Proud Momma

I am such a proud momma!

When we met Remy prior to his adoption, I had two questions - Does he bark?  Does he get along with other dogs?  The answers were exactly what I wanted to hear - no barking, and he got along great with other dogs.  Unfortunately, once we adopted him, it was quite apparent that the real answers to the questions were the exact opposite!

I've spent so much time and energy in Remy's training at the kennels at work, and after eight months, I am finally enjoying some peace! Four months after adopting him though, I had resigned myself to the fact that Remy would never be alright in the dog kennel.  I had to make arrangements with my coworkers to let him out at home, or drive an hour to and from work over my lunch break to let him out.  Now, I finally see a glimmer of hope.  

In the past two weeks, I've had to take Remy to the office with me for various reasons when I would have normally kept him at home.  Instead of barking at the door of the kennel and shaking, Remy will walk right into to the kennels quietly!  Instead of constant, ear-piercing barking, Remy will settle down quietly in his cage after about five or ten minutes!  Instead of getting wound up even further when people walk into the dog kennel, Remy will now wake up and calmly come to the door of the kennel and not bark, whine or even jump up on the door!  I honestly cannot put into words how dramatic this change is for him.

Some of these behaviors are the direct result of his training, but I think the overall success of his kennel experience has been from gaining confidence and trust.  He still has some anxiety around dogs, but with all of the socializing I have done with him, he is definitely more confident with them.  I also think that over the past eight months he can now trust that I will return even after I leave him in a kennel.

Regardless of the reason, I am such a proud momma!