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Happy Fourth Gotcha Day Lucy


megan_
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Today is Lucy's fourth Gotcha Day. It has been an "interesting" four years with lots of high highs and some low lows. Just over four years ago Lucy was a breeding bitch on a puppy farm at Kerang. She had no name, was never walked, never knew what a scratch behind the ear felt like, never received vet care and lived a pretty miserable life locked in a cage with a group of other mini schnauzers.

She was rescued by the good people of the Schnauzer Club of Victoria and four years on she is a well mannered, spritely little mini with a few personality quirks. When I first met Miss Lucy her way of dealing with the overwhelming fear was to shut down. It took a few months for her to progress to sitting next to me on the couch (and leaping off if I moved a muscle). She had no idea about living with humans and for 2 months she used to wake up at 2am and come into the bedroom to get Fergus to play! She then learnt that aggression made all the scarey things - dogs and people - go away (run away!), which provided us with a whole new set of challenges.

Fast forward four years and she is a great little watch dog who loves walks, training and agility, even though she isn't particularly good at it :). It has been well over 18 months since she did so much as growl at something that scared her (bar when my sister stayed with us for 3 months, she hates my sister with a special kind of passion!).

She still needs tight management and she isn't the kind of dog I'd ever take to the dog park and let her run riot - it would all be too much for her. She now knows how to make good decisions when scared (scarey thing = I look to my mum for guidance and I get rewarded for being a good girl!). We've had a few incidence where we have been approached by off leash dogs or scarey looking people and she has handled them calmly.

Every morning she wakes up and demands a scratch behind her ears and a little cuddle. Every evening as I come home from work she dances at the door waiting for me to open it up and then rushes to pick and apple off the apple tree. She wags her tail every time I say her name. Every. Single. Time. I will never get sick of the sound of her tail beating on the floor boards as she is lounging in the sun and I say "hello Miss Lucy".

Basides Fergus, her BFF is Cosmolo's Gilbert, followed by the rest of the Underdog pack. It is great to see her playing like a 'normal' dog with her friends. Fergus deserves a special mention because he has been such a patient, understanding little brother who gave Lucy plenty of space when she first arrived. I will never forget on day 2 I got up early in the morning and found them both outside (I spied through the window). He was sniffing around in what I now know to be a calming signal as she gingerly followed him, sniffing too.

There have many times when I have thought Lucy has reached her full potential. Like the first time she was introduced to agility and she was too scared to even go near the pause table. Now she stands on that table with a grin and her tail wagging a million miles an hour. Or the first time she went to the park and she sat like a lump for 1/2 an hour. Now she squeals with excitement when we drive down the avenue towards the Botanical Gardens - her favourite walking spot ever.

So Happy Gotcha Day Lucy. Every time I have thought your cup is full you bring out a bigger cup.

Love The Lady Who Gives You Food

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At the puppy farm :-( (given they weren't named, I'm not 100% sure this is her, but based on her body language I believe it to be her):

Lucyatpuppyfarm.jpg

In hospital after eating a mouldy sandwich last year:

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Partners in crime:

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Happy Gotcha day Lucy. :)

Megan the puppy farm photo is worlds away from how Lucy looks now. She is so evidently loved and cared for.

Friends of mine have a mini Schnauzer too. They are such smart, spunky little dogs. :heart:

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I like 'gotcha day'.. I decided that my rescue boys birthday would just be the day I got him (even though I have got no idea how old he is or when he was actually born!) but I think I'll change it to 'gotcha day' instead :)

Happy gotcha day Lucy!

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Happy Gotcha Day Lucy! I always enjoy reading the tales of Lucy and how far she has come with you, from her terrible beginnings. Have to laugh too, as it must be the name! I have a Princess Lucy MS, with us from a breeder since 9 weeks, but they share some of the same traits :laugh: Both gorgeous girls though and we wouldn't have them any other way. :)

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Happy 4th Gotcha day Lucy. You are such a lucky girll :)

And I feel the exact same way as you do megan.

I am so not the "right" owner for Stella either. No where near experienced enough but that is what she has ended up with too :)

Edited by BC Crazy
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