Codependence Never Looked So Cute

So Lucy is codependent. Very. We've caught the hint (a pretty large hint when I can't even go pee without company--by the way, my mom wished that on me on several occasions while I was growing up--I used to talk so much to her that I'd even follow her into the bathroom and she'd joke about not being able to pee in peace--and said one day I hope someone does this to you...little did she know it would come true--but it would have four legs instead of two!)a little bit just being home alone with her, but it was really obvious when took her to play with Alex on Thursday evening. She looked at him like he had about fifteen heads, all with a large amount of really large, sharp teeth meant to chew her up. We knew this meeting would need to take place outside because of her incessant peeing. She pees when she's excited to see you, nervous about something, because that particular day of the week ends in the letter 'y' etc...something is always triggering her urge to pee. And you can tell now that she KNOWS she's not supposed to do it in the house, because we'll yell at her (no beating necessary or involved) and she gets this awfully nervous, pitiful look on her face as if to say, "I'm so sorry, please love me anyway." It's very sad when she looks like that. It's not even major yelling...she's so sensitive that it only takes a raised voice of "Luuucccyyy nooooooo!"

So to help curtail these moments, when we're home, we let her go out every fifteen or twenty minutes when we're all awake. But you let her get overly excited when someone is coming in the door, etc...she will pee. Anyway, so we knew she'd pee out of nervousness at the Shivers' house, so that meeting HAD to be outside. Julie sat on the ground next to Alex so Lucy would be relatively close to him and he was being super friendly to her. All Lucy would do was wag her tail and then go round and round in circles around Julie to avoid any actual physical contact with Alex. Kinda funny because usually human kids sometimes avoid an unknown dog and here it was the other way around.

As a "mom" I really was wanting Lucy to get over the shyness and just play for goodness sakes. Kevin came outside and she did the same with him and he asked what was wrong with her or what had happened to her...and there's no explanation for it...except we've loved her too much?! We've wrapped her in a tight, protective cocoon because of the traumatization she had incurred before making it to us. And in doing that, we've created an adorable codependent bundle of nervousness.

That sucks. The good part about it, though she was nervous about being there with these new people, as nice as they were...she was NEVER scared enough to be violent...never growled or acted oddly in self defense. Just kept wagging her tail and avoiding. Ah, stubbornly, overly avoiding things that seem unpleasant to her...did she get that one from me? Damn.

I don't want anyone thinking this dog gets abused at home because she's reluctant at first (like as in two hours!) to have you touch her and backs away and hides when you attempt to make pleasant conversation with her. (Brinkley is like that too and he's scared of a lot of things!) She's not like that at home at all! She's all up in EVERYONE'S business here. That's why it was kinda surprising. You have to tell her to get off of you and leave you alone most of the time...right now she is tackling Brinkley. But I guess we are her pack and she hasn't seen much else outside of us. Thus, bringing me to the much anticipated point, I'm sure...she needs to be socialized more. She definitely needs to be around people more because she is pleasant.

Casey would've not worried about being around those new people, he would've just bitten off all their faces and moved on with his life! Nikki would have been sitting in Natalie's lap staring dreamily into her eyes and Brinkley would have been hiding with Lucy, making it obvious that we didn't leave the house much with numbers 3 and 4! You haven't seen them all in the backseat of a car!! We'll do better though. I guess it's not always obvious what someone needs until it's slapping you in the face.

We left and I told Julie, "I was sort of embarrassed by how Lucy acted." Julie says, "I know, because I know you...but if it makes you feel any better, I don't think anyone else did." :) Better this one that hides, instead of the one that pulls hair and knocks everyone down! :)
Maybe next time the little codependent will play with others...