A while ago, Gar and I decided that Freya’s other name is Scrunge. This is the name she is referred to when she is being a bad Chihuahua. For example, when she pees in the house or tries to bite strangers in a very unpredictable evil way… she is Scrunge. I pride myself on training my dogs to be very accepting of other people, medical treatments, grooming, and whatever the hell else I need them to be comfortable with in order to make their lives better but Freya/Scrunge is a lost cause in some ways.
I taught Loki to play pretend dead when I point my finger at him in one day but I have not been able to teach Freya anything but “sit” in two years and that is not from a lack of trying. Granted, Loki is a breeder baby that I’ve had since he was 10 weeks of age. However, I have done everything I can in the way of restricting her access and crate-training to ensure that she doesn’t ever pee in the house but I have not achieved the desired effect.
Scrunge is a dog who will pee outside and then, immediately after, pee in the house… and I’ve ruled out a UTI. When it rains, I have to walk Freya on a leash outside to get her to go to the bathroom. Not only is this the only way she will pee outside when it rains, this is the only way she will pee outside a few days after it rains because, “eet smells deeeferent okeh.” This is what I imagine she says to me in these instances. Sometimes Freya gets to sleep on the bed at night with the other dogs and sometimes Scrunge must sleep in the Scrungeon (the name I use for her crate in our bedroom).
On the bright side, Freya has come a long way. She was surrendered at a shelter by a family who had her living exclusively outside and, when I adopted her, she was flea-ridden, terribly matted, and just terribly terrified in general. Now, I can do pretty much anything to her and she trusts me. If only I could convince her to have more self-esteem and to not treat other people like they are un-trustworthy demons when they try to pick her up… if only.
