So proud of Homer!
- Thread starter JES72
- Start date
- Location
- East Sussex
Really great to read this - wonderful achievement!
- Location
- SW London UK
After Homers river walk today he didn’t turn into our gate but wanted to continue up the road towards the main road so I let him guide me up the road. We turned the corner onto the main road and stopped with his nose on the Butchers door!
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
Awwww good boy Homer 
- Location
- SW London UK
Even more proud of my boy this morning!
We've had a week of TV lorries and scaffolding and what-not going on down by the river getting ready for The Boat Race. We've mostly walked past it all in the evenings when its been a bit quieter but have had to navigate blocked off sections of his normal route. He knows he has to stay on the pavement and not go onto the road so found it a bit confusing when we had to go along the road (no cars as the road was closed) and not on the pavement.
This morning the taking down had started. Funny how it takes a week to put it all up but it all comes down in a day. There was a very big yellow loud beeping cherry picker contraption with lights flashing moving backwards and forwards taking down some scaffolding. This would have sent Homer straight back home before he even got to the bottom of the road before but today he walked past without much of a blink. He played with another dog while the other owner and I chatted for a bit only 10m away from the monstrous contraption. He was too busy playing to even be bothered by the noise. After about 5 minutes he indicated that he wanted to go on. That a good 5 minutes of good solid desensitising that I'd never be able to replicate in a contrived situation for him. And it was all on his terms. He knew he could ask to go back home, continue to play or carry on with his walk at any point.
We've had a week of TV lorries and scaffolding and what-not going on down by the river getting ready for The Boat Race. We've mostly walked past it all in the evenings when its been a bit quieter but have had to navigate blocked off sections of his normal route. He knows he has to stay on the pavement and not go onto the road so found it a bit confusing when we had to go along the road (no cars as the road was closed) and not on the pavement.
This morning the taking down had started. Funny how it takes a week to put it all up but it all comes down in a day. There was a very big yellow loud beeping cherry picker contraption with lights flashing moving backwards and forwards taking down some scaffolding. This would have sent Homer straight back home before he even got to the bottom of the road before but today he walked past without much of a blink. He played with another dog while the other owner and I chatted for a bit only 10m away from the monstrous contraption. He was too busy playing to even be bothered by the noise. After about 5 minutes he indicated that he wanted to go on. That a good 5 minutes of good solid desensitising that I'd never be able to replicate in a contrived situation for him. And it was all on his terms. He knew he could ask to go back home, continue to play or carry on with his walk at any point.
- Location
- East Sussex
That's such a lovely post to read. You must be very relieved.
Wonderful. Just wonderful. You must be absolutely over the moon!
He's an absolute star. You must be so proud of him
- Location
- Close to Devon/Somerset border
That is SO good to read. Well done for all your patient work with him.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
That's just brilliant, what progress for Homer 
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
well done,both xx
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Wow! Amazing, very well done to all concerned
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Brilliant work
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
Good boy Homer 
- Location
- Isle of Man
This is so good to read.
- Location
- SW London UK
Even more proud today.
We were going to walk along the river this morning but I went a little along the scary path past the Thames Tunnel construction site to pop his poop in the poop bin. There was a golden retriever standing on the path nervous and still not wanting to go further. As I approached the dog did a nervous little wiggle, that I'm so used to seeing Homer do. Homer came up confidently and must have said in doggy language that it was all OK so the dog followed Homer along the path to where its owner was waiting not knowing why his dog hadn't followed him. So I mentioned that his dog might be a bit nervous of the noise and that Homer was nervous about noise. As I was saying this Homer trotted off along the noisy path as if nothing was the matter. I called him back and pulled a treat out of my pocket not expecting him to take it as he doesn't take even the tastiest treat if he is even the slightest bit nervous. No anxiety at all and he gobbled down the treat. On we walked past the machinery and I called Homer back a few times to check in and each time he took the treat enthusiastically.
Thunder and fireworks are the next huge big challenge but at least he is able to live in his normal busy city environment much better than before.
We were going to walk along the river this morning but I went a little along the scary path past the Thames Tunnel construction site to pop his poop in the poop bin. There was a golden retriever standing on the path nervous and still not wanting to go further. As I approached the dog did a nervous little wiggle, that I'm so used to seeing Homer do. Homer came up confidently and must have said in doggy language that it was all OK so the dog followed Homer along the path to where its owner was waiting not knowing why his dog hadn't followed him. So I mentioned that his dog might be a bit nervous of the noise and that Homer was nervous about noise. As I was saying this Homer trotted off along the noisy path as if nothing was the matter. I called him back and pulled a treat out of my pocket not expecting him to take it as he doesn't take even the tastiest treat if he is even the slightest bit nervous. No anxiety at all and he gobbled down the treat. On we walked past the machinery and I called Homer back a few times to check in and each time he took the treat enthusiastically.
Thunder and fireworks are the next huge big challenge but at least he is able to live in his normal busy city environment much better than before.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Brilliant!! Ah, I'm so glad that you're having similar success to us at the moment! It just makes me smile ear to ear 
- Location
- SW London UK
It's such a huge relief. Knowing that there was going to be massive heavy infrastructure construction going on around us had me filled with dread. I'd composed so many angry letters in my head demanding compensation for having to rehome my dog due to the noise, but in fact the opposite has happened and Homer is now so much more comfortable with noises. And by the end of it all we get a much cleaner river for him to swim in.
Now for letters to the council regarding fireworks and words with God regarding thunder.
Now for letters to the council regarding fireworks and words with God regarding thunder.