Got me a doggett

Last Tuesday I adopted a dog from the pound. She is a 1 year old terrier/spaniel/shi tzu mix; caramel coloured; mischevous as a monkey and totally adorable. I am in love. 

Am still out of work, although have done some training to do public speaking engagements on behalf of the mental illness fellowship about what it's like to have a mental illness. Will be speaking to schools, community groups and university students. I can't make a living out of it, despite being well paid ($32 an hour); i would be doing a 2 hour talk per month max. So the hunt for work goes on. 

 Back to Flossie; yes that's the dog's name. That's what the pound named her and it suits her. Am trying to toilet train her with minor success. She gets separation anxiety; tends to follow me like a shadow, so am trying to restrict her access to certain areas, which is met with much crying and barking (ie: when I leave a room and shut her in). I have a secure backyard but tend to leave her in the laundry if I go out, just for these early stages. She likes to chew sticks and I have visions of her lodging one in the roof of her mouth. I know it sounds worrywart, but she's the 1st dog I've ever owned; I'm on a steep learning curve. 

 The pound offers post-adoptive training for $30 an hour which I think i will need. A downside is that she is a longhaired breed, which will need grooming. I tried brushing her, but have to get her when she's subdued; she tends to want to eat the brush! She had her dewclaws removed, along with being spayed hence is wearing an elizabethan collar to stop her chewing her stitches. Her stitches come out this Thursday. 

 She sleeps on my bed; the only way I manage to fall asleep is by having a few beers prior to bed. She makes sounds when she dreams; muffled 'wuff' and growls softly. Otherwise she nestles into my side. I'm allowing myself to drink temporarily, as I get stressed about having a new creature in my home that I have to supervise and pay attention to. Sounds alien of me to say that when dealing with a cute bundle of fluffy doggie fun, but that's the truth. The 1st day I was very stressed; I wanted a valium. I thought of ringing my Doc to get a PRN of valium, but was afraid he'd say no or (worse) that he'd say having a dog wasn't good for my mental health.