Little Victories

Around 5pm I took Molly out thru the sunporch and carried J down. At first when I set her down she followed me twice - right behind behind me both times - unsure. When I went to sit she scurried off to a corner of the yard. I walked around the yard with a perky Molly and then sat in the grass with her . J was sitting next to the edge of a garden border and she was backing herself into the daylilies. After sitting awhile I decided I did not want her shrinking back in there so I picked her up and put her down in the shade in the middle of the yard. Mollly came and plopped herself next to us. Jayna was sitting perpendicular to me, not moving, but not running away. As I was petting Molly I could see out of the corner of my eye J watching us. When I turned my head (not to look at her directly) she would turn her head as if she were not watching. We did this a couple of times. I was told that I probably wouldn't be able to pet for a a good long while.  Something told me to take a chance here.

I started to do delicate ttouch circles on her shoulder, upper back and around the back of her neck. I did this for a few minutes then stopped. i couldn't believe it when I saw her turn her head 90 degrees to look at me. So I started up again. Slightly more pressure, shoulder, upper back, back of the neck and down through her upper chest. I stopped again and she turned her head to look at me and as she did that she rotated her body slightly towards me. We repeated this a few more times and before I knew it she had rotated her body so she was now facing me (we started with her turned 90 to me). I continue. Molly is on my left side this entire time just being being a great girl. This time when I stopped, she lifted her right front paw ever so slightly about an inch off the ground. That looked like a solicit to me! I started up again. When I stopped, I held my arm hovering in front of me. i didn't expect her to but before I knew it she had wrapped her front leg around my arm. Whoa. Would never have expected this… not for a loooong while. I admit I got a little emotional. She got a good sequence of ttouch on that one. A few more times I stopped and each time I would hold out my hand and she would offer me her paw. OMG. Happy little victories.

There's a little dog in there that wants to make a connection....

Molly and I made our way to the sunporch steps. J walked to the edge of grass and I carried her back up. Set her down on the bedding and she shrunk back into herself in a sitting position. I started ttouch again and she slouched down in a laying position. I saw her right rear leg raise a bit. Was she offering her tummy? I gently caressed her tummy and her leg opened wider. Not a full on belly offering but hey this is progress! After a few more minutes I left, to walk Benny. We came back and I opened the slider all the way this time. She did shrink when I came in but there was treats and she loosened up! As it gets dark I will bring her into the living room crate.

Here she is getting familiar with the crate setup
in the living room. Both doors are open.

6:28pm No potty yet at all.

9pm she took treats from my hand. On 2 separate visits. I set her inside the living room. She actually sniffed around for a little bit. Duh, me I moved towards her in excitement, I should have stayed put instead of moving closer. I put her in the crate, showered with treats. She got in laid down, ate treats, and hung out peacefully.

1045 ready to take dogs for their night pee. Gonna take J out back with Molly to see if I can get her to pee. No luck. Got her settled into the bedroom crate. She's quiet as a mouse.

Damn, this was a goood day. Big day. Lot's happened that I wasn't expecting. That's the wild thing about dogs... they are constantly blowing our expectations out of the water. Hmmm, says something about us!