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She's home
Meet Mackenzie, the newest addition to my family. She is sleeping at my feet even as I type.
I decided that Mackenzie is a pretty good name. The shelter folks named her and she had become accustomed enough to the name that she was coming from parts unknown when called by it. She pretty much had the run of the shelter and was, evidently, everyone’s little darling. When I went over later this afternoon, there were 7 people watching my every move with her to make sure we were going to be a good match. They loved that little dog and weren’t in any hurry to see her leave. After I’d been there for an hour or so, Mackenzie plopped herself in my lap and gave me a face full of doggy kisses. And that was good enough for everyone there. Mackenzie gave me her stamp of approval. Thank goodness.
Okay. So. Mackenzie is a Corgi/Chihuahua mix. She has the body of a Corgi, and the legs and head of a Chihuahua. Corgi-ish ears, though. She is most adorable and charming. And has the worst doggy breath I have ever smelled. We’ll have to get the teeth checked in the next couple of weeks, along with her booster shot.
Miss Mackenzie is about 3-4 years of age. She is quite rotund at the moment. I am sorry to report that her nickname has already become waddle-butt. She’s on a special diet and we will do as much walking as she can tolerate. I’ve already exhausted her today. She weighs about 16 pounds and her ideal weight is around 11-12 pounds. So we have some work to do. She gets winded really easily and has a difficult time negotiating the stairs. She loves going for walks though.
Abbie, of course, was appalled when she saw a dog walk in the door with me. She may forgive me in time, but probably not any time soon. Mackenzie loves kitties and wags her tail and barks excitedly every time she sees the kitty. She would like to play with the kitty, not eat the kitty. The nice kitty doesn’t care. It’s a dog. That’s all one needs to say about the matter.
I think Mackenzie is going to be a hand full when she settles in. She’s got personality and, I think, believes that she is going to rule the roost. Hard to say if that is her Corgi or Chihuahua genes kicking in. I think we’ll have a few discussions about who is the boss around here as time goes on. She is a very sweet and affectionate little dog and she already is completely devoted. But, for the next few days, she and I will be attached via leash to establish the household pecking order. I think dog trainers call this leash bonding. I want to make sure that she is completely house trained before I let her have the run of the house. And she needs to know that I am the boss of her time and activities. When we can’t be attached via the leash, she has her crate to curl up in. I was happy to learn that she is already comfortable with a crate and that’s where her bed has been for the last few weeks.
We’ve had a good few hours since her arrival. She’s very willing to take direction and gentle correction. And she loves being with her humans.
I had to go to the store a little while ago and when I returned, it was just so cool having a dog turning happy circles (in her crate), thrilled to bits to have her human home again. I’ve really missed that.
Awwww, how sweet. Now real pic’s of her! Not that I can’t come over and see the real thing 
which I need to do soon, its been a while! The kids last day is Monday so I should have plenty of time after that. How long can it really take one to pack up a nine room house anyway? Pffft, easy peasy! (said while smacking head on keyboard)
BC graduation was last night. I am officially old now. And, he had the nerve on Monday to turn 14.
My word is meh, how fitting.
I’ll break the camera out on the next sunny day. Do you think we’ll ever have one? I am so damp and wretched. I guess I’ll have to plug the dehumidifier in sometime today. I can’t stand much more of this dampness. I’m glad I have a gore-tex jacket. It’s getting a workout. Next time I adopt a dog, it probably shouldn’t be in the middle of the summer monsoons.
PS...graduating from middle school is just a foretaste of graduating from high school. Talk about officially being old. Jeez, kids can make you feel ancient when they suddenly grow up. Congratulations to BC!
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww…
Mackenzie’s a lucky, lucky girl. You always merit the highest possible grades as a doggy-mama.
Oh YAY!! Congratulations!! How is everyone settling in? She is going to be one happy little lady that is for sure......keep us all posted!
How does Mackenzie feel about the nose-piercing?
Captcha: vesta, as in the candles I was lighting hoping you’d return to blogging.
good to see you again and happy new motherhood! i winced at the nose piercing. lots of pain? eager to see your pics of the pup.
Aw, thanks N.
Cyn, this pup has me wound around her little paws already. She’s spunky and she has opinions about things, but she’s willing to negotiate. 
I think she has seen some abuse in her short life. She has *really* strong reactions to anyone touching her hind quarters and she ducks whenever I reach out to pet her. Not just blinking her eyes, but really ducking. She’s already improving on that, though. She seems to trust me and seeks me out for pets and scritches. Her tail wags a mile a minute whenever I talk to her and she follows me everywhere and curls up at my feet if I stand still for more than 30 seconds. She sleeps in her crate next to my bed at night and is perfectly happy. When I leave the house for an extended period, she is happy in her crate and doesn’t bark or fuss—although I take her in the car with me for errand running and short trips to the store. She likes riding in the car.
And wonder of wonders...Abbie has decided that the dog isn’t so bad after all. She will even sit in the same room with Mackenzie who now totally ignores her. Mackenzie tried to make a friendly overture and got hissed at and smacked in the face, so looks like Abbie will have to be the one to make the next gesture. She can’t stand being ignored so I don’t anticipate it being a long wait. She follows Mackenzie all over the house and pretends she’s not paying attention to the dog. I think that’s a riot.
The one thing I am not happy about are the TICKS. This year we have a bumper crop of them. Worse than any year since I’ve moved here. I can’t mow my lawn without finding a half a dozen crawling up my pant legs. Every other day or so there are a couple crawling up my screen door. So, it’s not surprising that Mackenzie has collected a few since she’s arrived. I do not enjoy checking for ticks or picking them off her. And I missed one last night, which crawled off her and onto the sofa next me and gave me a massive case of the creeps. It’s only a matter of time before one or the other of us gets a tick bite. I hate ticks so much.
Linkmeister, Mackenzie would love me even if I came in purple with yellow polka dots. ;)
Sky, yes, the piercing hurt. It was just one woman with a crowbar sized needle. She had to jam that thing through my nose and my nose wasn’t particularly yielding. I was stoic, though (sort of), even though my stomach was ready to dump its contents. And afterwards I had to wait to get some after care instructions while another client had her nipples pierced. OMG!! Didn’t help my stomach one bit. When I got home I took 3 ibuprofen and went to bed. I felt much better the next morning although it took a couple of days to get over the shock of seeing a nose stud in my nose whenever I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror. I love it now, though. Totally and Absolutely. Would I have it done again? Not unless they knocked me unconscious first. 
What a sweet dog and a beautiful heart you have for taking her in. May she bring you much happiness.
Ticks, yuk. Dusty kept coming home with them last fall and I was the lucky one to have to get them off of her. But then I put on a new flea and tick collar and it worked. So far this year, she has not had any that I could feel (tough to see on a BLACK cat!!). I do change her collar every month even tho they say they work for 5 months.
Speaking of which, I just took her to the animal hospital to board her for three days while my new floors are being poly’d...there was no way I could keep her here and keep her off of them, too much of an open concept in my house now. I am not sure who was more traumatized tho, me or her. They put a BIG note on her paperwork that says ESCAPE ARTIST cause she is that!!
SO, time for more pictures of Mackenzie from you...I am sure she is beginning to really settle in by now. C’mon share!! ;)
A dog makes the house a home