One Day at a Time

The house still feels different.  quiet.  Ori was off and mopey that first week alone.  She's now fortunately more Ori like but I still catch her running to where Molly used to eat as soon as she finishes her meal.  I find myself still feeling like I need to stop Ori from eating Moo's food.  Old habits die hard.

Ori's been sleeping in bed.  We tried to get her to sleep on her own bed one night.  We (by we I mean mostly Nick) spend over an hour putting Ori back on her bed each time she jumped off and either laid on the floor by the door or jumped up into our bed.  I know from a behavioral stand point we set ourselves back pretty far, but after over an hour, I was stressed for O and I was exhausted from a long day....yeah, she won and she slept snuggled up next to me where she has been for 3 weeks now.  The next night we put a blanket on the foot of the bed and she did stay there and sleep for almost the entire night.  We figure we can shape that and move the blanket to say her bed eventually and see if we can get her to sleep there.... 

We're all adjusting to a new routine and schedule with my new job and Moo being gone...  I love my new job, all that I'm learning and all that I get to do through music.  We have a dog walker that comes in mid day to walk/play with O and that seems to be going pretty well.  Ori's a ball of energy when we get home so we do our best to play her out for the rest of the night.  We tag team and between walking and playing fetch and tug she's usually ready to sleep by 10.

Ori and I are taking the pet assisted therapy class in preparation for the Delta test that will happen at the end of March.  She's doing well overall.  She loves going to playful pups and I think she would rather play with everyone than work....I am finding different things that spook or freak her out which is ok.  We'll take our time and work through those things.  If we don't pass the first test, we'll just take it again later.  We're working hard to make sure O gets the socialization she needs/wants.  I know she would love a playmate but now isn't the time to take in a 2nd dog....we don't have the time that each dog would need especially to foster....although I'm careful to never say never....

Still thinking of miss Moo and of course little Tink each and every day, but loving each moment we get to spend with Ori....she's so mischievous and carefree.... : )