It's been a month since our recent move, but it does not seem that long. I can't believe how well the girls coped with it all, though. Even Dottie was an amazingly calm and chilled out dog in comparison with our interstate move one year ago! She was even following us in and out of the house, to the moving van, and even climbed up inside the trailer to be with us, rather than hiding in a corner and quivering like before!
But apparently she is indeed beginning to show some delayed stress response after all. She will approach my sons, asking for love and touching, and be enjoying it, then suddenly without warning she will decide she's had enough and snap at their hands. They are polite enough to immediately withdraw-- then they apologize in soothing tones and back slowly away. (I've trained them well, yes?) Nevertheless, this behavior is disconcerting. Last night Dottie was sprawled out on the living room carpet. My son just wanted to step across the room to pick up his book, and there was only a couple of inches on either side by which to pass Dottie's body. (We now live in a mobile home, which is considerably smaller than the farm house we had before) When she woke up and growled at him, he stopped and tried to soothe her. I also tried to call her over to me, as a diversion. However, she would not come to me, and preferred to hold her position. When my son tried once again to move past her, she snapped at his leg, growling. He did manage to get his book without harm, but still....
I simply do not know what has become of her. Her perplexing behavior is increasing to the point that I am concerned. I am the only person who is permitted to touch her when she is resting. I am the only person whom she is never ever snarky with. Don't get me wrong, she enjoys the other family members to give her affection too-- just on her terms, and she ends those terms suddenly and without warning.
What do you think? Could this be a delayed stress response from our recent move? And why is it that I am the only family member with carte blanche privileges with her? Last night she slept all night with her head on my chest. Every time I tried to move my arms, she would raise her head and wait for me to stop moving, then put her head back on my chest. (sigh) It was delicious, I must admit. I'm able to reach up from under the covers and caress her while she sleeps. Even if she is napping with her head on my son's lap, sometimes she may get upset if he tries to stroke her, and sometimes she just sprawls onto her back and begs for more.
The other night Dottie and I were both sleeping outside on the front porch, as the weather was so balmy. Dottie does sleep very deeply, and so startles easily. She apparently had a nightmare, woke suddenly, and started barking. I brought her inside.
Granted, our sleeping arrangements since our move have had to change just a bit: Mr. Fundog is now employed as a Security Officer at the neighboring casino, on the graveyard shift. And in our new bedroom the positions of our beds does not permit a cozy corner next to my bed for Dottie. Dottie does, however, still have her cozy little den under the big desk in the living room.
We do have a nice fully fenced yard, albeit a slightly smaller one than we had at our previous home. And we have a lovely enclosed front porch that opens from the front door and includes open access to the back yard. I enjoy having the girls join me on the porch while I read on the swing. And they enjoy simply sleeping out there when it becomes too warm for them inside, or even basking in the warm morning sunshine.
We are also within walking distance to our new "rabbit hills," where I can let the girls off-lead to run and splash through the stream, and get thoroughly muddy and blissfully exhausted.
But I don't understand why she gets so snarky with my other family members, or how to teach her to tell us nicely when she has had enough attention, rather than automatically snapping. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear it. Thanks.
poor Mr. F. doing the graveyard shift - I remember it well 
- but at least it is useful for space in a smaller home.
