Tid Bit... you better run and hide

So, we've lived here four years now in Durango Colorado. We adopted our dog Tid Bit about three years ago. She was a tiny puppy who was being fostered by a friend of mine from a local animal shelter. I am a little schizophrenic when it comes to TidBit.

Before I had chidren I was a HUGE animaal lover.

One time when I was very young I saw some boys at a park throwing stones at birds circling over the man made lake at the park. They hit them so hard they fell into the water and died. I cried so hard I could not breathe. My Mom helped me find the park ranger and the boys were fined and got in big trouble for hurting the birds.

Another time, my brothers were playing with fishing wire in our trees and a bird got tangled up in the tree. I just climbed the tree, unwrapped it from the line and let it go. I would catch crayfish in the Milwaukee river and keep them as pets, any animal I could find became my project to take care of. My very first job was at a small animal clinic because I aspired to be a vet. I had a dog named Buford who was horrible, but I loved him. I loved caterpillars and butterflies. I even had a pet Chameleon named Karl... He rocked too.

Anyway, I am trying to make the case that I am a loving person who loves animals.

I do love Tid Bit. She is smart, she LOVES kids... would NEVER bite them, she is gentle, very smart... almost too smart. Sometimes I think she knows exactly what I am saying because her facial expression changes with every sentence I speak to her.

But because she is so smart... she infuriates me. When we leave the house we have to put her in her kennel or we take her over to my Dad's house and let her in his house. She does not come when I call her. She just looks at me trying to negotiate her case and believe me if I could run as fast as her... she would lose the negotiation. Most times I call her and I need to get out of the house quickly. She just stares at me like... no... let's go to Grandpa's I don't want to go in my kennel. But on nice days, she hang out in her kennel for a long time just chilling in there on her own. She's feisty and needs training. Training takes time and that is something I lack. :)

Recently, the fence that seperates my Dad's land from a mobile park next to it has been crushed kind of. It's fallen down it's wire and really needs some repair. That fence once kept my dog and my Dad's dogs in our own yard. Recently the "mutts" have gone over to the neighboring park and brought garbage from the park into our yard... you can imagine how absolutely thrilled I am! She's in so much trouble.

Today I got a visit from the friendly Animal Control officer. Letting me know that someone in the park had filed a complaint about a black and brown dog who was eating the garbage on their porch. (again... she is totally in trouble) Because she had the complaint filed. I get a $53.00 ticket. So, Tid Bit is going on a leash in the yard until we can get a fence put up this summer to keep her out of the mobile park. I seriously had the most evil thoughts about what to do with this dog. If Grace and Toby did not love her so much... I am not sure BK and I would still be "Dog people". Is that bad?

On the flip side. The kids spent all afternoon running with Tidbit around the yard with a leash, she does not drag them, she is gentle, she loves them and they love her. Right now because she is so smart, she is upstairs laying in Grace's room on the floor waiting for the one who loves her most (Grace) to get out of her bath and hang out with her until bedtime. She knows BK and I are mad, so she is not even laying on our new carpet. Another smart move. (but she's still in trouble)

So pray with me as I try to find a balance between the good and evil I feel for our family dog. And... the animal lover genes have been passed down because my two children today found a snake in the yard and have put it in a cooler and are "Taking care" of it and loving it. It cracks me up.

Pray for Tid Bit. She is going to need all the help she can get!