Jackie comes to the office

I was sitting upstairs in my office today, surrounded by Griffin, Sparky, Maya, Vince, and TJ. Trooper, Max, and Theo were in the dog yard, Jackie was downstairs. I heard the sound of a dog slowly climbing the stairs and turned around to see Jackie standing in the doorway. I had brought her up once for her bath, but she hadn't been upstairs since then and had made no effort to climb the stairs. I assumed that she couldn't but I was wrong.

Jackie headed right for me when she came into
the office, looking quite pleased to be there.

She's been more and more integrated into the pack and she wanted to join us where we hang out during the day. I was glad to see that she could do the stairs and that she wanted to join us. She came right up to my chair for some petting and eventually settled down in an open crate.

I thought it might be a one time thing, but she went up and down several times in the course of the afternoon. However, the nice thing about having her primarily in the kitchen is that it's easy to clean. I left her upstairs when I ran out on a quick errand and when I returned found that she had peed on the bare wood floor at the top of the stairs. That won't work. She still pees in the house at random times. It's not much of a problem during the day because I get her outside often enough, but each morning I need to mop the kitchen floor because she's urinated on it at least twice during the night. As long as that continues, she needs to stay downstairs on the tile floor where it's easy to clean.

I don't know at this point if it's a medical problem or a housetraining thing. She gives no indication that she needs to go, she will just walk to a spot, squat, and pee. I don't want to crate her, because if she has to go I don't want her only option to be peeing in the crate. I'd rather mop, but that means keeping her downstairs so I put a gate at the bottom of the staircase for now anyway.

She came right to me and let me pet her and
hold her head.

Later in the afternoon, Clay's mother came out to visit, mostly to meet Jackie. We wanted to find out if she was still scared of new people generally, or just large men. She's still scared of pretty much everyone, although she is getting a lot better with me. Even with me, however, sometimes she's fine but she spooks easily and is slow to build up trust again.

Maya got up and inserted herself between me and Jackie.
Her point was made and the meaning understood. 

There are three large crates in the middle of the
room and one on the side. Sparky is in one most
of the time that I'm in the office.

Vince in an open crate. This is where Jackie eventually
settled herself down.

Maya on the bed next to my chair. This is the one what she
and Gigi would sometimes share. 

The fuzzy rug is actually TJ 
on the bed to the left of my chair.

My hand on Jackie's head, Vince under the desk on the left,
and Maya on the bed on the right. Jackie had to find her spot.

Jackie will need to stay in the kitchen for now
but I may start leaving another dog down
there with her so she's got company.

Treats certainly help Jackie warm up
to a person, but they only go so far.