Finding (and testing) the Limits

[Steve Drury]

Poor Maggie has been so distracted by Daisy that she hasn't had too many opportunities to seek out and test what is acceptable and not acceptable in her new enviroment. She's still in survival mode. It has come to the point where we keep them separated for much of the day and evening. One comes in; the other goes out.

But I remember an instance when Daisy trying to discover what she could or couldn't do.

It was probably her first week home. She was all of 5 lbs. We were exploring the house together when she came across an interesting row what looked to her like fun things to play with. Actually they were three pairs of my shoes.
She hopped over to the left shoe of a pair of black dress shoes. (you know that puppy hop)
She slowly and cautiously placed her teeth gently on the shoelace.
I gently tapped her snout and quietly but firmly told her "No".
She pulled her head back; looked at me; then moved to the right shoe.
She slowly and cautiously placed her teeth gently on the shoelace.
I gently tapped her snout and quietly but firmly told her "No".
She pulled her head back; looked at me; then moved to the next shoe.
This one was the left walking shoe........then the right.

Six times she gently touched the laces with her teeth, got a tap on the snout, looked me in the eye and moved to the next shoe.......because you can't be too sure. MAYBE one of them was OK to play with. You have to check them all to be sure.

She checked. She learned. And she has never touched any of my shoes since that day.

Now my wife's shoes---that's a different story. They make great pillows or chin rests or even snuggle buddies......
it's really the next best thing to bein' with mom.

[Deena Womack]

Cute story, we are lucky Cali has not bothered the shoes. Really she doesn't bother much of anything...

[Cindy and Mandy]

Mandy likes my shoes but hasn't ruined a shoe yet. They just "appear" in the living room rather damp if the bedroom door is open.

[Leslie and Halas]

Halas only likes certain shoes, but I still make sure I keep them off the floor. He likes to grab them to try to start a game of chase.

[Tricia, Shiloh, Fenway & Tessie]

flip flops are Fenways shoe of choice also....especially crocs flip flops!

[Jamie Petro]

Wrigley had not touched a pair of shoes UNTIL it was flip flop season! Now most of my flip flops have teeth marks in them. Her new trick is to grab one and then high-tail it out the doggie door to the back yard! She has yet to even touch one of my husband's shoes. He says it's b/c he's the boss. I say it's b/c they stink too bad!

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

Very cute, she's testing her boundaries and listening too. Yankee has never been a shoe guy, Thank goodness.

[Janie]

I am very thankful mine have not bothered our shoes. Loved your story.

[Tricia, Shiloh, Fenway & Tessie]

Fenway has destroyed about 5 pairs of shoes since we got him in March! I can so relate to this.....Shiloh knows better, but Fenway thinks that if it is in our house....no matter what it is or who it belongs to....it is chew-worthy!