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I’m beginning to think that I’m going to have to have words with my two little sausage companions – and sooner rather than later. They’re starting to think that I live with them – rather than they live with me! It’s honestly amazing how much they’ve changed and come out of themselves since they first came to me back in August. I feel as though I’m beginning to finally see the real Willow and Bear. And both are considerably more pushy and self-willed than I thought!
Willow has blossomed and calmed down so that she’s less anxious around people and places and, more to the point, less shouty. She does still shout (a lot) but she shuts up much more quickly now. When they first came here, I don’t think they’d ever been outside before.
Streets, roads, pavements, and people terrified them – particularly Willow. She vocalised this fear and would panic, trying to get behind me. Everything kicked her off: cars coming down the road or anybody coming towards her, behind her, or out of a house. In particular, postpeople were given a very hard time.
Equally, when taken to the park, I was in danger of tripping over them as they walked so closely to me. And, I confess, on several occasions I found myself propelling them off the front of my foot unceremoniously! Now though, we can walk down a street for the most part without issue. We can also walk past people and other dogs with no problem, unless, of course, they stop to chat, in which case Willow will still have a fit of barking, but it doesn’t last too long.
Once I learned that she’d been bred for puppies and had likely only just left them (possibly only a few days before I picked her up), I understood some of her anxiety and clinginess. Interestingly, everybody has noticed Willow’s progress and commented on it. Although she still shouts on first meetings, the second time she meets you, she shouts far less, and the third or fourth time, not at all.
She has human friends now who she greets with excited, very high-pitched barking and yipping but once she’s said hello and bounced her delight away, she stops completely. She also now loves playing chase with other dogs in the park, beating up Bear with dominant play, getting the zoomies up and down my hallway, and crawling up inside your clothing where, like a Velcro-pawed ninja, she falls asleep.
I think the biggest difference by far though is Bear. I hadn’t realised (because I didn’t know him before) just how ‘shut down’ he actually was. He spent all day hiding in crates in snuggle sacks apparently sleeping. He never came over for a fuss, didn’t play at all, and would, if you weren’t quick enough, immediately eat his own poo once done, in an effort to hide it. When I learned that he’d been beaten and had his nose broken, I worked very hard to give him love, confidence, and praise. But most importantly, to give positive physical touch and lots of cuddles, massages, and kisses, which he now returns (poo free).
I realised that his ‘poo eating’ was about hiding it so that he didn’t get told off and still, even now, he cringes and flattens into submission if he gets caught on the wrong side of a door or does anything he thinks might be wrong.
The other day, he was balancing on the arm of the sofa, standing on a cushion with his head in my glass of water. Trust me, there are water bowls all over the house…he just prefers drinking from my glass. I saw what was going to happen but I couldn’t get there in time.
As he moved his weight forward to lean in further, the cushion slipped and he went head-first into the glass which, of course, fell over, sending water everywhere. He landed spluttering and coughing, upside down on the carpet. Flipping himself over, his ears were back and flat to the side of his head, his little black eyes fixed on mine as, like a cartoon dog, he gulped, poised to flee. He was afraid he’d done something terrible and was waiting to see what I’d do and how I’d chastise him. I simply laughed.
I bent down to him, opened my arms, and called him to me. I could’ve cried at the relief on that little dog’s face. It’s only water and it’ll dry. My little boy was relieved and rushed up to me, crawling onto my lap and pushing his head into me, licking my chin. He could flood the sitting room and float boats on it and I’d still be OK about it.
Bear is a completely different dog. Where he was scurfy and greasy to touch, his coat now gleams and feels like silk velvet. Today, he empties the toy box, plays, comes for cuddles, watches TV, sleeps in my arms, and greets almost everyone silently, happily, and with a waggy tail.
All 100% positive. However, this new confidence doesn’t come without its issues. Willow and I now regularly battle it out as she’s determined to crawl down my sleeve, burrow up under my tunic, or, having climbed my back and used my head as a jumping-off point, force her way down through the neck of my jumper to lie on my chest. She’s quite simply a licking, crawling, snuggling bully who, once she’s set her sights on something, will not, no matter what you do or say, give up.
I’ve tried stopping the onslaught with a firm ‘no’ as soon as it starts with absolutely no effect whatsoever. I’ve tried standing up and moving away. I’ve even peeled my clothes off in the middle of the room, but she simply keeps going, wearing you down until she’s wrapped around your neck like a fur tippet. Here, she clings on fiercely, left to sleep snoring in your ear, dog breath in your face. This is of course only marginally better than the tongue up your nose and dog slobber all over your face as she forces herself upon you – but not much. I swear it should come under some regulation or other.
Then there’s the calling in from the garden. I stand with the back door open letting all the heat out, while two little dogs take absolutely no notice of me whatsoever. I have to go outside and herd them in like cats as they pootle off in different directions, completely ignoring me. I’m not allowed to leave a room without comment and my food is apparently their food!
Ah well, the price we pay! That said, they’re sweet, funny, lovable, extremely affectionate, far less shouty, and, most of the time, do as they’re told. And the rest…well, we can work on that.
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