Our Problem Puppy - Meet Maggie

In order to properly tell Maggie's story, I need to backtrack a bit, so please bear with me. If you've read my first lens, A Dog Lover's Tale, then you may remember that ours is a multigenerational home. My mother lives with us and, upon moving in, brought her dog, Rusty. Sadly, though, poor Rusty passed away shortly thereafter from cancer. Needless to say, we were all devastated, but no one more so than my mother.

Rusty had her share of issues. She had been abused as a puppy and, therefore, had an aggressive personality and was very protective, which led to an assortment of problems over the years. However, she could also be very sweet, playful, and loving, and we couldn't help but love her back. Rusty was missed by us all.

A few months passed when we received a call from a relative about a cocker spaniel puppy who was being mistreated by her owners. The dog was less than a year old, not very friendly, and was very rambunctious. The owners didn't know how to handle her, so their solution was to put her in a cage. Period. This, of course, only made the situation worse. We were asked if we might want the dog. After mulling it over, we decided to take her. Why? Well, her situation reminded us of Rusty, whom we were still mourning. Why not try to help another dog in similar circumstances?

And so, Maggie moved in . . . and the adventure began.

Photo courtesy of pictures-of-puppies-and-dogs.com.

If you're not familiar with cocker spaniels, then here's a bit of background information.

Cocker spaniels originated from an English breed of the same name. The name "Cocker" was derived from the woodcock, a bird often hunted by this breed. Cocker spaniels are small dogs that normally weigh between 15-30lbs. They sport an average coat length that comes in a variety of solid colors, including black, tan and buff (yellow-brown), as well as a combination of colors, such as white/black, black/tan, and white/black/tan.

Cockers are sweet, happy, playful little dogs who show their excitement by happily wagging their stumpy little tails. The good nature so typical of this breed makes the cocker spaniel a good choice for families with children and other pets alike. In fact, cocker spaniels are among the most popular pets in the United States.

Photo courtesy of A Small Dog.

It is important to note that this breed is susceptible to "Small Dog Syndrome." If cockers are not properly disciplined as to their place in the "family pack," then the dog may assume the role of "pack leader." This means that the dog will attempt to control the movements of not only its owners, but everyone else in the household, including children and other pets, as well as any visitors to the home. This, in turn, results in a dog with a vicious streak, brought on by feelings of fear and dominance.

Photo courtesy of nekokikichan.

Most of the cocker spaniel puppies found in pet stores these days originate from puppy mills. These pups are not born through responsible breeding practices. The amoral people who run puppy mills put little or no thought into the animals chosen for breeding and very little effort into their care. The dogs that are used receive no daily walks, no loving touches, no softly spoken words and no time to adequately recuperate before being bred again. The puppies are not allowed to remain with their mother long enough for them to become properly socialized and develop the sweet, gentle demeanor for which cocker spaniels are known. No, instead puppy mills continue to produce cocker spaniel pups that are plagued with personality defects and behavioral issues. They tend to be high-strung, nervous little creatures who bark incessantly, snap easily, and are generally difficult to handle.

When I began this lens, I was pretty ignorant in terms of puppy mills. I knew what a puppy mill was, of course, but I did not know the extent of the effect on the innocent puppies being produced. Sadly, my research has led me to believe very strongly that our Maggie was a victim, not only of Small Dog Syndrome, but of puppy mill breeding as well.

When she came to us, she fit both descriptions to a tee. She wore a diaper on that first day with us because she was so terrified that she couldn't control her bladder. That behavior eventually stopped (thank God!), but still continued for many years whenever she met someone new. She was also very snappy in her early years. Maggie would lash out instinctively if someone approached her too quickly or touched her in the wrong way. Unfortunately, our other pups fell victim to this behavior on a few occasions. Max, in particular, with his kind and submissive nature became a natural target for Maggie's more dominant one. If he sniffed her treat or accidentally stepped on her, she would lash out at him. Max learned very quickly to give her some space.

It took us a long time to earn Maggie's trust. Our little girl used to be so skittish. We could barely approach her, much less pet her, without the poor thing nearly jumping out of her skin. Gradually, though, with loads of patience, compassion, discipline, and love, the walls started to crumble and that injured young pup began to let us in. One by one, ever so slowly, starting with my mother. Of all of us, Maggie is most attached to her. They play together, walk together, share meals, naps and even cuddles together. Maggie is her "little puppy-girl." Even after all these years, Maggie isn't super-affectionate, but when she is, It's my mother who is usually on the receiving end. Regardless of where she came from or what's happened to her, Mom loves that dog as much as she's loved any of our dogs, past or present.

Maggie gradually came around and accepted the rest of us as well, though it took a while longer. She now lays with us, follows us around and swats at us for attention, just as she does with my mother. Even when our boys came along, she did surprisingly well with them. We were all impressed at how well she seemed to adapt to the changes in our household, especially the attention she received from the kids and the addition of new dogs from time to time.

My young nephew, in particular, has taken a special liking to Maggie. He pets her frequently and has tried to kiss her several times. He just loves her. It's all very one-sided. I have to admit that this makes us nervous. Even after all this time and the progress that she has made, she can still be somewhat unpredictable. Also, it's pretty obvious that she doesn't enjoy so much attention, but, generally, she tolerates his affection pretty well.

Maggie has not always been an easy dog to live with, but she has always been pretty easy to love. Whatever her problems, whatever her fears, whatever she needs to become whole, to feel loved and wanted, we've tried to provide. We treat her like part of our family because that's exactly what she's always been, from the moment she walked through our front door. Regardless of where she started, she is our daughter, our sister, our baby. So, no, Maggie has not always been the nicest or friendliest of dogs. It's true. Even so, we've tried to look past the bravado to see her for what she really is . . . a scared, little pup looking for a good home with a loving family. Looking for us.