It’s been a challenging week. I think a scorecard to help keep track of the dogs involved would be a good idea.
Bear is staying with me for an extended time while a friend attends to some important matters. Yule arrived on Sunday to board with me this week. I wrote on Sunday that we introduced Bear and Yule and it didn’t go well. This meant I had to keep them separate. But I couldn’t put anyone in my kennels because Teddy, the Homeward Bound dog I am working, is, shall we say, not very welcoming. So Bear would have to stay in the bathroom off the hallway. It’s a 10′ x 10′ room with a dog gate so he wasn’t completely cut off from the rest of us.
We repeated the Bear-Yule introduction on Monday but still no luck. But the 3rd time was a charm on Wednesday and we were able to drop leashes and let them interact. But I still had to be very careful becasue Bear and Yule didn’t exaclty become bosom buddies over the course of 30 minutes. So when I took them home Bear still went in the bathroom until after supper. About 7:00 I let Bear out and watched over the three dogs carefully. It was an exhilarating moment but it’s critical to project calm so I paid close attention to my breathing and manner around the dogs. Yule was clearly anxious — there was some growling and a few short lunges (I had Yule on a leash). Then the barking started. Yule. So I put him in the back bedroom until he stopped about 30 minutes later.
I brought Yule out to join us and he was better but still anxious. After a few minutes I got him up on the couch and held him while we watched TV for a couple hours.
Over the next couple days I could see Yule getting increasingly comfortable. But there were still the occasional fits of barking so we weren’t out of the woods yet. By Friday I had stopped watching the three of them every second. But I felt compelled to investigate when I heard some extended barking from another room. I found Yule and Bear in the living room exchanging loud threats. Except … they weren’t threats. Yule looked at me and grinned and they fell into a 30 minute wrestling match that rambled over four rooms. After that I tried to get them to play outdoors. Here’s what that looks like:
I had hoped that Yule and Bear would take to each other right away. I was surprised that it took us four days to get them interacting. And then another couple days for them to start playing. But I’ll take it. This is huge for Yule. Now he has two dogs that he can roughhouse with. I hope to keep introducing him to new dogs. That will help him shed the need to react to dogs he sees while out for a walk with his Mom. And it will help him achieve a fuller and more balanced life as a dog. Way to go Yule!
ROB & DOG 
[…] with me with me for a while his Mom was out of commission back in March. I wrote about him in this post. Bear is a special boy and it was good to see him again. I asked him to sit and he dutifully posed […]
LikeLike
Time, patience and the right guide can help in so many ways…way to go all!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You are so right!
LikeLike
Good job Rob! Yes, I do think you are the Dog Whisper!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a whisper all right.
LikeLike
Glad they finally started playing together. They look like they had a lot of fun and I’m sure you were very happy to be able to relax and enjoy their play.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very much so.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What they said. 🙂 Dog whisperer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No whispering involved. Anyone can do this if willing to get some experience and take the necessary time. There is nothing special about me. At least not in this regard.
LikeLike
Great job Rob! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLike
I’ve been waiting on on pins and needles to hear about Yule and Bear. So so glad they finally are playing. The traveling heiress feels much better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been meaning to post for a couple days but couldn’t get to it until last night. would have been better to e-mail you to ease your mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Way to go, Rob, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. The real kudos go to Yule for getting past his anxiety. It’s not easy for him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hooray for Yule, and hooray that he had an environment in which his transition was more possible for him.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly!
LikeLike
What a long haul for everyone! So glad the outcome was so good, Nice work, Rob 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people