Houston, We Have A Problem

I haven't written about Roxy in a while and it's probably because she hasn't been on my good side in quite some time. Realizing this (and the resulting relocation assistance that was about to become Roxy's reality), Michael stepped in and has been working with her to resolve some of her doggy issues.

Miss Roxy has always had a tendency to guard things. I'm talking about weird things like throw pillows that fall on the living room floor, Gray's stuffed animals that end up all over our house, socks and so on. We used to keep some small blankets folded up in a corner of our living room, but she would "protect" them and growl or lunge at you whenever you got within a three-foot radius of her.

Every morning before we go to work we go through the same routine of trying to not get bitten as we pick her up to crate her since she's over protecting something in the living room.

The protective behavior has become increasingly aggressive over the last several months and I'm afraid that Grayson will be on the receiving end of it. He's very good about staying away when she growls, but I don't want him to grow up being afraid of dogs.

I used to believe that Roxy would never bite, but now that she's older (and crotchety) I know that's not true.

Roxy has many other quirks that add to the list of annoyances and I had come to the end of my rope last weekend and was ready to relocate Roxy to Nana and Popper's house in Houston or any stranger who may be interested. Michael, being the ever-patient and loving pet owner, did additional online research (more than he ever read up on pregnancy or parenting by the way) and has implemented some changes which seemed to have helped Roxy's behavior.

She still has a long way to go (in my book) but I can see a few signs of improvement. Time will tell if it sticks and if she stays. I know there would be a void in our house without her and part of me would be heartbroken to see her go, but the practical side of me is wearing thin.

Oh how far we've come from the days of sweet little Rox-star being our furry child. And as if she knows what I'm saying about her, she just released a horrible gas bomb while lying next to me as I type this. Yet another tick mark in the adoption column.