Tori is one AWESOME dog....of course, you would just have to ask her that and she'd agree! My friends have dubbed her the "princess" and suggested I buy her a scarf that says "It's all about me!"
She got off to a rough start. It only took me a minute to realize that she had never been crated and the couch was where she thought she deserved to be. BUT since she barked in an unfriendly manner (this is an understatement) at all of my dogs, it was necessary to rotate dogs....and my other 4 wouldn't even come in her range of vision because of the reaction from her. At night, I kept her in a crate next to my bed and the second night she didn't scream at all as long as I was in sight. You know, I didn't realize that a dog could scream as loud and long as she did. This was clearly the worst thing that happened to her EVER! Day 3 was off to the vet to be spayed and I brought home a very dopey, friendly girl! . Later in the evening I realized that she was bleeding more than she should have been so, under my vet's recommendation, I spent the night on the couch with her (a real bonding experience) and off to the vet we went for the day but by this time she was ok. When I picked her up, she was wide awake and VERY happy to see me.
Skip a few weeks....a little obedience training and off to Petsmart to get a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) when she accomplished with ease....my other dogs were nowhere around which helped!! :):):) Then a stomach incident and yet another day at the vet. I joked that I'm sure she was thinking that it was a "day spa" for her to go to every few weeks. And then the first visit at Theda Clark Regional Medical Center for her orientation to be a therapy dog where she got along beautifully with the other dogs. At the first visit the tester/evaluator and I just watched with amazement as she entered patient's rooms and went directly to the bed to say hello and then from visitor to visitor. She was an absolute natural! So...after a total of 4 visits, she was registered as a therapy dog with Therapy Dogs, Inc. (www.therapydogs.com) along with my other dogs. In fact, my Christmas photo with the other 4 is posted on the site as is a photo of my first dog, Josephine.
Josephine was THE dog that got me into dog training and therapy dog work and was a special girl. She left us this summer when her kidneys failed. After several weeks of Tori being with me, it became apparent how much she resembled Josephine from the ears back. She walks like her and acts like her! (princess walk) In fact, everyone who sees her comments on the resemblance. Even when I took her to the groomer she commented on how much they were alike....and the reason for the groomer...Tori gave new meaning to "blowing coat" and I have 3 other long coats and thought I was used to hair!!
Well, after about 3 months, I felt comfortable in letting Tori with Ari, my alpha male. I put her with Teddy, my other male, and let's just say that didn't go well and Teddy is very dog friendly. He's the neutral dog I take with me when I test dogs for their CGC. AND I'm certain that I will never let her out with the other girls. BUT with Ari, after a bit of a scuffle, she realized that he WAS the boss (a very fair, sweet, benevolent one actually) and if she let him be boss, life would be good. She now adores him and follows him everywhere! These are my 2 dogs that I take to Schutzhund training with me. Tori is beginning tracking and thinks that food in the ground is so cool! She may not have enough drive to get a Schutzhund title but she certainly will get obedience and tracking titles. Even though her pedigree has lots of dogs with titles, she is pretty lazy and if the sleeve is presented to her is a fun manner, she's there, loves it and has a very good, calm bite.... but if she has to work for it, WELL....she is the princess, you know! I look forward to introducing her to agility equipment when it gets set up in the yard and see how she likes that. Oh, yes....she now runs to the van and jumps into the crate because it means we're going somewhere good...like training!
Tori has been a wonderful addition to my family and I feel blessed to have her. Thank you so much! Laurel