It Takes Time & Patience

I may have already told you, our cocker spaniel Peachie is a rescue. She was owned by four breeders before we got her, and was obviously severely abused by at least one of them.

We agreed to meet her current breeder at the site of a popular lookout, and when we got there the lady opened up the back of her car to let Peachie out. Mike reached down to pet her, and she bit him! “Oh no,” he said. “This is not going to work. We can’t take this dog.” “Oh, please, Mike,” I said. “Just look at her … she needs us. She’s scared, but that will go away with our love.”

He continued to object, but I won the argument and Peachie came home with us … but locked in a crate since we didn’t trust her not to bite. After about 3 days, Peachie got comfortable enough with us to stop running to a room, any room that was different from the room we were in. And after about a week, we could begin to touch her, and pet her. But when I took her for walks, she reverted back to her old habits. If a neighbor so much as looked at her, she would howl like someone was standing on her foot, and cower behind me. I had to keep warning the neighbors to not make eye contact or reach out toward her.

We’ve had her for 1-1/2 years now, and she is a totally different doggie. At home, she doesn’t want to be anywhere but in our laps. (I always wanted a lap dog, but really … I could use a break sometimes!) If I go to the store and don’t take her, she sits by the door with her nose down at the crack at the bottom, watching and waiting for me to return. If she gets loose out the front door, she runs straight to our RV to be sure we don’t go on a trip and leave her behind. She loves to go camping. She’s still scared to meet new people, but it only takes her a short time to feel safe with them instead of days.

This morning, I was thinking about how far we’ve come with her. It took a LOT of time and an excess of patience. Hmmm … that’s what it’s like learning to play a new instrument. It takes time and an abundance of patience with yourself.

Hang in there. You’ll get it.

Happy dulcimering,
Linda