Daisy was shy. Well, maybe the word should be terrified. When we picked her up last Saturday, she had come in a van full of dogs from North Carolina. An hour late, the van finally arrived at the parking lot of this emergency vet building, and, with three other families, we waited in the cold night air outside its door. Before the arrival, Koa, our seven year-old granddaughter, had been running back and forth to the median strip between the parking lot and the road, shouting, “I’ll be the first to see Daisy!”
When the handler called her name and led her out of the van, Daisy was trembling. A sweet furry puppy, we all wanted to pet and snuggle her, but she didn’t want to get out of that van. It was very cold here in New England, quite a change from North Carolina. And what a big change for this little puppy that had been born and lived her life so far in a shelter full of other dogs. We had to carry her to the car where she rode in the back seat next to Koa. Koa, delighted, was her most gentle and loving self.
Now, a week later, Daisy is still scared when we go outside onto the sidewalks of our street, but she likes going into the back yard. In the front, the street is a quiet one, but occasional cars and people go by, and every time they do, Daisy freezes. When she stalls and digs in her heels, we’re learning to stop and wait, then step ahead and lead her (as per Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer.)
Now that we’re dog owners again, we’re noticing all the other dogs and their owners, getting tips from our dog-owner friends, and will have a consultation with a dog trainer recommended by our new vet. Daisy is happily chewing on rawhide bones and toys (as well as a few other things,) chasing balls, and enthusiastically wagging her tail for all the petting and snuggling we can give her.
