First Night

Nope, not going to post about the (myth of) primae noctis.  It's more about the dog!  She is a good girl, was well behaved yesterday and adjusting nicely.  I folded up Siddy's super soft blanket under my nice big end table and she's nesting there in a sort of small substitute for her crate.

I haven't got a crate yet, but knowing she's been training in one, I tried to create as nice a substitute as I could last night.  I put the blanket and her toys and even the old ham bone (she's liking that a lot) in my small office room, put up the baby gate, an went up to bed.

Well, we're never doing THAT again.  She was just traumatized.  Hated it.  It was heartwrenching to hear, and I decided I couldn't do it.  I went to the basement and retrieved Sid's upstairs bed (a lightweight but large old ottoman - the one she died on actually), got a clean dog-towel for it, set it up, and brought her upstairs.  Instantly clear this was the way I should have gone in the first place.  She never even looked twice at my bed, never tried to get up with me.  Curled up and was peaceful the rest of the night.  A perfect, well-behaved, safe and happy angel.

Of course, some part of the trauma of her would-be pen last night might be separation anxiety, and I'm sensitive to that and hope to make sure she's okay.  And, I mean - TOMORROW begins her first day of my being gone for eleven hours or so.  Oiks.

But so far, apart from some posturing and growling from both of the four-legged parties, really so good.  They're going to get there, as soon as Penelope realizes the little mouse and bird toys aren't hers, and they're both more accustomed to this deal.  As it is, they're still largely quiet, and no physical spats at all.  So I'm grateful and lucky.

Later on, I will leave them alone at least for a little bit.  Still have to get groceries!  And we'll have some walkies and fun, little exploring just me and the Pennybaby.