Sept-Dec 2006: Abby Lives with Me!

Practicing "table" in our yard.

After living at school away from my doggies for 3 years, I finally get to have Abby live with me this year. It's my first year living off campus, in a dog friendly garden suite. It is so wonderful to get to go to school and have my puppy here all the time! At first I was really worried about having enough time. Abby and I seem to have adapted to each other really well though. She settles down very well for the most part when I have to study, and is ready to go when I take a break to play with her or take her out. She pretty much does what I do. She is my little shadow - the only time she isn't with me is when I go into the bathroom and shut the door. Then she runs into my roommate's bedroom to get a shoulder massage, and when she heard the toilet flush, she's right outside the bathroom door again. It's pretty funny that my one roommate knows exactly when I go into the bathroom and for how long!
Abby and I have a pretty regular routine. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning we go to the big field by our house from 9:00-9:45 to play ball or frisbee. We know the regulars there - Baxter and Franny. Abby doesn't interact with them (too into her toy) but she seems to like being around them. Tuesday and Thursday mornings we do a leash walk from about 8:00-8:30. Tuesday night is agility, and Thursday is right before the weekend when I have lots of time to spend with her. Our routine is going to be a bit different now, I guess, but when Tryp was here we'd do a long evening walk from about 6:00-7:30 every night (but Tuesday). Saturday and Sunday mornings we went to the school field from about 10-11, then did a short evening walk. Now that Tryp isn't here it will be hard to get going on those dark, cold, rainy evenings. I'm sure Abby will help get me out the door with her funny whining (only funny when I'm not trying to study for something!).

Destuffing her Kong on my Microbi notes

Being a student and having a dog at the same time definitely isn't for everyone, but it is so so good for me. I really use Abby as a de-stresser. She reminds me that there is more than just school in my life. Yes, I have become basically a recluse except for going for walks...but I like it that way! Sadly, I'd rather spend Friday night curled up on the couch watching a movie with Abby than out partying. I am glad that I had three years with no real responsibility so that I could find out what a normal university student's life is like. If I hadn't, I'd probably wish I could go out all the time and that I didn't have to take care of Abby. But this way I feel like I've been there, done that, and can now do what I really want to do - and it feels like such a privilege to get to go to school and have a dog at the same time!

There are times when it's hard having Abby, mostly when she misbehaves. Sometimes I really wish I could take her anywhere and not worry obsessively - I wish I could hike with her anywhere, and take advantage of the fact that she won't ever run away when off leash, and bring her to fields even when there are kids playing or sports games. But...I can't...at least not yet, maybe not ever. Tonight was a relatively bad night actually. I brought Abby to the field because of all the snow, which I don't usually do in the evenings because there are lots of dogs. But I really wanted to let her run around with them. At first she was fine, but then we started playing with the frisbee (maybe I should have just left it at home..but I really need it as a distraction for her sometimes!). There was another dog who kept stealing it, and would snarl Abby away from it. That dog's owner took the frisbee away from her dog and gave it to Abby...her dog then jumped on Abby snarling, and Abby ran away and jumped on 3 other dogs in quick succession snarling at them. They'd done nothing to her at all. This keeps happening - she doesn't go for the original dog, but redirects towards other, meeker dogs instead. I don't really know what to do about it, other than not bring her around big groups of dogs. It seems like it's just too much for her to handle.