Miss Nancy Pants Simmons, The Dog Who Didn't Wear Pants

Nancy
Spring 2007 - October 4, 2015

She chose us in the fall of 2007. We had been in Emporia just over a year and the hubby came back in the house just after leaving from work one morning. "There's a pup on the front step. You should call the pound."

He said later that he never expected me to call the pound, of course. She was thin and sick. I took her to the vet who said he'd give her everything he had for parasites, and if she was still alive the following week, we should bring her back in for her puppy vaccinations.

Thus began our life with Nancy (named after Nancy Drew, of course) the German Shepherd who probably would have been better suited to life on a sheep farm, but instead became a member of our family. Though many never saw her best side, she grew sweet and lovable, and was the best rug a cold foot could ask for on a winter's day.

It's almost hard to remember the days we struggled with her health's up and downs, those chewing-up-things days of puppy-hood, the stuffed animals she would carry around and sleep with until one day we'd find them with all their stuffing removed. We figured out her quirks, however, her food sensitivities and that her anxieties were diminished when she could count her people and know they we were all corralled for the night. 

She count us constantly with a nose-nudge. She'd circle the room and if everyone was in place, she'd relax in the middle of the floor, happy and content. Should a kid be missing, however, gone for a night at a friend's house or such, she'd circle the room again and again and pester me. Once I understood that she was simply trying to alert me to the fact that someone was missing, we got along better. Maybe I learned to reassure her. Maybe she learned, after some time, that they did come back eventually. Family always does.

Nancy was a very smart dog, smarter than we usually gave her credit for. We often praised her for her beauty, rarely for her brains. But we loved her and she loved us back in that way that only dogs do. Even when we were exasperated with her. Even when I lamented at all the hair she left on the floor. 

In the last couple of years, we've commented often at how calm our pup has grown. At 8 and a half years old, we figured she was entering her golden years. She'd become--finally--a delight to take on walks. Every morning she'd make the trek with hubby and I, sometimes with a kid or two, as well. She actually smiled when she saw us crawl out of bed at o'dark-thirty. She waited patiently by the door for us to get ourselves in gear to go.

Our Miss Nancy fell asleep by the door one last time on Sunday evening. It was a shock. I have been mentally preparing myself for the demise of my little dog (age 18 in people years). I knew Nancy wouldn't enjoy quite such longevity, but I didn't imagine the end coming so soon.

I've spent four days now listening for the click-clack of the toenails across our linoleum floor. It's strangely quiet in our house. When I close my eyes at night, though, I still hear her. The contented sigh as she drops to the floor at the foot of our bed. The midnight wandering when she changes sleeping locations or worse, gets one of us up for a bathroom break. There's a hole here, a lack of presence that is loud and still a bit startling. There are Nancy claw marks on the bathroom door, the bedroom door. She was never a dog who needed help getting in or out of a room. And when I fixed breakfast this morning, a stray Nancy hair drifted through my field of vision, landing on the black stove top.

I wonder how long before there comes a day when her absence is not noticed.

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Nancy stories...

Paws

I'd almost forgotten about this picture. We took the dogs with us on a hike at the Tall Grass Prairie a couple of weeks ago. This was my Mother's Day/Birthday activity. We didn't get to hike the long trail that we had hoped because it turns out that dogs are only allowed on the short trails, but it was a fun outing for all of us, none-the-less.

Anyway, we have more and more scenes like this at our house, where the two dogs are actually getting along. Miss Nancy (big pup) has calmed considerably even though she still has her moments of severe hyperactivity and she continues to get extremely anxious around company (especially if there is more than one person visiting at a time). Naisey (little pup) has improved since we've given her "no furniture" rules. I guess she needed a little reminding that she is, in fact, a dog as well. I would still characterize her as the grumpy, older dog in the house, but she at least allows Nancy to exist (mostly) without constant scolding.

Nancy's wearing her backpack in this photo. She carries her own bags for cleanup duty and water. It looks like Naisey is without a leash, but it's there. It must be hidden in the grass.

We should have named her Lassie

Took three kids with me yesterday and returned with only two. Our oldest spent the night with friends. Our dog, Nancy, was beside herself. She paced and counted and paced and counted. (I have decided that Nancy is counting when she circles the rooms, poking everyone repeatedly with her long, cold nose.)

After about a half hour of this, she started really getting in my face. She's a Shepherd and seems to "talk" when she has something to communicate. It starts with a kind of moaning, deep in the throat grumbling. As she gets more insistent, her pitch rises and eventually she was pawing at me and barking to get my attention.

It finally hit me. A kid was missing--HER kid was missing--and she was desperate to let me know. I tried to assure her it was okay, but she just kept looking at me with these sad, pleading eyes.

That dog fidgeted all night long. She had me up at least 3 times between midnight and 5am. Now she is laying on my feet, as close as she can get to me. Occasionally she lifts her head and looks at me sadly.

She's pretty sure we've lost one. I don't know how to assure her that it's okay... our girl will come back.

Snow Day!

It's not that I ever really entertain doubts, but days like today I especially appreciate the flexibility our homeschooling lifestyle affords us. We woke up this morning with a soft white blanket of snow on the ground. It was cold, but relatively still, and when the kids started getting around for the day I suggested we take advantage of this optimal time to play in the fresh snow.

We pulled on the layers -- rigged warm footgear for those who do not have boots, and sorted through gloves and hats until everyone was adequately covered. The flakes were still coming down when we headed out. We thought we might make snow people, but the powder was far too dry, so we settled on snow angels and throwing balls which turned to snow dust as quickly as they left our hands.






My mom and I used to play a game we called Fox & Goose whenever we had fresh snow. Middle Munchkin remembered my stories about this game and suggested we might play a version with our dog, Nancy. She loves being out in the snow (when we are out with her) and everytime a kid went down to make an angel, she worried and nosed them up again. Nancy loved the game of Fox & Goose. She was the fox, of course. We took turns running around the house and the yard, ending in a spot where we couldn't be seen, and then we'd let Miss Nancy lead the others. Her nose would get to work and she would take us, without fail, along the path that the leader had taken.

The last round we played, Middle Munchkin was trying to make it really difficult for the dog. We took out around the yard, behind the house, through the trees, and then Nancy seemed to get distracted at one particular tree at the back of our house. I thought maybe she had tired of the game. So we pulled her away from the tree and she then proceeded to take us around the shed and up front till she found Middle Munchkin by the mailbox. When I asked Middle Munchkin to describe her path, she admitted to hugging and rubbing her snow suit on that tree in order to try to confuse the dog. So it turns out Miss Nancy wasn't tired after all, just very aware that her child had spent some time near that tree!

I think we've discovered a game we can play year round with our dog's help. We are looking forward to trying her out in other locations.

Sleep Disrupted

When I had babies and while my children were still very young, I honestly can't ever remember feeling seriously sleep deprived. My kids slept with me and the need to get up for middle of the night feedings... and whatever else it is that young parents do in the middle of the night... simply didn't exist in our home. We had a family bedroom up until two houses ago and I highly recommend such a setup for anyone who is starting a family.

Our dog, however, has occasional tummy troubles that are currently affecting our sleep. Hubby was up once last night and he prevailed upon me to get up the second time. He was up at least once the night before, as well. On the positive side, at least Nancy (the dog) is mature enough to let us know she has issues to be taken care of and she throws enough of a fit to wake one of us to let her out in the middle of the night. I definitely prefer that to mid-night clean up and early morning doggy baths.

And we've found the routine that seems to restore our pup to normal now. A little pepto and some plain rice added to her food for a day or two seems to do the trick.

Now I just have to figure a way to get myself through the grumpies I seem to develop whenever my sleep is disrupted. Funny how 10 little minutes in the middle of the night (well, 20, I was technically awake while hubby was on doggy duty, as well) totally kills a morning routine.

A Belated Anniversary

We just passed an anniversary that I thought I would blog about... yet I haven't. Miss Nancy, our dear German Shepherd pup, showed up on the doorstep a year ago last Friday. I wish I could tell you how lovely life is with Nancy, how she has enriched our lives and how we can't imagine living without her.

Unfortunately, bless her stupid doggy heart, I do a lot of imagining what life would be like without her. In fact, sometimes I long for the days, pre-Nancy, when our household was less likely to explode in sudden frenzy and certainly had less hair floating around it.

Q: How often do German Shepherd's shed hair?

A: Once a year... for 365 days.

In the last year our lives have turned from one doggy rehabilitation program to another. The whole family has become obsessed with Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, yet we haven't quite got our own whispering skills down to a science. We've spent more on medical bills for Nancy than the entire rest of the family combined.

The lesson seems to be... taking in strays, no matter how cute and needy they may be when they appear on your doorstep, is not necessarily the wisest course of action.

The fact of the matter is... she's taken a little piece of my heart, even with all the trouble she has caused, and at the end of the day, when all is said and done...

I love watching her do her little downward doggy stretch when she's waking from a nap...

I love when she spreads her body across the floor and sleeps soundly as her nails tap on the linoleum in tune to her dreams...

I love when she sits primly in front of me and shakes on command or begs for a treat...

I love that we exercise more as a family (daily!) because of her.

I love her best days when she walks beside me with ease, as if she's confident and happy to be there, especially when there is wind in our hair and a cool breeze at our back.

I even love (at least get a kick out of on occasion) when she steals pillows off the couch or socks from the basket in an ornery attempt to get our attention.

Unfortunately, the list of things I wish I could change about Miss Nancy is twice as long. I have no way of knowing what her life was like in the three to four months before she found us. I have no way of knowing if she could have been a better dog, a less damaged dog. I have no way of going back and redoing any mistakes I may have made with her along the way (and we have made plenty... every day we have learned new and better ways to interact with this dog).

Visually, Nancy is a lovely animal. She loves our family and is very loyal. She's a pleasure to be around most of the time... as long as it is only us, only family. She's afraid of strangers. She's afraid of strange places. She gets anxious about things like the kids being three steps ahead or behind if we are out. She gets up every morning and counts us. She is most relaxed when the whole family is in the same room. When someone is missing she worries and she searches. She is definately a shepherd. She loves keeping tabs on the flock.

I've come to realize that I don't often write about our trials with her because I feel more than a bit of guilt. I have these words that run through my head, there is no bad dog, just bad dog owners. I've been fighting that feeling a lot lately. I don't believe I'm a bad dog owner. I guess I don't believe that Nancy is bad either. But I do believe she is damaged, and I don't know if we will ever see a fully recovered and healthy dog.

I guess I still have hope though. Or, at the very least, I believe that maybe it can be enough that she is happy in our home. Here she feels safe and it seems like every creature deserves just a bit of safety. She's still young, and maybe in time she will become the dog we hope she will be.

Meanwhile, it can be exhausting. It can be trying and frustrating. But I try not to let myself focus on that. Instead, I try to think about the times when she's looking at me with her sweet brown eyes, tipping her head sideways as if she is realizing some secret about me for the first time, and stretching out to sleep and take up most of our very limited floor space.

Learn Nothing Day Contest Entry

I think I've made it in just under the line for the Learn Nothing Day Contest!

Our Pup Knows Her Stuff

The 4-H dog show was this evening. Nancy (the dog) was pretty nervous at the start, which was pretty much what we expected. She didn't allow the judge to do the examination, which we also kind of expected. Munchkin #1 did a stellar job at showmanship anyway, in my opinion.

Thankfully, by the time they got to the obedience classes, Nancy was quite a bit calmer. Still anxious, but at least able to follow commands. When they got in the ring for obedience, it really became clear that Nancy knew her stuff. She sat when she was supposed to sit, walked when she was supposed to walk, and came off looking like a fairly well-educated dog.

I overheard a number of people in the crowd murmuring agreement. Because they opted to skip the examination section for obedience portion, as well, her score was quite a bit lower than it would have been. None-the-less, they ended up 2nd in their class.

I'm proud of the dog, but more than that, I'm extremely proud of my daughter who has spent so much time working with this dog. Miss Nancy has come a long, long way from that poor starving pup we found on our porch last fall. Hubby deserves kudos, as well. He's really worked hard at helping this dog make the necessary adjustments to become a loving member of our family.

We aren't done yet! Some days it still feels like we have a long, long way to go. But tonight was enough to prove she's still salvageable. She's a good dog. Not the best dog... yet... but I have faith we'll get there.

No More Room in the Ark!!

The last time I didn't rescue a kitten, I felt such horrible guilt about it that I went back to check on it less than 24 hours later... to find that it had died. So when we passed a kitten in the gutter while walking the dogs on Saturday morning, I picked it up over the prostestations of dear hubby. We really don't have room for another animal in our lives. I agree with him 100% on that fact. So it's never ever never coming in the house and, in fact, we aren't keeping it, just nursing it back to health.

Anybody need a kitten?

I've honestly never seen so many fleas on one tiny animal. It was horrifying, really. A scene from a bad movie.

It's been bathed, fed, bathed and fed again. Middle Munchkin has spent many hours in the last two days tending to the poor thing. It's nearly flea-free and seems to really enjoy the fine-toothed comb she's been running through its fur to help clean it. By this evening it was purring and acting almost downright perky.

I guess tomorrow I pick up meds for ear mites and worms. We shall see how it goes from there.

Our House Guest

Meet Gus.

I don't think I've even mentioned that we've had a house guest for the past couple of weeks. Gus is a fairly quiet, agreeable guy... unless he's scolding Nancy for pestering him too much. She's just like any younger sibling, I guess. Fun to play with, but doesn't seem to recognize when the older dogs are tired of playing.

In all seriousness though, I think Gus has been wonderful socialization for our pup. Having three dogs in the house has pushed us to deal with a few of our remaining issues with her. She's still young, but I think Nancy is turning into a pretty darned good dog.

He's probably going home this week. We are going to miss him.

More about Nancy... The New Pup

Puppies are just like babies... only more-so. Nancy manages all the classic antics and most of the time maintains her status of adorable... but there are moments when cute just doesn't cut it. She chews on everything, including your shoes WHILE they are on your feet. She even zapped herself on an electric cord already. Just like a baby -- it only takes the blink of an eye.

So everyone is getting better at being extra vigilant. None-the-less, she's managed to get hold of a library book, a rolling pin, the leg of our kitchen table and the cat all in the last 36 hours. (The cat is fine -- pissed, but fine.) One of her favorite things to do is to pick up her water bowl and toss it into the air... while it is full of water. Yesterday, I found myself wondering who put her food bowl on the back of the couch. She did, of course.

This week Nancy has discovered that she can help herself to food on the table, dishes in the sink... She's going to be a darned big dog. Everyone who sees her mentions that.

She's certainly feels like family by now. And while I may mourn the fact that my people babies are growing up... I look forward to the day when Nancy is a little more mature.

Pup Update

According to the vet, the dog is now officially ours now. We've reported her to the city and the humane society. He told us that legally, people have 72 hours to respond once the report on a missing animal is published. So I guess at this point anybody who shows up claiming her is going to have to have a darned good explanation for why she turned up starving on my porch.

Healthwise, we've had some ups and downs. I have mostly felt good about the direction she is headed. Yesterday we had almost a full hour of real puppy-like play. That was sure good to see. Today, however, she's napping again... as in continual napping. Won't touch her food. She did this one other day and seemed to come out of it by evening.

We've got the meds to conquer anything she might have, the key now is getting her to consistently take them. Since I can't even interest her in treats right now, I did finally resort to shoving one down her throat earlier. Sadly, she's feeling poorly enough she didn't even struggle much.

Anyway, she's getting plenty of spoiling and attention. We removed the bell from the cat so she could have the luxury of moving through the house in stealth mode. They spent an entire afternoon in the same room yesterday. Our older dog is being tolerant -- not a fan, but tolerant.

Life with Pup

Okay... what I had forgotten was just how much work a puppy is! More than a baby -- I'm pretty sure. I guess I'd forgotten because the last time I was anywhere near a dog this young, I was about 13. And THAT dog was all of 20 pounds when he was full grown. This dog is currently 20 pounds -- a very skinny, underweight, malnourished 20 pounds. I'm estimating that she's about 3.5 months old. I'm eager to see what the vet says... to see if I'm right.

When Munchkin #1 was taking the "old" dog to obedience classes last year (early this year?) the instructor had a lot of advice for those with puppies. One piece--which I thought was gold--was to keep a young dog on a leash at your hip for most of the day as you are doing your thing around the house. This seems to serve a couple of purposes... 1) you and the dog REALLY get to know one another and 2) it keeps the pup in eyesight so it is less likely to wander off and chew something up or piddle on the floor.

So that has been our practice for the last couple of days. We take turns with the leash. The kids are doing really well being the primary caretakers, especially Munchkin #1 (the one who has really been championing for another dog).

However, it has been something of a distraction having a puppy underfoot all day long. And in spite of our best intentions, it seems like we are continually losing her!

Where's the pup?

In the bathroom! No! In the BATH TUB!! Eating... soap?

Where's the pup?

In the cat food (that one makes her puke - yuck!)

Where's the pup?

Eating the cord to the computer keyboard!!

Where's the pup?

Is she... peeing on the library books? No! Nooooo!!!!

Where's the pup?

Thinking about going after the cat... again!!

Where's the pup?

Going after the cat again... can't you hear them?

Where's the pup?

Where? Where? Everybody look quick!! Where?

Ah.... she's sleeping soundly in the corner. So sweet.

Insanity Defined

Before you go thinking that this dog thing just came out of the blue, let me say this. I've been talking myself OUT of having a second dog in the family for probably a couple of months now. Maybe six. Okay... last Christmas I was actually entertaining images of boxes of puppies and kittens beneath the tree. But I talked myself out of it -- see? I'm not completely crazy.

Last week, in fact, the local animal fund had a photograph of our dog (only in yellow) on the front page of the paper. I showed it to hubby and said, "Don't you think maybe it is a sign? This is a blonde version of Naisey." (who is a wonderful, brilliant little dog)

Well he didn't think so. But I'm thinking perhaps the real softie in this family is dear hubby. He could have ignored the dog on our steps yesterday morning. He could have shooed it away and I'd have never suspected anything. But he didn't. He called me outside, and in fewer than 24 hours he has patiently allowed his sleep to be disturbed (I had to take her for a potty break at 2AM) AND he's cleaned up the one in-house accident. Oh, he also upgraded our kennel last evening. She really did look like a much smaller dog when she was cowering on our step yesterday morning (and I was out selecting a crate). Middle Munchkin was declaring by supper-time yesterday that she was pretty sure the dog had already grown.

I have a feeling we are going to be hearing more of that.

Sooterkin, our cat, has been affected too. In fact, she blew up to about 10 times her normal size upon meeting the pup sometime mid-morning. It took her hours to get her fur back in place. The really fun thing is the sudden solidarity of our two in-residence pets. It just takes a stranger in the house for Naisey to admit that Soot isn't so bad as a companion. They BOTH slept on my feet last night and Naisey didn't growl at Soot once!

Soot, on the other hand, kept approaching me last night while I was sleeping. I'd wake up to feel this cat face watching me. It was if she was demanding that I think harder about this. "Exactly WHAT are you bringing into this house, lady?"

Did I mention that this is a pup nowhere near past the chewing things stage? Rand rescued my shoes this morning. I bought dog chews yesterday thinking it would give her something to entertain herself. Pup promptly inhaled one in under 60 seconds. Chomp! Chomp! Can I have another please?

And is she actually ours? Well... no reports matching her description at the city pound. No photos on the bulletin board at the grocery store down the street (though there is someone selling black German Shephard puppies - 9 1/2 weeks -- but the photos don't look like her). I turned a report in to the Humane Society. Apparently they have a process for establishing ownership.

Oh yes, you asked for pictures.


Remember, I'm not insane.

Wanted or Abandoned

If a young pup shows up on your door stop at o'dark thirty... collarless, dirty, skin and bones... do you assume she's just lost and someone is looking for her or do you assume she's a pup nobody cares about? Poor thing piddled on herself when I paid her some attention. She even captured hubby's heart, apparently, as he's the one who called me outside to see if something was the matter with her.

She's now got a collar and a solid meal in her belly. She's napping in a crate on our patio. I told the kids not to name her... just yet... just in case.

Am I a sucker or what?

Photos are likely to soon follow.

Sometimes I worry...

that she's just not sophisticated enough to be a real cat...

Lest you think I don't love my dog.

So Naisey, our dog, comes up to me the other day and says, “Hey, that cat gets an awful lot of press. It’s only been around for six months or so and it is featured in how many blog entries? Photos even. How come you never post any photos of ME on your blog? I’m cute. I’m lovable. I’ve been sleeping on your feet for nearly eight years. Surely I deserve some credit. At the very least, I deserve a tagline that says, “love my dog.”

It's true. Naisey is a sweetheart of a dog and has much better manners, in general, than the cat. She deserves press and kudos and all sorts of attention. The thing about Naisey is… well, she’s kind of like my very own shadow. She’s always there. She’s so faithful I can almost forget she’s more than just an extension of myself. (Who do you thinking I’m talking to all the time? Myself? No. I talk to the dog.)



These aren't even Halloween pictures... she just likes to dress up.

Spoiled Kitty

Inspired by a book she brought home from the library, my middle kid made the cat a bed complete with cushy new pillow. Sooterkin seems to be pleased. The first day the bed was complete, I estimate she spent at least 16 of her requisite 18 sleeping hours in the bed. She still arrived to wake me at 5am this morning. I’m glad, spoiled though she may be, that she understands her role in the family is to help me get out of bed early in the mornings. Of course, if I tolerate just a little bit of purring and whisker rubbing, I’ve learned she’ll eventually curl up next to me and drift back into kitty dreamland. With the cat at my back and the dog on my feet… early mornings aren’t always what they should be.

Catmas Joy

Sooterkin, our cat, enjoyed our tree this year more than any other soul in the house. I think every member of our household must have grabbed the camera at least a couple of times to catch that cat under the tree in all her adorable cuteness.



She really enjoyed the boxes of gifts as they arrived. We'd neatly stack them under the tree and within a few days she'd have them pushed out to the middle of the floor so that her space beneath the tree was preserved.





Even before my son hung an actual bell on the tree, the cat was making music with the ornaments… ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!



Until finally… she insisted we take the tree down.

Let Sleeping Cats get what they Deserve

We keep finding our cat, Sooterkin, curled up and sleeping in the clean laundry basket. She’s very cute, but it bugs my husband… and I can see his point. I mean, it is CLEAN laundry, after all, but technically it’s probably just semi-clean by the time we get to it… after the cat.

The fact of her sleeping in the clean laundry basket honestly doesn’t bother me all that much. The fact of her sleeping… comfortably… cozily… just snoozing away and looking all blissful in dreamland as cats tend to do… that?

Tends to bug me… a little.

So about the third time I walked by her this afternoon and saw her sleeping like royalty, this is what I did.

I put my face right down by her head and started purring… LOUDLY. I purred and rubbed my face all over hers. I purred and pushed her around with my forehead until I was sure she was wide awake… as well as annoyed. Then I purred just a little louder for good measure.

When I stood up again, all three of my kids were looking at me like I’d lost my marbles.

“What?” my oldest had such a bewildered look on her face.

The cat had her ears back and was glaring at me.

“Mom?” the middle one actually had one eyebrow raised.

My son was simply speechless.

I was only giving Sooter some payback, the same kind of undivided love and attention she gives me… every single morning… at 3am.