about a little quirk I noticed in this dog I accidentally found myself living with for this week. I can't say I did not volunteer to be the 'sitter', but having this thing around 24/7 is not what I had expected. Like having a small child always following you around, the only advantage being you can actually put her in a cage/crate. Whereas if you did that to a human that belonged to you, it would be removed by social services upon discovery.
I am obviously not a person who made an 'A' on the assertiveness test. But it has not been such a bad experience. She has made me get out and go for a walk every afternoon, when it is getting dusky, and as cool as it is going to be. I've enjoyed the (miserably hot) stroll to the end of the street where those fireflies are still courting in the weeds along the power line cut.
The thing I have noticed when we go for a walk is a little quirky behavior I think may be telling. Possibly a result of her murky history. I suspect she has been mistreated, and likely made to fear feet of humans. I also suspect the mistreatment was done by a man. She seems to be really wary of males. Has a hard time warming up to men.
When we go off down the street, with her on a short leash, on my right side, she will walk about eight feet and then glance at my feet. My first thought was that she might have a vision problem, then that she might have a hearing deficiency. But watching her as she trots along by my side has made me conclude she is checking to see what my feet are doing. Trying to be prepared for feet to step on her, or hurt her in some way. Expectant and possibly fearful, keeping a close watch on those things that she had a bad experience with in a former life.
The funny part is that she does that so frequently, she will eventually veer over to where she is right in front of me, and seriously likely to get stepped on. So I will pull the leash just enough to get her back over to the right side, out of my path. And she will, eventually, be right back in front of where I am about to step. Making it look like she can't walk straight. You know how you can get behind a vehicle in traffic that has been in a wreck and you can tell the frame is bent, it seems to be rolling at an angle instead of straight down the street? Cha-cha looks like her little frame is bent, always walking sort of woppy-jawed.
Putting her in the crate at night has not worked well. I hear her at the other end of the house sounding bereft. Sad and lonesome, periodically mumbling and gnashing her teeth, all night long. I guess when she sleeps all day, and has plenty of time on her hands and nothing to read at night she just wants some company?
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