What about the dog?

Our biggest worry, of course, was the dog. AH, while she doesn't actively dislike dogs, is certainly not used having them around. She's a clean freak, and dogs are not. Well, neither am I for that matter. But there's always dog hair floating about, drool, dribbled water, etc. And Z can be a bit of a meanie sometimes. She's a good dog, but she's crazily attached to her family, and she just doesn't always care for new people.

The first week actually went quite well, though. Z sniffed at AH in her chair, but didn't try to lick her or anything. She knows her, but I think she's a little confused, wondering "where's UL? He always sneaks me food? They always come together!" But she's adapted. She doesn't trip AH up, doesn't try to barge in her room. She stays clear of the walker. She's been okay with all the visiting nurses, though we do keep her crated when we're not home and someone's visiting. Just till we know how she's going to be.

Well. The other night we thought it was safe for both J and I to be gone for the evening. Mistake. I get a phone call from AH saying, "I don't know what to do with the dog. She's whining and keeps going to the door." Well, it was obvious to me that she needed to go out. I told AH to open the slider (thank god she was able to). I heard her saying, "Go out now, I can't come out with you." But then she got on the phone and said, "oh, I smell something over here, what if she's gone to the bathroom, what am I going to do?"

She ended up leaving Z out on the porch. Worried that she had stepped in something (turns out Z had thrown up in the kitchen), AH stayed in her chair for 3 hours, waiting for J to come home! Z was out on the porch howling. A neighbor came over and pounded on the door, but AH refused to get up, panicked that she had stepped in "something."

Now the poor baby will have to be crated whenever we're out. There's no way that AH is going to adjust to her. She is so stubborn, when she gets something in her mind, there is no changing it. I'm sure she's convinced that Z will be pooping and peeing and puking all over the place.

so much for my visions of Z becoming an old ladie's companion, keeping her company and guarding the door.