Officially Family

A few weeks ago I introduced you to Ruby. We had some trials after that introduction. She decided to have some potty issues. She would do her business outside, come inside, and 10 minutes later sneak away and do her business AGAIN in the house. She wouldn't eat in the morning. The cats wouldn't sleep with her near by. I talked to friends about it, I talked to the kennel owner about it, I talked to her previous family about it. I was ready to take her home. But every time I even thought about it I would get tears in my eyes. There was no way I could make that drive back to the kennel.

So I buckled down over the week of Veteran's Day and put her to a strict schedule. I didn't feed her at night and she figured out you better eat in the morning. I put her out as soon as we woke up in the morning, let her eat, and IMMEDIATELY took her back outside. When she pooped outside I jumped up and down like a school girl yelling "good dog, good job Ruby" and graciously offered up the doggy biscuits. At night I took her out immediately upon getting home and 20 minutes later made her go outside again. I held each of the cats and cuddled, petted and coo'ed until they relaxed. Two of the three are totally cool and back to normal. In fact, I swear Montana was cuddled up with Ruby when I rolled over last night. Romeo is trying...he will hang out in the same room. I can get him to lay in bed spooned up against me for an hour or so now without Ruby standing there breathing on him the whole time before he scoots off the bed.

After the two weekends in one week I emailed the kennel owner to ask if I could have one more week with Ruby as she seemed to be turning a corner. I had at that point a week without an in house potty accident. I wanted to see if we could keep going. Sometime in the middle of that extra week Ruby let out a big sigh and settled in. She startled chewing on her rawhides, she continued to be potty accident free. She stopped pacing. She was eating good.

A week ago yesterday I emailed the kennel to say I was officially keeping Ruby. She is officially a family member. Ruby will be a part of Christmas. Now, I'm going away for the holidays but I have a house sitter lined up and ready to stay here with the critters. Over the long weekend I put up the Christmas tree. The cats love it because they can crawl up into it I thought it would be nice for the housesitter to have a holiday filled house. Ruby had to check it all out!

Ruby knows there is a cat in that tree. She just can't figure out how to make herself fit!

Tonight I was busy cutting away on card pieces when I looked over and saw Ruby curled up with one of the cat's toys. This little snowman has become one of her favorites. She had it all tucked in with her. Hugging it, licking it and I swear I heard her call it George!