The big introduction

So on my way home from work last night I picked up Sadie.  It was a big night as it would be her first time meeting Elsa.  I had Cindy take Elsa outside before we got there.  I figured it would be better if they met outside instead of inside the house Sadie has called home for so long.

We had a very brief moment of concern when Elsa backed up and growled menacingly at Sadie at first.  Sadie sort of ignored her and was more interested in smelling the grass.  I unloaded the truck and went inside briefly.  By the time I went back out in the backyard the tension seemed to have evaporated and they were running around together. It was the first time I had seen Elsa running free.  Despite her rather small dimensions, she is fast, really fast.  She could literally run circles around Sadie.  It brought a big smile to my face to see the two of them playing together.

The rest of the night was very entertaining between watching them play and establish some ground rules.  Elsa is not good at being patient when it comes to handed out treats.  Her environment she grew up in having to contest for food with double digit dogs makes her aggressive when food is around.  She tried to steal a treat Cindy was handing to Sadie.  I would think that over time this behavior would relax as she realizes she doesn’t need to fight for food.

The other unknown was how bedtime would go.  Sadie normally at least starts the night in the bed with us although she normally will head into the walk in closet later.  Thankfully this seemed to be a non-issue, both of them were content to share the bed and Sadie eventually jumped down and into the closet again.  Once again last night Elsa was quiet and still, not causing any noticeable sleep disruptions although I once again woke up without an alarm somewhere around 5:30.

Before I left this morning Cindy had them out in the yard again.  They were sprinting around wildly and having so much fun. It was awesome.  When they came back inside they were still wound up.  Elsa skidded across the tile before changing directions and vaulting herself on the couch.  I would say she is pretty happy with her new living arrangements.

Today will be the first time Cindy has to run out while leaving Elsa at home which will be interesting.  Supposedly Elsa is crate trained but I have not seen anything so far that makes me think she likes going in a crate.  Of course our goal would be to be able to eventually be able to trust her enough to not be crated when we are gone but that will take some time.

I have a feeling this weekend will be very dog-centric although chores and PTV riding will be on the agenda as well.