like. She has been sleeping in the theatre room with Bella and Gypsy and she is in heaven. During the day all three of them and Daisy spend the time together and compliment each other very well.
Sweet Bella playing with the outlaw, Molly. Bella plays by the rules while Molly breaks all the rules. Molly will stare straight into another dog’s eyes, sit on the other dog and climb all over them. Yet all the dogs tolerate and even invite it.
Bella takes a moment to have a heart to heart with Molly.
For the most part if you met Molly you would never know that she had once been a Feral Dog. But little tiny pieces of her stick out and remind us daily that she still remembers and still has feral places in her. For example, she will play and let you pet her all day long but there is a time frame just after dusk that extends until just about bedtime where if she is outside she will not come near anybody nor will she let you touch her or her collar. She lurks behind trees, under the porch and barks if you get too close. We used to send another dog out to bring her back in but she has become wise to this and will come back with the other dog as far as the door and then turns and bolts again. We also started feeding her on the back side of the porch and before she left again we could walk up to her and bring her back inside. When she is cornered, she just gives in, wags her tail and comes inside.
So the next step is reintroduce her to the clicker training and start working on touching and releasing her collar during the day and gradually move the training session so that it is closer to dusk, then at dusk and then at dark. Usually by this time though we are all ready to slow down for the evening. But that is the plan.
She still has space issues and continues to go in the crates with the other dogs. They are usually not happy about this but everyone is surprisingly tolerant of her doing this. She continues to crowd the other dogs and swing her butt around to their face when she annoys them. They seem to just accept that she is the way she is. They grumble but rarely does any dog strike out at her and she can push some major buttons with them.
Molly is still awkward running but can run really fast. She can out pace every dog on the property with the exception of Cody and Maggie. She is a sight to see running… beautiful but teenage gangly.
She pushes boundaries and thinks nothing of putting her front paws on the counter and waiting for someone to challenge her on it or walking across the coffee table. She has quite a sense of humor and seems to delight when the other dogs follow her antics.
Her chewing behavior has greatly diminished, although she still loves to scarf up whatever is left on the floor, edible or not.
Overall she is developing so nicely and is both comical and entertaining to spend time with. 
Well close to that…here is a video of Molly evolving from puppy to adult.
Molly has been progressing slowly. She can walk nicely on a leash without being pulled along. She tends to walk behind when we are walking away from the house and in front when we are walking toward the house. She has become a lot more adventurous. Every morning she has been playing this game of escaping out the gate and running to the barn fence tagging it with her nose and galloping back. It is not a habit I want her to get into but was curious as to why it was so important for her to get through the gate every morning.
I followed her cue the next day and took her to the barn with me. I don’t think she was prepared for that. She put the brakes on at the barn door and when the calf came face to face with her I thought she was going to have a coronary. I put her in a stall so I could get the milking done and the goats fed. After a while she gained the courage to stick her head out the bottom of the door and promptly withdrew it when the calf came jumping down the aisle. She seems curious about the animals but not aggressive toward them at this point.
She is at the point now that I can pick her up and hold her, put her on the couch or just hug her and she doesn’t freeze up. She will lay on the couch with me if I put her there and allow her ears to be scratched and her paws messed with.
Molly is still very much a chewer and grabs any available shoe, shirt, whatever it may be. She tries to initiate a chase game with the item but will put it down if you don’t entertain her. Garbage hound is one of her callings and she will choke down anything that is edible or not. She was caught stealing strawberries out of the garden and munching on mouthfuls of birdseed. She goes back to the vet on Friday. I think she will get a positive report on her teeth as they look a lot better than last time.
The obedience is going much slower than I had hoped. She knows sit and will cue into a down and come with reward but without either she has no interest.
Zack was working with her yesterday with the leash because she still tends to shy away from him and show fear aggression. All in all it went well with the end goal being that she not bark and lunge at him when he is in the yard playing.
She has an on again off again relationship with the new foster dog Eric. She often tries to bite him when he is playing with the other dogs and then panics when he runs after her. It doesn’t help that he has not been neutered and their policy doesn’t allow for him to be neutered until after he is adopted.
I haven’t made any decision yet on which direction to go with her yet. I want to work with her on obedience but that takes a back seat to socialization.
Worked with Molly with treats. She did really well coming forward and taking the treat and then sitting for another and then lying down. The other dogs were kind of lazing around doing a little work here and there for a treat which is when she seems to work best.
Trying to approach her head on makes her shy away but other times she will come up and let you pet her and scratch behind her ears.
She is a persistent garbage thief and is constantly having to be reminded to stay out of the garbage.
Molly will come in the house on her own now if you call and clap your hands. Haven’t been working with the leash at all as I want her to come and follow on her own first if possible.
She continues to do well on walks and with the four wheeler.
We continue to soften her food and give her the vitamins in hope that her teeth improve. Her next vet visit is in June for follow up shots and at that time we will make an appointment for her spaying.
Not much activity today. We took Molly for a walk with the other dogs. She stopped to snack on some cow pies which about sent Zack over the edge. She is very good with staying with the other dogs and coming back with them when called.
She came in today and was quiet and well behaved for a tv show. She started pacing after about an hour and going from door to door. That should have been the clue to let her out but I was settled and thought she just wanted out so she had her fourth accident in the house. Not bad for ten days here. She has never pooped in the house only peed.
She briefly jumped on the couch today and lay across my legs and then got down.
