Baa Baa Knit Stitch

I hit the wall today.  It’s the day after corporate extensions were due, and the past two weeks have seen me doing precious little but sit behind my work computer trying to reconcile balance sheets and reassure frazzled business owners that all was well and they were indeed being taken care of.   It dawned on me that perhaps the reason I’m so weary is that I haven’t really had a break since tax season ended last year.  It ends on October 15; Mom went into the hospital on November 2, and life changed a good bit for all of us after that hospitalization. 

So I’m on the sofa, trying to chill with the dog, and the dog cops an attitude.  I try to get her harness on her… granted, it’s not her wonderful Dachshund Delights harness, because she’s (ahem) outgrown those, and we’re working with a Puppia harness that goes over her head till our replacements can get here (Hurry, April!)… and Penny decides that she’s going to take my hand off, then run off as I nurse the bite marks.

Later, she’s back on the sofa, wide awake (we’ve had some problems when we wake her up), and I try to pet her, and she growls and snaps.  

We’ve had her checked thoroughly by the vet, and there’s nothing physically wrong.  So there’s an attitude that needs adjusting, and it’s going to happen starting Saturday when the trainer comes.

I’m totally aware that we’re having this problem because we’ve caused it. But we’re going to end it and wind up with a well mannered dog. Until then, we’re operating on the “nothing in life is free” premise… you want up on the sofa?  You have to sit and ask nicely.  You want dinner? You have to sit.  You want up on the bed?  You have to sit and have one of us lift you up. 

Our vet warned us that Penny’s at the age (a little over 3) where female dogs decide they’re going to try to take over the pack.  Evidently I’m first on the hit list.  I’m tired, but I’m still top bitch.