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ILoveLucy

New Member
Hi! I've recently adopted/taken in a stray Doxie who's about 10 yrs old. She was found roaming outside a friend's apartment with no ID. She appears to have been bred several times in her lifetime and has many tumors throughout her mamaries.

I had been contemplating a pet for my four year-old and wanted to get her a cat. Everytime I mentioned it, she insisted she wanted a dog. :/ I'm not (wasn't) a big fan of dogs but I'm pretty animal savvy and have a knack for all things animal. So, when Lucy showed up at my friend's place and she posted her photo to help find a new home for her, I decided to meet the dag and give it a shot.

I thought Lucy would be a great addition as she is low maintenance, housebroken, calm, sleeps most of the time, etc. It took me a few days to adjust to having a dog again but soon we were set up pretty well. I even decided to bring Lucy along for a two-week trip to north GA. She did great! And we really bonded on that trip.

Just prior to the trip I had taken Lucy to the vet to get her up to date on vacs and work on getting her spayed. Lucy is a standard size Dox weighing in at about 22 lbs and is black and tan with a subtle touch of dapple. She has no microchip and I can't find any shred of a hint that she is 'missing'. She presented some problems- the tumors, and very pale gums, mastisis (infected milk ducts, from which she was producing milk but a sonogram showed no pregnancy). We did the vacs and talked about coming back in a few weeks to finish that up and do some blood work to test liver and kidney function, and a chest x-ray to check her lungs for the spread of the tumors.

Her x-rays revealed a set of very clear lungs but a HUGE heart! Her heart is almost twice the size it should be. Her liver and kidney funcions are good but the blood work showed that she is severely anemic. So we've started heart meds and fluid pills that she may or may not stay on forever, but the heart meds are a forever thing.

My current committment is to give her the most comfortable life as I can for the time she has left. I want to learn more about this breed so that I can better accomodate and understand her and in effect make things easier for me and my little girl too.
 

DeafDogs

Alberta Region Moderator
Awe good for you for giving a special little girl a loving home (for however long it lasts) One thing I want to do, when I can afford it, is to take in seniors like your little Lucy.
 

ILoveLucy

New Member
She is a special girl. She decided right away that I am her person. I've never been a real dog-person and now I don't even notice the odor of doggy in my house; now that's a special girl :p

We're still adjusting and getting to know each other but are doing well.

The hardest part is not knowing anything about her life before us.
She does know these things:
Get in the car
Move over (once in the car)
Come on, let's get out (gets in my lap to get out of the car)
Where's your ball
Get the toy
Sit
Up
Stay
Come
Go tee-tee
Do you need to go out
Treats!
No!
Let's go home (when we walk down the street and are done)
and - "Watch" which I have no clue what that means but she goes nuts- nuts for Lucy is ears perked up and eyes very alert and very still and might bark)
Does anyone have any idea what that would mean for a dog? She looks directly at me when I say it and waits for something. But for what?

And she shows also signs of what her routine might have been, like dinner time, treat times, cheese wrappers. I think someone was giving her the heart meds twice daily as she seems to know whats up when that happens.

Oh, and I hadn't even mentioned her cataracts. She can't see anything less than six inches from her face, only periferally. That makes it hard for her to play and she gives up often. her heart condition also makes her sluggish.

Any tips or tricks are welcome :)
 

nola

New Member
Sounds like someone taught her the watch me command. It's very useful in distracting them or having the look at the camera ;)
Make sure you keep her nice and trim!
Teeth brushing is important too.
Be warned, once you get bitten by the Doxie bug there's no going back!
 

ILoveLucy

New Member
I can tell that bug is sniffing me out already, lol!

I worked with her today after researching the 'watch me' command and that's exactly what it is. Someone was working with her for that one. I had treats and everytime I said it while holding a treat near my face, she went for it. Whoa! Not my face! But she gets it.

She also knows "shake" and "sit up" meaning get up from lying down and into the sit position. But, when I try to get her to lay down, she gives me her paws, alternately, instead. Like she's saying "I don't want to lay down, but how about a 'shake' instead?"

Then we played with her favorite squeaky toy. I think that helps her/them relieve some of the tension from being worked like that. Even though it's light work and very upbeat, it gives her a chance to de-stress or relax her self. Then she was ready for some lovin and then a nap. The pattern is always the same with her :D

For some reason I keep thinking that she is used to having another dog around and that having another one might do her some good. Maybe help keep her relaxed when she's not directly involved with me. What, besides another doxie, would you reccomend that I pair with her? IF I were going to get another dog.

I have to give Lucy credit; she is a real gem and I am so lucky to have her.
 
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