Date: Nov 14, 2008 9:01 AM

Well, in a mere 2 weeks, Penne is up to 31 pounds and ready to schedule for a spay,
in my opinion. She has a monstrous appetite, plenty of energy, boundless affection
and the pitt bull habit of "breaking up fights" that are none of her business.
A lot of pitt bulls like to play bad-cop in any confrontation and will try to subdue
the perceived attacker. Penne does not wait to perceive the aggressor. She just
jumps in to any fight (playful or not) and tries to subdue the entire situation
by being ubber-aggressive in every direction. I've had to separate her from
the arthretic/geriatric Bonnie (who still thinks she's top dog)multiple times.
(I only take Penne out of the situation and put her in her crate until my adrenaline
settles. Bonnie can just be her "top dog" self for as long as god grants
her the ability to try.)

Penne has also jumped in the middle when Yukon and Riley were romping through the
house. Riley lost her temper with Yukon (as sometimes happens) and Penne piled
in trying to eat Yukon and Riley at the same time. Yanking her out of that was
a heart thumper, let me tell ya. Now, there was no blood shed, no jaw clamping,
just snarl/snap/push so fast and furious that it took my breath away. She's
got to be crated when we aren't in the house and other dogs are roaming.

I don't know if they (her previous owners) just never taught her anything, or
what. Penne is afraid of the outdoors and does not like to get her paws on dirt.
She is NOT house broken, just the opposite. She will come in from the yard to do
her business. I have not scolded (much) to this point, but that is about to change.
She does not mind peeing in her crate and in fact, goes into the other dogs'
crates to wet their bedding as well.....grrrrr. She's smart, but clueless.
Guess I will have to start with newspapers and move them closer and closer to the
door like a two week old puppy. I am a patient person but even I have my limits
with cleaning up poop in the house. At least she has sense enough to hide afterwards,
generally under the piano bench. If I don't see Penne, I know to watch my step!!!

I don't think this was why she was "kicked to the curb"...maybe she
was being kept crated in a puppy-mill type situation.....but that doesn't make
sense because she doesn't seem to have been bred, and at 18 months, she should
have had several cycles by now. She doesn't seem to be pregnant at the moment,
although her rapid weight gain does lead me to wonder. Or, I am over analysing
the situation and should just take this dog at (snoring) face value moment to moment
in the eternal NOW.....have I met my destined Zen Master, Penne?

It is sort of up-in-the-air about us keeping this foster-dog. If the pet aggression
continues, she may need a new forever home......I can work with the toilet training,
but the constant tension of breaking up dog fights in my home, where I come to relax
from the prison-like atmosphere of my job, is not my idea of a good way to spend
a friday night. She's a sweet dog, very attentive and intelligent. I like her
bunches, even as I try to pawn her off on Dave. He needs to take this dog as his
own,if we are going to keep her. Yukon and Sally are enough for me....Really.
KIM