Dear All
Since Snowy was bitten by another small dog on Friday afternoon's walk, he also has wet ears. I tried to dry it using the cotton wool, but he didn't like it after 2 daps. Now he wants to bite me if I touch his ear!!
He snapped at me twice and bit me on my fingers twice. I am really mad with him for snapping at me without any good reason that I lost my cool and shouted at him twice today for the 2 times he had snapped at me. He was angry with me and laid down with his back towards me. Normally when a dog is scolded for doing anything wrong, he will go to you and lick your hand to say he is sorry. Not so for Snowy. He expects you to pacify him. I did so the first time, but I wouldn't do so tonight (Sat night).
Bert and I had gone to the petshop to get him a muzzle so that he won't bite us when we put medication/cleaning solution from the vet into his ear. We had to get the cone collar off first before we could put on the muzzle. As I was angry with Snowy for snapping at me just for approaching him, I left it to Bert and Tiff to handle him. They struggled with getting the cone collar off him and then to get the muzzle on him. They managed to get the muzzle on and then Snowy managed to get it off. They got it on the second time and Tiff held him while I tried to approach him with the bottle. He growled at me. I continued to try to approach him and he jerked his head so violently backwards that his head hit Tiff very hard on her left cheek/chin.
We don't know for sure if his ear has an infection or it is just ear wax. If it's infection, we don't mind paying the vet to treat him. However if it is just ear wax, I can't imagine how we are going to put cleaning solution into his ears every other day when we can't even get a single drop in these past 2 days!!
I really give up! I don't think I can care for this dog. I am so afraid he'll get ear infection or skin infection (after the cone collar is off) and it'll be so bad he may be put to sleep. As it is, no one else in the family knows how to put the cone collar back on him and have to rely on me for this task. And it is not easy to put it on this dog! It is easy for everyone to say but doing it is an entirely different problem. Bert told me no one is saying it is easy to do what I am doing. I told Bert I really am at my wits end to do things to help this dog but I am already bitten 3x and snapped by at least 4x just over 9 days! If the dog is not traumatised, I am now traumatized by him. From loving him, I am beginning to feel like staying away from him.
We figured out this dog's temperament is rather short and hot tempered. He's quite proud too and not afraid of the dog which bit him...still growls at him, ready to fight. Guess he is truly a chilli-padi...small but hot! He still barks and growls at people - man, women, children, and other dogs too.
We had a family meeting to discuss Snowy. Tiff was half hearted about giving up Snowy. She asked if we could get a different dog. Feli cried as she wanted a pet dog. But she's afraid of being bitten by Snowy. I told her I am afraid of being bitten by Snowy and so do the rest of the family members, but who is the one getting all the bites? Not her for sure!
I told her taking care of an animal is a responsibility. She wants to go for her best friends birthday party. It lasts from 3 - 8pm, and may end later. I told her Snowy eats between 6.30 to 7.20pm. We need to leave the party at 6pm to get home in time to feed and walk him. Like tonight, we came home late at almost 8pm and Snowy was famish. He ate his dinner in 2min 22sec flat! Then he whined to go do his business, so off we all went to walk him and run with him. He later on mistook Feli as a stranger at the playground and growled at her when she came skipping back to us, that she stopped and remarked why he growled at her and then decided to better go back to play at the playground!
Taking care of a dog or any animal is a great responsibility. We have to readjust our schedule around the dog's eating and walking time (usually 9 - 10am and 7+pm). Just when I thought he was on the road to full recovery, we now have to attend to his ear problem. If it is just earwax, I don't think I can clean it every 2 - 3 days! It's just too stressful for both him and me!
Though Snowy has grown a fuller coat and his raw legs and patches are mostly healed with fur growing on them (like baby fur) and his tail is now covered with fur with it's bald tips sprouting baby fur, I think it's best for Snowy to be with another adopted family as I don't think I am capable to always think of new ways to attend to his multi psychological or physical issues. The feeling is like taking home your very 1st new born from hospital. At the hospital, the nurses make it seem so easy to care for your baby. But when you bring it home, there's no one to help you solve the daily problems that crop up with your new born, plus you are so inexperienced. No guide, no one to help and you just don't know what to do. And the baby (and the dog) can't tell you where they hurt or what they want. But at least, the baby doesn't bite you :)
Love Theresa
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