Getting Along Famously

Slurp!
Originally uploaded by currtdawg

Things have gotten much better between Azrael and me. Saturday, she hated me. Sunday, she tolerated me. Monday, we were on speaking terms. Tuesday, we were friendly. And now, we're inseparable. I guess she just had to get used to me. Or maybe she figured, "Well, this is the guy who feeds me, so I'd probably better be nice to him." Either way, I'm glad she's here.
I've never been around a large dog this much, and it's pretty fun. She has a short length of rope as a chew toy, and loves playing tug-of-war. I'm rather aggressive when I wrestle around with her, and we get our daily cardio by chasing each other around the yard. She doesn't chew on my stuff or get into the garbage, and she only does her business outside.
Still, her size isn't without its inconveniences. She can open nearly every door in the house, including the ones leading outside, so when I leave in the morning for work, I have to make sure to lock the doors from the outside. Plus, I have to lock the doors to each bathroom. Otherwise, she'll open the lid to the toilet and start drinking.
Speaking of drinking, I think this dog used to belong to the Kennedy's or something. I fill her water bowl eleven or twelve times a day. This, of course, results in her waking me at 3 AM every night in order to be let outside. Speaking of sleep, each night she sprawls out on the covers of my bed, forcing me to the opposite edge. I think she's trying to establish her dominance. It's working.
Despite all this, I feel bad when I leave to go to work in the morning. When she sees me in uniform, she knows I'm getting ready to leave. I can hear her scratching at the door when I get in my truck; and when I pull away, I see her staring out the window. It will be even worse when I'm working 14-hour days over Christmas and the following weekend. She's high-maintenance and requires lots of attention. She deserves to be out in the country running around a big pasture, not cooped up in a little house. Jason said he's been looking for a better family to take her. I sure hope he finds one soon.