Zinnia annoys Fate almost every day when she interrupts Fate’s stare at the sheep with some licks on the nose. Zinnia licks every creature she goes near with a lick on the nose – Minnie the Barn Cat (Flo, embarrassed, hisses her away), Lulu and Fanny, some of the sheep, Bud and Fate, even when her dignity is rattled a bit.
Fate snarls at Zinnia when she does this, but Zinnia does not process rejection or hostility; she kisses Fate anyway. Border collies do not care to be smooched while working.
I had two Dog Support cases today.
I don’t usually offer Dog Support on the weekends, but these two needed some attention.
Prudence, the terrified Great Dane, is making slow but steady progress. She is gaining weight, allowing herself to be petted, and eating her food while her human is in the kennel.
We’ll raise the outer yard wall by five or six feet so Prudence can go out of the kennel and hang around with the other five dogs who live on the property. She has no problem with dogs, only strangers.
Her owner, who is knowledgeable and dedicated, is experimenting with bringing food into the kennel and moving it closer and closer to her and the door. We’ll see what happens.
Prudence has eased up quite a bit for one week.
Tomorrow I’m talking to a woman who has just gotten a young Spaniel and wants to correct some habits she doesn’t like early so the two can go riding along when she rides her horse.
I have had some experience acclimating new dogs to horses, donkeys, and sheep. I’m looking forward to the conversation. The application letter was great.
If you want some Dog Support, it’s $50 a half hour, and $75 for an hour.
You can e-mail me at [email protected]. Two slots left. All Dog Support meetings are held on weekdays – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – at 5 pm. EDT on Zoom, Facetime, or the phone.
How does raising a kennel wall by five or six feet make it easier for the dog to get out and meet other dogs?
It doesn’t, Luke; the wall is not the kennel wall, but the yard wall. The idea is to let the dog out of her kennel, her safe spot, so she can walk around with the other dogs and experience some pack security and normalcy. The outer wall, the wall of the yard, is to be raised so there is no danger of her jumping out or running off since she can be very fearful. Thanks for calling my attention to the mistake.
You seem to keep writing about the dogs that you have in your dog support cases. Is it possible to opt out of that, for privacy reasons? I’m interested in dog support, but I absolutely do not want to be written about on your blog, even with disguised names.
Best find someone else, June, I am open on my blog, and no one is ever identifiable by dog, name, or place. I don’t write about most people I’m talking to, only those with something to teach us. That’s what I do; I’m a writer. The idea is to help people, not just to make money.
And some of the anecdotes are not even from people in the Dog Support program.
I understand if this makes you uncomfortable, but your restrictions, even under total anonymity, would make ME uncomfortable, so I think we should not work together. Your concern is valid, but I reserve the right always to write what I want while protecting people’s privacy.
Thanks for asking, and good luck with your dog. I’m sure there are lots of people who can help you. Best Jon