The Visitor

The story goes like this...

On the way back from my Dad's funeral (literally...in the car from the reception back to the hotel) I decided to check my e-mails. The first title I see? "Estrela Emergency"

Can I take Zee?

Now, to uninformed readers, this might seem like inconvenient timing. To those who know me however, it was the perfect distraction to an otherwise dreadful day. God really does know what we need. He never gives us anything that we cannot handle, without His help.

So, many e-mails, texts, phone calls, and days later, I had a visitor!

Zee is Zuzu's papa and he was living in Virginia, so it was an easy fix to have me keep him for a week until I saw Cindy next weekend. Then he'll be off to the land of doggy runs and livestock and holes in the dirt to hide in. The land where all dogs are happy.

Wait....did I say 'easy'?  Oops. I should really stop using that word. I should use words like 'fun' or 'adventurous' or even 'challenging'.

Zee showed up on a Saturday night. I had a houseguest from Florida (my mom) and a houseguest from California (Tressa's BFF). Luckily, they are both very dog-loving people.

Zee is the cutest thing ever. He sort of looks like a giant Ewok from Star Wars. He is not, however, house trained.

OH! So THAT'S what 'territorial unaltered male' means!

Hmmm....there go my visions of Zu and Zee napping together next to my computer and at the foot of my bed.

Not that Zuzu would allow that even if Zee was fine in the house. She is a spoiled bratty brat! She tries to fight him if there is any food or water nearby! He is so mellow that he just growls back. She's a lucky little girl, because he could whomp on her in a heartbeat!

So....no roaming the house and food and water separate. No problem!  We gave him a gated area in the kitchen and he actually seems to love it.  I think he loves that Zu can't annoy him.

It only took us learning those lessons and they have been fine. (knock on wood) We had one 'Pringles' incident where they got snarly when they smelled Tressa's snack after a lax game, but some strong tugs on the leashes, grabbing of collars, and throwing away of the Pringles, and it was back to walking side by side.

We got a belly band for Zee too, but the first attempt at giving him free roam of the house turned into an indoor obstacle course race of EMDs on the TV room furniture. We'll try again some other day.

Much more to follow, I am sure.....