Charlie
Bonnie and Elma
Two of these little dogs had been fending for themselves on the streets of Romania, roaming free.
The two girls, black and white Bonnie with little terrier Elma, were probably abandoned pets.
The lady is an experienced dog owner – particularly with rescue dogs. She took on much older Charlie, left, seven months ago and the other two only three months later.
The three are extraordinarily well-adjusted in the circumstances. The lady has worked hard.
Taking things to the next stage
Sometimes it’s hard to see one’s own situation clearly and she needs some help to take things to the next stage.
Bonnie is very reactive to other dogs. With her history of roaming free on the streets and considering how quickly she fitted in with the other two dogs, I strongly suspect her reactivity has been getting worse because she is trapped on lead.
She’s not free any more.
Nor can she be let off lead. Shortly after she arrived she disappeared for two hours.
The work starts at home
The solution to this is largely about groundwork. The work doesn’t simply start when out on walks and they meet a dog. Fundamental is getting her full attention at home at the sound of her name along with getting instant recall when she is called around house and garden. These things need to become an automatic response.
She needs to learn how to walk nicely at home where she feels safe.
Only then will the lady be ready to work on other dogs, finding the threshold distance where she still feels safe – and building up her confidence. She can help Bonnie to feel more free by making sure the lead is always slack. This is a time-consuming business and has to be taken slowly.
Over time Bonnie should begin to associate other dogs with nice stuff, instead of fear and feeling trapped on lead with a tense human holding it tight with resulting discomfort to her neck.
Fortunately neither of the other two dogs has these problems, so the lady will work on Bonnie by herself until gradually doubling her up with one of the others and then all three together.
Recall will be worked at for as long as it takes before Bonnie is ever let off lead again.
