My Little Ivy

Today's post (my 1,000th to be exact!!) is dedicated to my sweet little Ivy. Ivy is such a different kind of dog. I've never known one like her before. She is such a sweetie but super quirky. If Ivy was a human she would be really outgoing but a little insecure. Ivy is really smart, super sweet and major outdoorsy. She's so brave, yet shy. She wants to love but doesn't know how to. She is so unique and very human like. If she were a human she would totally have her therapist on speed dial!! And I know this is crazy but I feel like if she could read that last sentence she would be totally embarrassed and ask me not to share that kind of information with everyone.

Ivy is so sweet and gentle. She doesn't make a lot of racket. Ivy is perfectly happy laying around and just hanging out. However, Ivy is always getting into everything she's not supposed to and she's a total klepto. She's been known to get into purses and steal gift cards, iPhones, reading glasses, check books.....you name it and she's taken it. But only the expensive things. It's kind of interesting....

What's even more interesting is Ivy takes the stolen items and hides them in her house!!! No lie. This is "Ivy's House." Yes it's a Christmas house but she loves it SO MUCH and I couldn't take it away from her so it stays up year round and will unless she doesn't like to get in it anymore. I don't ever see that happening. She loves to take naps in her house and hide in her house and hang out in her house....and she always looks super cute while doing it!

One of Ivy's quirks is that she brings this bone to bed every night. Every. Single. Night. Yes, it's always this particular bone. I swear she's had it a year and has never chewed it. She just brings it to bed with her and lays on top of it. It cracks me up!

I've always talked about how much Ivy loves her bones. She's such a brat and will take Madison's bone, lay on top of it, then chew hers. Madison just barks and barks at her (of course) but Ivy doesn't care. Sometimes Little Miss Klepto steals Madison's right out from under her and prances around with both bones in her mouth. Don't mess with Ivy and her bones. She's serious about them.

I used to let the girls have free reign of the house but since I can't trust Ivy as far as chewing goes, I've set up a little space in the laundry room/garage entry and prop up a baby gate when I leave. I put their bed in their space when I leave and Ivy ALWAYS claims that spot. ALWAYS. Since I've been putting them up I (obviously) haven't had anymore bad behavior incidents. I honestly think Ivy likes being blocked off. I think it makes her feel secure. She can totally jump the baby gate if she wants to because I've seen her do it but she never does when I leave her home alone. The vet thinks she has separation anxiety but the trainer that I've met with doesn't think she does since she doesn't freak out right away. She said dogs who have true separation anxiety start behaving badly immediately after the owner leaves. I don't know what to think about Ivy now!! All I know is that the baby gate keeps her from doing bad things and since Ivy and Madison don't seem to mind being blocked off, I'm just going to keep doing it.

I have to say, my favorite thing about my sweet little Ivy is that she loves her Momma SO MUCH. She follows me everywhere I go never letting me out of her sight. I call her my little Ivy because she's so thin! She's "that" girl who is tall and skinny and doesn't like how food tastes. I (occasionally) give her table scraps and she won't eat them. It's so crazy to me that a dog won't eat human food but Ivy refuses it. She thinks it's gross and spits it out. (Of course Madison eats it for her)
I love my pretty little Ivy. That's what I call her all the time. Pretty Little Ivy!! She's so funny and quirky and sweet and cuddly. She is so special to me and I love that she's a Momma's girl. I wish all of you who read my blog could meet my sweet Ivy and Madison! You would love them!!! :)