Hello, I’m Dr. Karyn. Read my introduction to study extra about me and my 5 humorous canines, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.
That is Fred.
Fred is a bit of bit damaged…or so we frequently say!
Fred joined our busy family in 2023, when he was nearly 4 months outdated, from a litter associated to Ned – they’re cousins! From day 1, this lovable duo began doing the whole lot collectively – consuming, sleeping, entering into mischief… Nevertheless it was clear that, regardless of his tiny measurement, Ned was the chief, and Fred was pleased to observe. A lot in order that when all consideration focuses on Fred, he appears to enter a state of gentle panic, virtually turning himself inside-out, seemingly uncertain of what to do beneath the strain of scrutiny.
In different methods, he’s additionally the braver of the 2, fearlessly launching himself onto and off of chairs, tables, and backyard beds, the place Ned will solely enterprise with the help of a footstool or step. And regardless of being the stockier of the pair, he’s much less possessive of meals, and when singled out to be provided a deal with, he reverts to his awkward self, making his humorous little squeaky sounds and avoiding eye contact.
Seconds later, he’s bounding round, tail wagging and enjoying. One second he loves the eye, however when it’s simply on him, he turns into painfully shy.
His Cheeky Grin and Expressive Ears
I nearly forgot the most effective half! Fred is a smiler!
Have you ever seen such a smiling canine? I’m not speaking in regards to the huge grin of a panting canine, I’m speaking in regards to the pleased, anxious, lip curled, tooth bared grimace that may usually be mistaken for a snarl. It’s one thing that many canines, together with Fred, will do once they’re feeling a combination of happiness, pleasure, uncertainty, and anxiousness.
He additionally has essentially the most cell, expressive ears. If Fred is awake, his ears are twice as awake, continually shifting up and down, facet to facet, seeming to shift from excessive alert, to content material, to excited, to fearful, and again to alert, all within the area of about 30 seconds. And that is nearly fixed. No marvel he sleeps a lot!
His Hoarding
One other of Fred’s eccentricities is his toy-hoarding conduct. His absolute favourite toy is his little stuffed donut, which I’ve wanted to restore on a lot of events. Though we’ve got picked up just a few extra of those little donuts, the OG is outwardly the most effective.
He’s additionally an enormous fan of the assorted flavor-infused chew toys we’ve got accrued, and I’ve seen him handle to leap up onto our couch with two clamped tightly between his tiny little jaws! He’s like a magpie or bowerbird, gathering all these shiny toys and storing them in his mattress. If poor Kodah, our German Malinois, dares contact one, he will get a correct telling off, and if Ned decides he’d prefer to chew on a tasty bone, Fred sits there crying piteously. By no means thoughts that there are 5 others he might have; apparently he wants all of them!
His Cuddle Paralysis
When Fred isn’t handing over awkward somersaults, we’re normally greeted with enthusiasm, wagging tail, and excited yelps, as he reaches to be picked up. As soon as cradled within the security of our arms, nonetheless, he enters paralyzed mode. For some inexplicable motive, choosing Fred up turns him right into a flaccid lump, unable to make eye contact, transfer, or eat. When returned to the bottom or couch, he’s miraculously reanimated into his unusual, pleased little self.
His Guilt
Like many Chihuahuas, Fred has been quite difficult to toilet train. This can be a new drawback for me, as I’ve by no means had any issue getting different canines to bathroom exterior. The issue, I imagine, is that with bigger canines, you invariably see them attempt to poop or pee indoors, and might cease them and take them exterior right away. When your canine is smaller than a loaf of bread, you usually don’t understand there’s a ‘scenario’ till nicely after the actual fact, at which level, it’s too late to deal with it. The result’s a canine that gets lots of positive reinforcement for going exterior, and a impartial response to toileting inside – exterior is sweet, inside is okay.
Over time, Fred has began to choose up on our frustration after we discover poop behind the lounge, beneath our mattress, or beside my desk (which, in his protection, is the place the cat litter containers are, so…). Though we don’t shout at him, he has began to make the hyperlink between us discovering a poop and never being overly pleased with him, so at any time when he sees us uncover an ill-placed nugget, the ears return, eyes go huge, and he skulks off wanting very sorry for himself. Sadly, being that ‘guilt’ is a human construct, it doesn’t imply that Fred understands that our annoyance might be prevented by his improved bathroom etiquette, it simply seems that approach.
Thankfully, he’s beginning to reply higher to our cheers and reward when he goes exterior (though I’m fairly positive our neighbors suppose we’re weirdos), and his valuable little unhappy face is one which you could by no means be mad at for very lengthy!
His Tantrums
A little bit of an extension of his plaintive crying when Ned has certainly one of his toys, when Fred doesn’t get his approach, out comes his only weapon: the tantrum. Digging, crying, yelping, squeaking, rolling, and begging. It’s lovable. So clearly, it normally will get him what he needs, usually a bite of my food, which in flip reinforces his dramatic efficiency. And you realize what? I don’t thoughts one bit!
Damaged, However Excellent
Fred is unquestionably the strangest little canine I’ve ever identified. His social awkwardness, anxious smile, hoarding tendencies, cuddle paralysis, and responsible little face mix to create the weirdest, cutest, and ideal, damaged little canine, and we’d not change him for the world.
And simply once I thought I used to be completed…he begins licking the walls. Oh expensive!
