Please read the Adventures of Lexie & Chris – Part 1, and the Adventures of Lexie & Chris – Part 2, before reading Part 3.
Lexie received less attention than usual from me over the past few weeks. Between a father who spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, and my dog Yonah’s chemotherapy treatments, Lexie got the short end of the stick. Even so, her life continues to improve.
Lexie recently made a huge upgrade in lifestyle – she’s now living out of the crate in the Learning Center. She and Lenny are free to hang out and play all the time, though Lexie is restricted to the downstairs so that Lenny has his own refuge. Their friendship has grown ever stronger, and I’m fairly convinced that Lenny thinks he’s a dog too. He certainly knows how to handle Lexie, even in her more exuberant moments. The willingness of our entire care-giving team to accommodate Lexie’s newfound freedom has truly inspired me, and is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our volunteers.
A big part of Lexie’s ongoing socialization process is learning how to meet and get along with other dogs. She has attended several recent group K9 Coaching classes on the front lawn with the other OPP dogs. As Sandy Adcock, Director of Training, noted, “She did a wonderful job keeping calm and paying special attention to Chris during class. Even when other dogs were barking at her, Lexie was a perfect lady. She’s come such a long way. Class ended with a game of 123 Red Light – Lexie and Tito tied to win.”
My step-son Eric and I took Lexie on a second walk with our dog Peri over to Kell High School. After a challenging start, Lexie and Peri settled into a working (walking?) truce, which eventually finished with friendly butt sniffs and nose touches. First Bruiser, now Peri. With her developing social skills, Lexie is learning to get along with other dogs. Each time she is introduced to another dog, she becomes a little more accustomed to the proper canine etiquette that she knows I expect from her. She gazes into my face with intensity, and I return the same. Then I nod towards the other dog, and tell Lexie to “be good”. She knows what I’m asking, and she genuinely tries.
Lexie really shines through as a great family dog. She recognizes the road between Kennesaw Mountain and my parents’ home, and becomes so excited on the way there that I have to push her out of my lap so I can drive the car. We arrive and she eagerly leaps from the car up their front stairs, dragging me by the leash. She is the queen of her new home domain; she knows it, and she knows that everybody else knows it as well. After a warm and loving greeting to my parents, she does her duty by making sure that each room is thoroughly investigated, the trash cans carefully inspected, and the kitchen counters diligently patrolled. Then she and my mother conspire to get rid of me, knowing that I will protest the goodies that Mom sneaks to Lexie when I’m not looking.
The day before Thanksgiving, Lexie spent four hours at my parents’ house while I helped them prepare to host our large family the following day. My nephew Alexander and my 5-year-old niece Lilly played with Lexie through the afternoon. There were smiles all around and lots of puppy kisses. When my sister Alyssa arrived to pick up Alexander and Lilly, she met Lexie for the first time. After 10 minutes, Alyssa commented, “This is the most well-behaved dog I’ve ever seen”. Then she asked me why my mouth was hanging open. I decided not to mention that just before she had arrived, Alexander had dropped two hotdogs on the floor. My mother had rescued one, but Lexie had dexterously stolen the other.
Alyssa left to go home with the kids. Except for the hotdog, Lexie had been a marvelous family dog for 4 straight hours. Now she broke down and had one of her notoriously mischievous moments. My parents had recently installed a long handicap ramp for my father. It goes from the parking area outside their house, and winds up to a side door. My mother asked me to retrieve something from the closed room where that door is, and Lexie pranced along beside me. As we entered the room, I noticed that my parents had left the glass door to the outside open – with only the mesh screen door closed. Lexie felt the breeze blowing in, looked at me with a “catch me if you can” expression, and launched herself THROUGH the closed mesh screen door – mesh door, no more. In panic I gave chase, bellowing at her to come back. Paying no heed, she raced down the long ramp – gleefully exuberant to show off her sudden freedom and independence. She flew by my car, and raced out the long driveway into the darkness towards the road. I knew she wouldn’t run away, but I was hoping she’d turn around before she got to the busy road. In a moment of inspiration, I dashed first to the kitchen, and then bound out the front door, having decided to sacrifice the lone survivor. “Lexie!!! Hotdog!!!”, I screamed into the night. Then she was there, back from the darkness. Her jailbreak concluded, the escapee had turned herself in for a tasty morsel. Through so many adventures, it was the first time she’d ever gotten away from me.
Possibly her most precious moment occurred just a few days ago. Dad came home from the hospital, so of course I took Nurse Lexie over to help him get settled. She trotted straight over to him, and gently – delicately – stood on her hind legs, and momentarily put her front paws on his chest – ever so careful not to press on him with her weight. Just letting him know that she loved him with a tender touch. She simply knew. I watched with a lump in my throat.
Lexie has become a new dog through the second half of 2009, and 2010 will be even better for her. I’ll continue to provide quarterly updates on her progress. On behalf of Lexie and Lenny, we wish you a very merry holiday season and a Happy New Year! And as always… I love Lexie.
