Life Surrounded by Mountains in Central Chile

Glad you and the dogs are okay. That's some pretty scary weather.

I am glad that I brought Paz inside the house. I just read that many dogs have not made it through the storm. She is still so fragile, that I don't think she would have made it. Now she's stretched out on Jake's bed sleeping soundly. She just wanted a warm, safe place. I will be fostering her for about six weeks while she gets all her shots and then she is sterilized.

I'm doing good. This morning I took out Paz to do her business outside in the pouring rain (I don't trust her to hold it till the rain stops), and she was pulling the leash, and she lead me to what she wanted to see: a wet, older dog sitting on the stoop of one of the homes in this gated condo complex.

I thought about taking the dog house with the nice, clean, wool blanket, but I decided against it. He probably has fleas, and I just finished eradicating them from my pack. So I decided to feed him instead. Then I decided to elicit the help of the conserje to move the house I bought for Paz (which she is not using, because she refuses to leave my house) to him. The dog followed me to the conserje's hut, and while I discussed the issue with him, the dog climbed to the conserje's quarters. The conserje liked the dog, and he agreed to keep him in his covered entrance way which is much warmer and protected than where he was before.

I promised to make him porotos con riendas. Now I want to see if they manage to get the dog out of their house.

The storm is over, and in the afternoon it was a picture-perfect day. A man was killed trying to save his gorgeous yacht, an experienced yachtsman, the commuter train line whose train line is next to the sea is full of debris, and it will take over a week to clean up, and many properties also next to the ocean are badly damaged. But we are all doing fine.

Copihue: Your photographs are amazing. They really capture your rediscovery of the soul of your homeland. Have you considered trying to get them published in book form?

My goodness, that is absolutely beautiful. The colors!

A rare, calm moment between the girls. Rachel was so annoyed at her barking at the coffee shop today that she straddled her, and before she could do anything, I pulled her away. I swear that she looked as if she wanted to eat her, she was so annoyed. The owners of the coffee shop did not applaud her, but I could see it in their eyes, that they most definitely approved. Paz is a very annoying puppy. This morning, for example, she ate my shoe.

I feel tremendous sadness and guilt. I could not continue to keep Paz. She began eating the shoe laces off my loafers, and that was cute. Then she ate the wire that connects the camera battery to the electricity, and that was alarming. There are wires everywhere in this house, and if she decided to chew on a live wire, the electricity is 200 volts, she would most likely be electrecuted. So I had to leave her outside in the garden. I was concerned about doing that, because she's been chewing on the plants, but I felt I had no other choice. I really should keep her in a crate, but they don't have crates in Chile, most dogs are kept in the yard, not inside the house. She needs to be watched 24/7, and like a small child, the moment you become distracted, she gets into trouble.

When I came home tonight with pots that I had bought for the herbs I purchased at the feria, I discovered that she had destroyed them, she also destroyed my slow growing flowers, she destroyed the birds of paradise flower, and there was dirt everywhere.

I fed her and placed her outside my condo's gate. Three girls walked by and asked about the puppy hanging outside my gate door. I told them the story, and they took her. I could hear her crying when I took Jake and Rachel out for their evening walk, but I did not return for her.

Jake and Rachel were rescues, and they were also a challenge at first, but my house in Maplewood was large, and it was mine. I don't have a space here where to keep her safely while I train her. I can't puppy-proof this house. She barks and cries if she is left outside, and I live in a condo, the neighbors can complain and create problems for Jake, Rachel and I. Taking in one additional dog is braking my contract.

I took her so that she would be safe in the storm, I accomplished that, I tried to place her in a responsible home, and I have no certainty that she will be fine. The girls are caring, but I don't know them. I told them I would pay for the other shots, but who knows what teenagers will do. I got her parasites treated, I bathed her, I had her vaccinated, I taught her to poop and pee outside, I was working on not jumping, but I couldn't handle the destruction of property. And Jake and Rachel did not like her; she is a puppy, and they are senior dogs. They put up with her, but they weren't happy. She is better off, in some ways after being with us for eleven days, but she must feel even more insecure now. She has huge abandonment issues.

This is gut wrenching. I will probably never pick up another dog from the street, and there are so many who need help. I feel that I failed in the goal that I had set for myself: to keep her until her medical treatments were completed, and to find a good home for her. The vaccinations and spaying would take about three months, and I couldn't hang on.

Since you have already given her away, I won't say the things that would have occurred to me to try to make it easier to live with her, but instead just say I'm sorry it didn't work out. I think you did the best you could for her. And I hope the girls who have her now find a way to work with her and keep her for the rest of her life.

Please go ahead with your ideas. You never know who is also reading this blog, and who might benefit from your solutions. I am heartbroken, for I realize that it wasn't her fault. No one ever taught her anything, and living in small quarters is a challenge. Rachel also did her fair share of destruction, but she learned very quickly. Not so with Paz, somehow she didn't get the fact that that was something that she should not do, despite the fact that I caught her a couple of times on the act, and I let her know with my tone of voice, that that was not what she was supposed to do. She seemed to ignore what I was saying, and she went ahead and did it again and again.

The girls did what I was told to do: they returned her to where she was found, and this case, it's the gate on my house. Paz is back. Ideas, please!

You brought Paz into your house to keep her safe. For now at least, given her present behavior, she is not safe in your house. Therefore, it would be wrong for her and for you to keep her as you were previously. You say that most dogs in your neighborhood in Chile live outside. What do your neighbors who care for outside dogs do to keep them safe? Is there anything you can do for Paz that is in keeping with local customs?

I don't know what others do to raise well-behaved dogs in the front yard, but I will guess: they get them when they are puppies, and raise them outside. Most have lovely yards and dogs. Paz seems to have received no training or negative training. But they did teach her not to bite; she is careful with her teething.

I dug the crate I used to bring Rachel to Chile from storage, and I placed it in the living room. Hence, whenever I am not on top of her, she will be in the crate. It is not the perfect crate; I wish it were simply a cage where she could see her surroundings clearly, but it simulates a den. I would love to know how crating her will teach her not to destroy things in the house. It's preventive, but not educational. I have never crated an animal before.

She loves going out for walks, and she sleeps for hours after that. That's wonderful. I am also hoping that she learns from Jake and Rachel what is expected living inside the house.

It made me feel good that she is so happy to be back. She likes us, and I like her.

Thanks, Joan.

Maybe the crating solution is not going to work. She is howling, scratching and clearly angry about being placed in the crate. I don't think any of us will be able to sleep if she keeps it up. Rachel had been sleeping next to her, and now she came upstairs. I assume that she will eventually get tired and fall asleep. She is a handful. I keep telling myself that this is the best thing for her, but she doesn't know it yet. She is having a fit.

Paz is a wild caged animal inside the crate. I don't think that she is cut out to be a house pet. She likes the walks, the food, the security, but she is used to the freedom of the many dogs who live on the streets in Chile. Street dogs wonder without restrictions, and people feed them; you don't see many skinny street dogs.

Paz is very bold; she barks at other people on the sidewalk, she doesn't respect my older dogs, she dives for her and the others' food. She doesn't seem to be a dog that wants to fit in at times. She wants to rule the rooster.

Copihue, after seeing the video clip of the kangaroo with the huge teddy bear, do you think it's possible to find a very big bear for Paz, that might simulate a sleeping-mate? I know it probably won't fit into the crate, but if she gets to seeing it at bed time, maybe it can be something soothing and comforting? I wish I knew how dog psychology works.

Paz is acting like a wild caged animal because that is exactly what she is. You keep referring to Paz as a puppy but judging from her size and stance I would say she is well beyond the nursing stage. She has spent her life prior to meeting you as an outdoor dog. If you really want to help Paz you need to start looking at your interaction together from her point of view.

Strictly from what you have written, I would conclude that Paz is best off staying outside as the other dogs in your area do. It is what she is used to and where she feels most comfortable. As you have written above, plenty of people will feed her and look after her while permitting her to be an outside dog.

If you are insistent upon converting her to an indoor dog, I would do this gradually with constant positive reinforcement in the form of treats and lots of personal attention when she is with you inside. Start with just a few minutes a day and gradually expand the time you spend together inside.

IMHO, the crate should be introduced gradually and in a positive manner with treats, soft objects, anything she associates with security. Start by leaving her inside or outside with the open crate. Do not close it at first. Introduce something containing her scent if you can. Once she goes into the crate on her own and Starts staying there willingly, try closing the crate for a brief period while you remain close by, opening it as soon as she asks to be released. You might also try covering part of the crate with a sheet or blanket so she feels more secure. Otherwise, she will look upon the crate as a cage/jail cell which is what it has become and will continue to be if the only objective is to keep her away from the electric wiring.

You are absolutely right, Joan. I introduced Jake and Rachel slowly to the crate, and when they saw the crate yesterday in the living room, they didn't want to get out! But I needed to keep Paz away from electric outlets, and that is why I placed her in the crate without that gradual introduction.

I am having conflicts with my landlord, because the house is not one where one can live year round, and it needs to be adapted for that purpose. I need for her to upgrade the electric panel, and she refuses to do it. I am looking for another place to live, but I don't want to be pressured into making a rushed decision with which I will need to live with for a long time. Having a third dog violates the terms of my contract. I want to avoid a potential crisis. I thought of this when I picked up the dog, but my desire to help Paz was stronger than my need to protect myself.

I am also allergic to dog dander; my eyes are constantly itching and tearing. I am constantly cleaning, but it is still overwhelming my system.

About an hour ago, I went to the coffee shop, and they told me that Paz wondered into the shop yesterday. Apparently, the girls who took the dog simply released her onto the street, and Paz found our condo on her own. She's a smart cookie.

I will focus on trying to find a good placement for her. She's be perfect in the countryside where she can protect property (something that comes natural to her) and where she can run freely. There are many small farms; I have to put my marketing hat on and start planning a small campaign. I already have her picture posted on Facebook, but that is not enough. I have to make contact with potential adopters.

I will also try to calm her down. I am sure that her experience with the girls, and the crate did not help to calm her down.

Thank you, friends, for caring.

She seems like she would be a perfect fit on a farm, and what a beautiful girl she is. I'm sorry it's such a difficult case for you, and I wish I knew more to help you, but I'm no expert on dog behavior or training. Getting out one of your travel crates was one of my ideas, but clearly she didn't react well to that for obvious reasons. I wish one of the better dog trainers on MOL would weigh in.

I don't think you can try to keep her inside, from the POV of destruction/danger and your contract problems. Will the landlord be angry if you keep her outside? She seems to like you and Jake and Rachel, so very likely she will keep coming around if you feed her, while you work on an alternative solution. It sounds to me like your idea of placing her on a small farm will work best for her, given her likely background.

I have a fenced-in yard, and that is where most people keep their dogs, because the temperature in Chile is mild, at least in this region of the country. Then there are street dogs who roam the streets. She was a street dog, and I am trying to make her an indoor pet which is a tough transition. I am not sure that the landlord will be pleased if she is in the yard.

We have to get used to one another, and I am discovering that I can do errands after her morning walk, because she falls asleep, all three of them do. I don't have to worry too much if I am not away for a long time. She has a chew toy, and a stuffed animal and a ball; she likes her toys. She is a cutie when she is not crying when everyone wants to sleep.

On a happier note: my Spanish fluency has really improved. I can even tell. I am getting lots of compliments.

She is testing me, and I had to tell her I am the boss, and I am sick of her noises. I had to use a very deep voice, grab her by the scruff of the neck, and tell her that she needs to shut up. She needs to learn fast, because I am getting very tired of not being able to sleep because of her. Now she is quiet, but I don't like this interaction.

Since you are trying to force Paz to do something she doesn't want to do and doesn't fully understand based on her prior experience, you can expect a lot of loud protest from Paz at inconvenient times and a significant amount of what you consider to be inappropriate behavior if you continue with your plan to make her a dog who lives inside. Transitioning into an indoor dog is a major change for her, assuming she is able to make it at all. Keep in mind that this is your aim. Paz' preferences may be quite different from your own.

I wouldn't mind having her be an outside dog, in fact, that was my initial plan. That changed when she started crying and even people on the sidewalk were loudly complaining about the noise. Today I have been dragging my feet all day long, because once again I didn't have enough sleep. On the other hand, she looks great. Rachel has been disciplining her. She hovers over her, and Rachel is twice her size and more, in a not-so-friendly way. I have my eye on the interaction, but alpha bitches discipline puppies. I know you say she is not a puppy, because she is seven months old, but they don't grow up right away.

She is absolutely a puppy---that is why she chews everything in sight, that is why she doesn't get some of the social cues that Rachel is teaching her. She doesn't need discipline, she needs instruction.

My understanding is dogs are puppies long after they achieve their full size. I think she certainly is one still, if only in her brain. Are there any training classes in your part of the world, Copihue? Perhaps if you and Paz went for some training to get you both on the same page?

I am no expert, certainly, but it seems to me the introduction of the concepts of good dog citizenship should be gradual; for example, the crate.

Meanwhile, are there toys or things she is allowed to chew on that would cut down on her focus on your stuff? Kongs might not be available anywhere near you, but maybe you could find other things that are hers, and hers alone, so she might become less destructive? Calli, does that make sense?

Even if there are no training classes near you, maybe you could get some video online of the better dog trainers on television? They might have some very helpful tips, since you are still working with Paz.

Good luck. I sympathize with the lost sleep and frustration.

This is what happened this morning while I went to the bathroom for about two minutes. Yesterday she chewed the zipper in my down vest: my most useful piece of clothing in Chile, that's why it was laying on the chair.

This morning I spent five hours trying to get a new part for the computer, and I still don't have one. Lenovo is not a small outfit, and I could not get any service. I tried calling the US, but they don't ship parts outside of the country.

She had chew toys, a ball, a stuffed animal. but she wanted to chew everything in sight. I couldn't handle it anymore. She definitely needed training, but I couldn't put up with the damage while it happened. I even tried getting a muzzle for her, but I couldn't find one. Getting things that you need in a new country is very time consuming and inefficient. But that is a story for another day.

I don't feel good about it, but it was the right decision. For two-and-a-half weeks I have mostly taken care of her all day long, and I had enough. Rachel was on top of her too; we were all exhausted by her neediness and demand for constant attention.

It is a very sad ending to this story, but now I know why there are so many dogs on the street. There is no shelter where to take them when there are problems. I contacted a rescue organization for help, but they did nothing for us. Four people posted her picture on Facebook, that was all the help I got with her.

I took her to a small village in the countryside, opened the car door, she jumped out, and I drove off. I think that she was as stressed out as we all were. I was constantly saying "no" to her. We did fun stuff like going for long walks, but even that got to be unpleasant after the damage she caused.

It's been a rough day for us, worst of all for Paz who must be very scared.

So sorry it ended this way but I think you made the right decision for you and for Paz. Sometimes it is best to follow local custom at least until you become more acquainted with the rationale behind it.