- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Well done Willow and you too for the graft xxx
Willow's confidence journal
- Thread starter snowbunny
- Start date
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
This is great to read -- it must be wonderful for you to see Willow coping with such a happening.
- Location
- East Sussex
That really is a tremendous transformation in Willow's response to noise.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
There was a brief storm this afternoon - although not a drop of rain, bah!
Willow was outside when the single clap of thunder sounded. She looked uncertain, but didn’t head in immediately. I gave her some food (I had been doing a spot of training outside) and she ate it, but slowly, so I decided to give her a small dose of Gabapentin. I brought her in and played some gentle food games (catch, goalie and hiding it in my scrunched up jammies). She chose to go onto our bed rather than hide in the corner.
After ten minutes, she was back to being full of beans, and we played a little with a ball.
We then went out for our evening walk, where she was on to form, wanting to engage and also happy to go sniffing in the undergrowth. A perfectly normal, happy dog.
Then she found a dead wild boar piglet which she rolled and rolled in (while Squidge chowed down on it) and ended up smelling like death. I was gagging walking along behind her to get home; I’ve never known a smell like it, and I’ve smelled some disgusting stuff in my time.
All in all, a good day for Willow. I’m now spending the night on the sofa, waiting for Squidge’s inevitable evacuations at some point - the rotten carcass snarfling coming on top of swallowing three whole peaches from the ones the pickers had rejected - but also hiding away from the lingering aroma of the black monster, even following a half hour of shampooing.
Well played, Willow. Well played.
Willow was outside when the single clap of thunder sounded. She looked uncertain, but didn’t head in immediately. I gave her some food (I had been doing a spot of training outside) and she ate it, but slowly, so I decided to give her a small dose of Gabapentin. I brought her in and played some gentle food games (catch, goalie and hiding it in my scrunched up jammies). She chose to go onto our bed rather than hide in the corner.
After ten minutes, she was back to being full of beans, and we played a little with a ball.
We then went out for our evening walk, where she was on to form, wanting to engage and also happy to go sniffing in the undergrowth. A perfectly normal, happy dog.
Then she found a dead wild boar piglet which she rolled and rolled in (while Squidge chowed down on it) and ended up smelling like death. I was gagging walking along behind her to get home; I’ve never known a smell like it, and I’ve smelled some disgusting stuff in my time.
All in all, a good day for Willow. I’m now spending the night on the sofa, waiting for Squidge’s inevitable evacuations at some point - the rotten carcass snarfling coming on top of swallowing three whole peaches from the ones the pickers had rejected - but also hiding away from the lingering aroma of the black monster, even following a half hour of shampooing.
Well played, Willow. Well played.
Lisa
Moderator
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
Well, you WANTED a fearless dog, right....? 
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Good girl Willow you coped so well but Squidge really .... 
xx
xx
Well done Willow! And Squidge... well, rock on, girl!!!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
It’s probably quite boring now, me saying “So, Willow did this normal dog thing...”. But, still, today, Willow did a normal dog thing.
One of her big fears has always been strong wind; it’s up there with thunderstorms. Today has been very windy all day - I went out shopping and had to brace in order to get back inside with the bags, because the wind was trying to push me the other way. The sort of wind where Willow would be hiding out in a safe place, and would refuse to leave.
But not a bit of it. She hasn’t given a second thought to the wind. She came on the evening walk as if there was nothing untoward going on, ran happily into the forest, which would have previously been her worst nightmare in windy conditions.
She was a normal dog. Nothing more, nothing less. But, wow, how I celebrate the normal in her. What a massive achievement normal is. Not “Willow normal”, just “normal”.
I’m so proud of her, what a total demon she is to have come through so much fear and out the other side. She is the bravest of the brave
One of her big fears has always been strong wind; it’s up there with thunderstorms. Today has been very windy all day - I went out shopping and had to brace in order to get back inside with the bags, because the wind was trying to push me the other way. The sort of wind where Willow would be hiding out in a safe place, and would refuse to leave.
But not a bit of it. She hasn’t given a second thought to the wind. She came on the evening walk as if there was nothing untoward going on, ran happily into the forest, which would have previously been her worst nightmare in windy conditions.
She was a normal dog. Nothing more, nothing less. But, wow, how I celebrate the normal in her. What a massive achievement normal is. Not “Willow normal”, just “normal”.
I’m so proud of her, what a total demon she is to have come through so much fear and out the other side. She is the bravest of the brave
Wow. This is fantastic and also speaks to so many challenges in life. Three million cheers for your loving care and Willow’s bravery. She is one phenomenal pup, and you’re one phenomenal friend for a pup to have
- Location
- SW London UK
I know how you feel. I’ve just heard fireworks far away in the distance because we’ve just turned the tv off and the house is quiet. Homer is fast asleep and hadn’t heard them and hasn’t reacted. This morning at mantrailing there were gun shots and he didn’t react. I did, but he didn’t and went straight to find the missing person for treats rather than run back to the car.
I think I say too often now, he would have reacted to that but he hasn’t.
I think I say too often now, he would have reacted to that but he hasn’t.
She is brave very brave. So happy for you both 
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
That’s awesome, @JES72! I’m so pleased for you and Homer. I think the fact that we comment on it so often shows how difficult that stage was, and how much it affected us.
It’s still hard not to think of Willow as my noise sensitive dog, my scared girl, because it had a huge impact on me. I was conditioned to it, and it caused me to have a negative emotional response. But now, over time, I should have enough of these positive experiences that I become counter-conditioned, just like Willow, and it becomes as normal for me as it is for her
That is such a great post to read!! Well done Willow, and you too Fiona for your dedication and hard work xxx
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
I mentioned this elsewhere, but it should go in here, too, for posterity.
Just arrived into Andorra last night, so the dogs are all a bit on edge from the upheaval. We weren't expecting any blasting because, although there's snow on the ground, it's not deep. However, there was either some early season management, or training happening, as on our morning walk, there was a blast. Willow immediately looked at me, and I threw her a party with lots of chasing of food, but she didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest.
She's totally off meds, and has been for months. I was a bit worried about blasting this season, and thinking I might need to bring out the Gabapentin when it happens, but since the blast, she's been totally normal, not showing any avoidance behaviours at all. Of course it's only a single incidence, so far too early to consider it a predictor of what's to come, but it was still super promising.
Watch this space...
Just arrived into Andorra last night, so the dogs are all a bit on edge from the upheaval. We weren't expecting any blasting because, although there's snow on the ground, it's not deep. However, there was either some early season management, or training happening, as on our morning walk, there was a blast. Willow immediately looked at me, and I threw her a party with lots of chasing of food, but she didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest.
She's totally off meds, and has been for months. I was a bit worried about blasting this season, and thinking I might need to bring out the Gabapentin when it happens, but since the blast, she's been totally normal, not showing any avoidance behaviours at all. Of course it's only a single incidence, so far too early to consider it a predictor of what's to come, but it was still super promising.
Watch this space...
Lisa
Moderator
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
Wow, that’s FANTASTIC, Fiona!! Here’s to a great, carefree winter, blasting or no blasting!! 
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
So good that Willow is not frightened by blasting anymore, well done.
