Kona: Satan's Little Helper.

If you read my blog over the weekend, you've already met Kona.  No, thankfully this little adorable puppy is not a new resident of the house.  This puppy is evil.

eeeeeeevvvviiiiiiiilllllllllllll

Hard to believe, right?  Let me start by saying I might be biased.  I think puppies are great and cute and all that, but man are they trouble!  I'll take an adult dog any day of the week.  Unless that dogs name is Skye.  I've learned that lesson.

But back to Kona.  I started training with Kona two weeks ago.  She is a 4-5 month old Catahoula Leopard Dog mix who, like many many others, started in a Southern shelter, and was transferred to New England.  When I worked at the shelter, we saw a trend when it came to transfer puppies.  They were cute, they were sick, and they guard their resources.  Little Kona gets high marks in all categories. 

Do you have any food?

Kona's family decided last minute to go camping for the weekend, and asked if I could watch her and get a jump start on teaching her basic manners at the same time.  Since I'm going on vacation IN TWO DAYS (happy dance) I agreed; I could use the spending money.  Kona's family said she is house trained, loves her crate (which came with her), and loves her toys and chews- she'll fit right in!  Sinatra stayed at work, since rabies and puppies don't mix, and I brought her home Saturday morning.  She stayed until this morning.  In those 48 hours, she peed on 4 rugs, pooped on my sweatshirt (which is when I discovered the insane worm infestation), systematically cleared every flat surface of any object not nailed down, attacked (no exaggeration) Skye over 2 dropped kibble (I've never seen Skye run away from another dog so fast), and barked in her crate. 

I like food.

Barked?  That doesn't sound bad... 

She barked for 25 minutes, without stopping, while I ate dinner.  She barked for 22 minutes that night when it was time for bed.  She repeated this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Sunday.  Then, Sunday night, was the big finale.  I made sure to exhausted her; the poor puppy was barely standing.  I put her in the crate, then sat next to it to read a book until I knew she was asleep.  Then I snuck upstairs, silently celebrating a good night sleep.

Bark Bark Bark.  I wake up, it is 12:25am.  Kona woke up, and I wasn't there.  After almost 15 minutes, she stopped.  I heaved a sigh of relief and fell asleep.

Bark Bark BARKBARKBARKBARK.  2:45am.  Not wanting to risk a bathroom emergency, I went down and let her outside.  She walked 2 feet then lay down, instantly falling asleep on the grass.  In the dew.  In the cold.  And that was when I surrendered.  I picked her up, brought her upstairs, and let her wormy little butt sleep in bed with me.

And that, my friends, is Kona.  A transfer puppy.  And she is the rule, not the exception, when it comes to transfer puppies.  Many grow up to be well balanced dogs despite their puppy behavioral problems, while many do not.  We had several returned by age 2, because their food guarding now included the household children, or their nervousness with strangers had become full blown aggression.  It's an issue for another day, but saving all these puppies from the South is not without consequences. 

Sure, Kona is cute, but there are plenty of adult dogs in your local shelter who are safe, healthy, and will love you until the day they leave this Earth.  Meet them first, then shop online.

To be fair, I am also recovering from a Sinus Infection, and probably felt the crappiest I ever have from Thursday until Sunday.  Kona is a good puppy, and she'll become an even better one with time.  Her family adores her, and they're committed to working with me so that Kona is a success story.  But I gotta say, I was happy to have Sinatra home today!

Somebody owes me birthday cake.

Also!

Tune in tomorrow, when I announce the winner of my True Story Tuesday Giveaway!