Scully

Let's talk about Scully for once (it's been a while since she's been featured). Since the baby was born, I hate to admit it, but she's been put on the back burner. We don't neglect her but she doesn't get all the attention she got for the first seven years of her life. We took her everywhere, got her special treats from expensive pet boutiques, bathed her once a week and everything else a furry friend could ask for. Now she only goes to the vet or my in-laws for excursions, no trips to the pet boutique, bathed probably five or less times a year, and many times, yelled at just out of frustration. She's regressed in her training - as little as it was - and has taken to cowering when Justin calls her name.

We've never hit her. Although, the baby hits her when he thinks he's petting her. He's getting better but he gets really excited and she gets really scared. It's sad and I feel terrible that I can't give her all my attention like in the past.

Recently, she got sick as a result of us forgetting to give her her heart worm meds. It didn't help that she's constantly out in the yard exploring and eating mice. As a little dog, her job is to burrow and hunt rodents. Instinct got the best of her and she found mouse town under our shed (awesome, huh?). Caught one or two, who knows, and got sick. And recently, she came in from exploring outside and ended up with a gash on her upper back and hind leg. She's just not having a good summer. And we're not having fun taking her to the vet and feeling guilty because we aren't protecting her well.

Justin thinks it's her fault and while I agree to a point, we are responsible for her well being and safety. It might be time to reconnect with her, refocus with training and make the last part of her life as fun as the first part.