7 Quick Takes (18) - Meet Cricket

1

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the newest addition to our household - Cricket!

2

She's a lemon.

A lemon beagle, that is - apparently that's what her color is called. But I also think she must've been something of a hunting dud, because why else would my uncle-in-law get a new dog and give her to us? And I have to say, she's a total wimp. I do not really care for wimpy dogs.

When he described her, Uncle Jimmy called her "docile." I think the word he was actually looking for was "pansy."

Luckily, the things that make her a wimp also make her a really good housedog. 

3

One of those things included a fear of stairs.

"Great!" I said. "We don't have to worry about her getting in the bedrooms!" (Sleeping with us was completely outlawed from the beginning.)

Two days later I heard a whimper while I was upstairs showering. Yes, Cricket had managed to conquer her fears and go up the stairs.

The fear she couldn't conquer was going back down them. I ended up carrying her down. Wimp.

That evening she did it again. We decided to use tough love and make her come down herself. After almost an hour of cajoling, ignoring, calling, ignoring, leaving treats, and ignoring, she managed to come down.

She didn't learn. The next day she went up again. This time it only took 25 minutes of me ignoring her whimpering for her to muster the courage to come down. I guess this is an improvement.

4

Cricket has made a liar out of me. I swore I would never clean up a dog's poop. The first day, on our first walk, I had to do it three times.

5

I have the world's best husband. He takes her out first thing in the morning and last thing at night, while I stay warm and dry in my pajamas inside.

6

All you dog-lovers probably think I'm a terrible person by now. In my defense, I'm only used to outdoor dogs. As in, run around on the farm, never set foot in the house, never take for walks, and absolutely never clean up after them, big, happy, goofy dogs. This whole little-housedog-in-suburbia thing is new for me.

I'm gradually getting used to it. For instance, the first day I washed my hands between touching the dog and anything else - computer, food, dishes, my face. I probably washed them 15 times. By this morning, I was able to pet the dog and then eat a brownie without washing. I was very impressed with myself.

7

It sounds like I hate this dog, but I don't. I do like her. The main reason I'm so ambivalent towards her is because she doesn't smile. Note that in every one of these pictures she has this serious face. The corners of her mouth have never even hinted at an upward direction!

I know she's happy, because her tail is wagging and we're petting her and whatnot. She just doesn't smile to show it. I keep telling her if she'd only smile I'd fall in love with her.

I'm one of those always-smiling, positive attitude, ever-the-optimist types. To have a dog that doesn't smile breaks my heart! So can anyone tell me if this not smiling is a factor of just being in a new place for the first week, or if it's a personality trait I'm going to have to learn to live with?