Gill Tuxworth Ltd Canine Consultant T/A Top Dog

Jed was continuing to make progress despite the fact that we lost Luna in February. It has been sad times for us all as we had become very fond of her and she was due to go to her forever home on the day she started fitting and never recovered.

Jed would now go in and out of the house on his own and would happily go into the kitchen at bed time and when we were leaving the house if we just called him, turned our backs and walked a few steps up the stairs. You can gather by this that we continually had to find new ways to show him that we were not a threat.

By April he would relax within 6 feet of us outside and parallel walk with us as we went about our business in the garden. When called he came to within six feet immediately and was praised for this but any attempt to move or lean forward would mean that he would back off and feel threatened. In the house he was much more settled in his bed and would sleep on his side close to my feet. Occasionally he would leave his bed and fetch toys from another place (where he had left them or one of the other dogs had taken them) and return with them to his bed. He didn’t mind the other dogs taking them, sometimes from underneath him, and if one of our other dogs claimed his vacant bed he would relax and lay on his side on the rug between the sofas.

These improvements seem so small when writing them but to us, and him, they were huge.

We could see the beginnings of trust that have continued throughout his time here. He was relaxing more, lying on his side, snoring and dreaming, and each week was getting closer to us each time we called him. He would still parallel walk but now two feet away and when called, by early June, he would come to us and sniff our hand but not allow us to stroke him, look at him or lean towards him.

One day in early June Col was walking down the garden with Jed and the other dogs in close proximity and Jed began barking and play bowing to him, started circling Col and then raced up to him, nipped his tee shirt and ran away again. We couldn’t allow this lack of respect and the very next time Jed did this Col turned and looked him straight in the face and gave him ‘the look you mother gave you’ (remember?). Jed had asked the question ‘you are part of my pack but where do you fit when we are outside?’ and received the answer ‘higher than you and I deserve respect out here too’ Jed never did this again and continued to interact with us as before.

We had noticed that previously and very occasionally Jed smiled at us with his ears slightly back in a respectful manner and now he was doing this more and more. When we spoke to him, as we often did because this was one form of interaction that he was less threatened by, he started tilting his head from side to side with a lovely smile on his face and very soft eyes. This, of course, made us smile and laugh at him so he did it all the more. It almost became his ‘party piece’ but we resisted showing everyone that visited. Those that saw it were very privileged and extremely amused.

Lily sharing Jed's bed June 2010

Jed was becoming a real character and his true personality was starting to blossom. All our pack loved him even though, at times, the older ones had to put him in his placed and he accepted this with grace. After this he would find at least one of the dogs to play with and ultimately end up with a rough and tumble around the garden with Jake, the 10- year old German Short Haired Pointer. Jake was and still is so tolerant of Jed’s behaviour and seemed to understand that he did not have the opportunity to learn ‘pack manners’ before he came here. When Jed acted like a puppy and pushed a little too far Jake reprimanded him, as though he was a puppy, with no aggression. Jed often wore a bemused expression after charging up to Jake, hitting him square on the side and ricocheting off leaving Jake just standing there! Often, after shaking himself Jed would return just to stand next to Jake and wait until Jake was ready to instigate play with him.

Jake and Jed relaxing in the sitting room May 2010

My pack has taught me so much and reaffirmed time after time that Amichien Bonding comes from the canine. Jed, in particular, has taught me patience and the value of appreciating every improvement, however small.

 A much happier Jed in his bed June 2010