Daisy #27 Black Labrador Retriever Female 5 Years Old ID #3367

May 28, 2023

Daisy #27 checking in.  I’m still learning how to live off the farm, but I am feeling so much more comfortable now than when I first left.

I went to the vet again this week to make sure that all of my shots were up to date.  I was such a good girl! I even met a boy who looked just like me but bigger ( I’ve lost 10 pounds since I left the farm).  We just sniffed each other and then another crazy dog came over and I didn’t like him so I growled at him to leave us alone.  My ears are better too but I still have a little cough.  The nice vet told FM it definitely wasn’t kennel cough and probably just from me pulling when I was on my leash.  Speaking of my leash, I am doing so much better when we go on walks.  I still like to stop and smell everything along the way but I’ve gone for walks up to 2 miles.  My FM took us to something called a baseball field at night and when she shut the gates, me and Bella were allowed to run around without our leashes!  It was kind of like our backyard but much bigger.  FD was throwing a ball to Bella for her to catch, but I just like to chew on it. We are still working on my commands, but I can sit and stay, and wait for my FM and FD to say break before I come out of my crate or eat.  I go right into my crate at night for bedtime with a little coercing with liverwurst on my lick plate.  It’s so yummy.  After I finish, I like to bark and howl to see if someone will come and let me out, but FM will say, “night, night Daisy” and I usually stop. Sometimes, she has to say it a couple of times but I always go to sleep from about 10:30 PM to 6:00 AM or 7:00 AM.  I really like being with my people

My FM and FD love me a lot, but FM said I will probably be better in a house without cats.  FM keeps saying “leave it” but I just can’t help myself.  I love to chase them!  I cornered Gladys and she made a funny noise and tried to swipe my face, so I left her alone but the next time I saw her, I still ran after her. I’m also not too sure about those “little kid humans” who come over to the house a couple of times.  I think it’s because they move to fast and I’m not sure what they are going to do next.  I do like the big kid humans my FB brings over the house, because they rub my head and scratch my belly whenever they see me.  So, my forever home should be cat and little kid free.  I love being in our backyard, so a home with a fence and a gate would be really good.  Actually, the gate is a must because one time when the door was open, I bolted out and FM had to chase me up the street.  I love to run! I also need parents who will be patient with me as I continue to learn how to be a house dog.

P.S.  FM said that FD is getting something called a “pool” ready for the summer.  She is really excited to see if I will like to swim in it.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

May 14, 2023

Daisy continues to go after the cats, so she definitely will do better in a house without cats.  She is still understandably possessive of her toys and she is much more attached to me than anyone else in the house.  She is okay with Bella (except with her toys, so we only allow both of them to have toys when they are separated.

Her leash skills are improving now that we are using a prong collar.  She continued to pull with the harness and she completely pancaked with the gentle leader and wouldn’t move. She gets excited when I pick up the leash and loves all the new smells she is experiencing.  We are working on extending the length of our outings.

We continue to work on her commands.  She does well with “break” from the crate first thing in the morning.  She is good with “sit”, getting better with “stay” and needs work on “come” and “leave it”.

She still startles easily and was really freaked out about a boy who rode by us on a bike while we were out walking, so a home without small children would be good.  She was also very scared when she saw our shadows on a white fence the other night and went flat.  Thankfully after a few minutes and a couple of treats, she finally got up and started to walk

She still has occasional accidents in the house.  We attached bells to the back door and are working on her signaling to go out.

May 1, 2023

I can’t believe the progress sweet Daisy has made in less than 2 weeks! She is really starting to come out of her shell and show her true personality.

After being home with her for a week, I had to go back to work.  She was not very happy with being home with the hubs, so she went back to her hiding spot in the bamboo.  I’m not sure if he reminded her of someone from her past, but she was very unsure and stayed away till I returned home. When I called her name, she came out with her adorable butt wiggling behind her! It didn’t take long for her to come around and after 3 days home with her Dad, she was laying beside him on the floor, while he did his daily physical therapy.

She is still timid with loud noises like motorcycles passing by and she will get spooked if you move too fast. She loves to be outside and has had 5 accident free days inside! Unfortunately, these rainy days have slowed her progress, although she doesn’t seem to mind the rain.

She is pacing less when in the house and will settle in on the floor below me, wherever I am sitting and likes when you rub your feet along her back.

She is starting to play with a ball, but her favorite toy is her lamb chop.

She has become very possessive when Bella is around, so we separate them when she is playing with it. Otherwise, they seem to be tolerating each other fine.  She met Gladys and Marge, our cats and she proceeded to chase them both back up the stairs, so I’m not sure how the next meeting will go.  Speaking of stairs, she has mastered both up and down, so we purchased baby gates to limit her access.  Still not liking her leash, she will pancake as soon as we click it on.  Our working goal for the upcoming week.

Her eyes are looking so much better and she’s such a good girl when I clean them and give her the drops. Her ears are still pretty stinky and dirty when I wipe them, but hoping they will look better on Thursday when she gets her next antibiotic packing at the vet.

She is such a love 💕

April 25, 2023

This is her post breakfast nap. She is sound asleep and snoring!  I think she is getting more and more comfortable each day.  She is starting to respond to her name and last night she even came into the house without us having to go out and get her. She has abandoned her hiding spot in the bamboo and will lay under the ramp to the deck.  Daisy and Bella are still unsure of each other but are able to chill with each other on the deck. Small steps everyday.

April 22, 2023

Daisy Mae did great last night getting into her crate all by herself and after covering the front of the crate and playing lullabies, she was down for the night. I decided to try to sleep in today until 7:00 AM but Daisy had a different idea.  She was awake and barking at 6:15 AM.  I am so glad she is finding her “voice”! She went right out the back door to do her morning business, and again, her crate was dry.  I have offered her a greenie every morning and today, she took it (I made sure to keep her and Bella separated because greenies are a high value item for her).  She spent the entire day outside in the yard.  She definitely has found a safe space by hiding in the bamboo. Finally, some good has come from having bamboo in my yard! She still isn’t eating all of her food.  I sprinkled  in some parmesan cheese to see if that would entice her, but she only ate half.  She has no interest in peanut butter, but was willing to try plain yogurt on her lick plate.  We found out she does like pizza crust, I mean who doesn’t?  Knowing the storm was coming, we wanted to get her into the house before the rain started.  Bella is my go to to get Daisy up and moving, but she was out for a pre-storm walk, so we tried cut up pieces of American cheese and found this to be her liking.

Once inside, she paced for about 15 minutes before deciding to lay down under the kitchen table at my husband’s feet.  She loves having her head rubbed as long as she’s the one who initiates it.

We received a lot of presents today starting with a toy from my neighbor’s little boy who is autistic and has an amazing connection to animals.  He wanted Daisy to have something to play with. Next, a box came with toys and treats and then a new cool tie dye collar with flowers that look like Daisies.

April 21, 2023

Daisy Mae’s second night unfortunately wasn’t as smooth as her first.  She would only come into the house after Bella herded her in.  You could tell she was stressed by her pacing.  She had an accident and didn’t want to go into the crate when it was bedtime (1030).  Again, thanks to Bella, she followed her into the crate.  After an hour, she was whining, so another potty attempt.  She couldn’t settle in and around 12:30 AM she started to bark and wouldn’t stop.  I honestly think it was because Bella was asleep on the couch.  I covered the front of her crate with a beach towel and Alexa provided lullabies.  Thankfully she then slept until 6:00 AM and crate was dry!

She loves to hide in the bamboo behind our shed, but will come out as soon as she hears Bella or my neighbor’s dog.  She is still very scared and timid, especially of loud noises, but will come to me for ear scratches. Her eyes are still goopy, but she’s doing great with the drops.

Slow and steady is our mantra.

April 20, 2023

Daisy has had a whirlwind of her first 24 hours off of the farm! After 3 car rides, she settled in nicely to her new surroundings.  She is a very curious girl, but very wary and apprehensive (understandably).  We live close to Phila airport and when a plane flies over, she will stop in her tracks.  She also did not like when she heard and ambulance. After 2 baths, she was still pretty stinky and those eyes just keep draining thick, yucky stuff.  She immediately perked up when my next door neighbor’s puppy came to greet her at the fence, so we decided to do an introduction to our resident pup, Bella.  Again, tail wagging and followed her around the yard.  She had no idea how to maneuver steps, but after a lot of coaxing and treats, she was quick to figure it out. Getting her into the house was difficult but thankfully Bella showed her the way and she followed her in.  She slept in her crate from 10:30 PM-6:00 AM and kept it dry!

Today we had our vet check and as I suspected, she has a double ear infection.  She was awesome when the vet cleaned them and packed her ears with antibiotics.  She checked her eyes for ulcers and corneal abrasions and thankfully she is clear.  Her eyes were washed out and we have antibiotic, so hopefully we will see her true beautiful eyes.  She didn’t flinch for her blood work and since she had her rabies shot the other day and the infections, the vet didn’t want to give her the rest of her vaccines.  She was such a good girl throughout it all, laying at my feet.

Here’s what we know about her so far:

-she has no idea her name is Daisy.  I’ve been calling her Daisy Mae

-her birthdate on her rabies paperwork is 4/11/2015 which would make her 8, not 5

-she prefers to be outdoors instead of in the house

-she seems to enjoy being with other dogs

-she does respond to praise and treats

-after 24 hrs., she let us and seems to love having her head and neck scratched and rubbed!

All in all, a good 1st day!