New experience day…wow!
So for people who don’t remember- me was a very nervous pooch when me landed in dad’s arms just over 3 month things ago. Me now very less nervous when out with Dad and also at home. Me and dad have done lots together – classes twice a week and some individual sessions at home with teacher Jim and Amy. Jim is a search pooch handler and trainer and he has taught me and dad loads. Best is scent work as me gets HUGE treats. Amy gives me stickers in me book! Scent work makes me very sleepy after.
Me and dad go walkies two or three times a day – we don’t always meet hoomans or pooches – depends on if they are out. Me also has some attachment and separation issues when not with dad but we is working on those slowly.
Dad had a clever thought last week to help me get “socialised” a bit more – Jim takes other pooches out for walks – so he asked if Jim would take me as well. Jim came and picked me up from home – couldn’t jump into his car thing so he lifted me. The crate I went in smelt of other pooches – me went in after a few short things as nice treats suddenly appeared in the crate. We picked up two other pooches and then went walking around the streets and noisy areas in the next town. Me wasn’t totally happy initially but Jim looked after me. Me and one of the other pooches sniffed things together – one of the other pooches was a grumpy pooch and had a mask thing on his nose. Me didn’t walk next to him! Me calmed down towards the second bit of the walk.
When we got home – Jim told dad that he was happy with me and there was nothing to worry about for the first group walk. He said the nerves were OK and he saw me getting more relaxed during the walk.
So me spent nearly an hour and a half away from dad and me walked with strange pooches. Pretty good result me thinks for me. We are going to be doing this every Monday – with different pooches next week – not the masked one! And me thinks another day in the week.
Dad also says we are going to walk around the next town at the weekend so even more new smells and things.
Now me found somewhere in the sun to snooze and rest my brain.
HUGE achievement wuuufssssss
Marcus and dad 