Happy Birthday, Lana

Lana, my black lab, is six years old today. 

We think today is her birthday anyway.  Details of her beginnings are fuzzy at best, but in the limited paperwork we have on her it was written that the 22nd of June was her day of birth so we're going with that.

Lana's life with us has not been easy in the four plus years since we adopted her.  She came to us an already flawed dog, though how flawed we wouldn't know for a few months after we brought her home.  A dog who had been through two other homes before settling into ours.  I suspect she came from a puppy mill or a backyard breeder who had money instead of breed standard in mind.  She's a beautiful animal with a coat so black it shines blue in the sun and soft like satin (funny that "lana" is Italian for "wool"), but physically she isn't "perfect" (quotes are intentional).  Long-legged but solid, she's large for a female - especially a female who was spayed at 6 months - she has a funny curl to her tail and her nose is a bit long.  She may not even be a hundred percent lab, but we'll never know for sure.  Throw a ball or get her near some water, however, and she's all Labrador Retriever.  That dog loves to get wet.

I don't talk a lot about Lana because, unfortunately, she's been a bit of an albatross around my neck.  Lana is a difficult dog with a wide array of issues:  separation anxiety, leash aggression, some dog aggression off-leash depending on the dog, fear of strangers, and a high prey drive just to name the biggies.  She's difficult to train, has spastic energy spurts, and never really relaxes.  Even now laying in front of me she's not really relaxed but has one eye open scanning the room.  I guess she's making sure everything is in order before she can close both of them.  If I get up she'll get up with me and if one of the cats so much as peeks its head out of the basement Lana will be up in a flash making sure it goes back down the stairs where she thinks it belongs.

Yes, she hates my cats.  Don't even get me started on that.

Lana does not fit into our lifestyle no matter how much I push and force, but two things keep me from giving up on her. 

One, my husband and I would have a very difficult time finding just the right home for her.  We're already her third family and, let's face it, who is better suited to having a dog like Lana than a dog trainer?  If I could find her a good farm to live on (for real, a farm not a farm, if you get my meaning.  I couldn't do that to her.) with a childless couple or a single man with lots of dog experience that would be the perfect scenario for Lana.  But situations like that don't present themselves too often.  I don't even know if I would give her up if I did find that perfect home.  Although, if you would have asked me yesterday I would have had her food dish and favorite lovie packed up and ready to go!

Second and most important, she's a love.  A total mush when you get to know her.  She's an 80lb lap dog and the perfect dog to have around for comfort and protection.  You wouldn't be able to get within 50 yards of my house without Lana letting me know about it.  And did I mention she loves to spoon?  She'll curl up her body on the ottoman in front of the couch and lie her head on the couch and I'll lie behind her using her like a body pillow.  Lana loves to snuggle, how can you not love a dog like that?

To care for a dog like Lana takes patience and understanding.  She drives me crazy but I understand it's not all her fault.  She tests me every day, and sometimes I fail, but to love Lana is to love her fiercely.  It's all or nothing, flaws and all.

I could write a book about my relationship with this dog (maybe one day I will) because our relationship is so complex.  Too complex to write in a single post.  But she's made me a better dog owner and certainly a better dog trainer.  I think on her special day she at least deserves a good swim in the pool and maybe some extra belly rubs.

Happy Birthday, Lana.  I love you despite it all.

Comments

[Carol]

I have a "Lana" of my own, although in this case, I bred her, so I can't blame anyone but myself for how she turned out. She's the most non-Frenchie French Bulldog I've ever owned, and although her behaviour isn't 'bad' by the average dog's standards, she's much more than anyone wanting a Frenchie expects to get. Because of that, she'll stay here with me for life - and also because, like your Lana, she's a wonderful, snuggly, affectionate girl who really means well.

Most importantly, I doubt anyone else would be willing to put up with her, and I can't take that chance, for her sake.

Plus, Mamas always love the bad kids the most, don't they? ;)

Carol

[margalit]

I once had a 'dog with issues' like Lana's. A car chaser, a runaway, huge prey instinct (killed chickens), and had serious separation anxiety. Like Lana, I knew that nobody would take him on and tolerate him like I did...for 17.5 years. Dogs are a long term commitment. Now I've got that damn cat.

Lana is lucky that she's got you for a mommy.

[jan]

Bless you for not giving up on Lana. Somehow I think you know she is worth all your efforts.

[flutter]

ohh! Happy Birthday!

[canape]

Happy birthday, Lana! So glad you found your forever home.

[AuthorMomWithDogs]

My Lana is 8. We've been through it all. She has taught me more than all of the other dogs I've had put together. She's much easier now than she was -- each year gets better.

Now I can say it was worth it. But not for the first few years. I completely understand your conflicted feelings.

How lucky for Lana she found you. A happy birthday, indeed!

[PA]

Happy Birthday Lana!

My lab mix will be 4 in August. I didn't know how sweet a dog could be until we got him. His anxiety and puppyhood put holes in our walls, floor, furniture, paint tubes, blinds... but he's just the greatest dog. Now it's only bones and the occasional pen or piece of paper.

The only thing is that we have another smaller dog, and she (I think) has taught him to growl and bark when approached by another dog on a leash. They go to daycare and get along fine off-leash, so I really don't understand it. They also do better (but not perfect) when I walk them alone. I really hope that there is a good way to train this out of them because we have stopped going to parks and other places where we know other dogs will be because of it. Also, I want to have a kid in the next year or so, and want to make sure my dogs are well trained way beforehand. Any help is appreciated. Also not getting so crazy excited when people come over would be great.

[Trish]

I have a dog question for you! It's really not about my perfectly lovely black lab who likes to scarf down 100 crayons at a time and bites the heads off nativity set wisemen. Surely not. Ahem.

Our neighborhood is chockfull of dogs. Little, teeny dogs who COMPLETELY lose all touch with reality when we walk by. They run right up to the lotline and shriek and snarl as we pass. Their owners, who are often standing by, do absolutely NOTHING to control their behavior. Brady simply ignores them, but I find the yapping so irritating that I want to say something to the owners.

There's my question: Do I say anything and if so, what do I say?

I'm really afraid that those dogs are going to menace the wrong dog someday and end up hurt.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Trish

[doggy mama]

Awww... I am so glad Lana had a happy birthday! My black lab turned 5 in January and my big mix will be 6 in August. Doesn't time fly? I love my doggies more than anything. They are my kids. They MAKE my family. So it's great to see other people as crazy about their dogs as I am about mine!! :)

[mayberry]

Happy birthday, Lana! She's beautiful.

And here is a doggie question for you. It's almost the 4th of July, and in our state fireworks are legal. That is very bad news for our pup. She is terrified of the sound (thunderstorms too). Rescue Remedy doesn't work. Should we get an rx from our vet or... anything else we can do for her?

She is a 9-ish year old shepherd mix.

[crunchy]

Aww...

She is gorgeous...
I will have to send a pic of my dog..see if you can figure out the mix...

callie loves to spoon too.
she makes us nuts though with the barking at the door, squirrels, the mail man and so on...her hackles go up and she is full on security..cept we know that she is a scaredy and it is all show!

[Jill]

My dog has been acting very aggressive the past couple weeks and my cat is also acting strange. I hope they haven't contracted rabies. I'm going to have to take them both to the vet.