Today I Bought a Book ...

Today was a day when Jay and I both admitted to feeling frustrated. 

Not at Mojo -- certainly not! -- but at ourselves.  Just feeling inadequate.  I can't speak for Jay, but for myself, it was wondering whether I'm smart enough about how to help Mojo acclimate. 

So, I was reading through various websites and postings about how to help a fearful dog adapt, and none of them really clicked with me.  The dogs they were talking about didn't sound like Mojo. They seem more ... advanced.  They already responded to treat rewards, or extra play time, etc.  Mojo loves treats, but as you can see in a previous post, he won't extend himself for one.  And he doesn't play.  Roll a ball toward him and he barely even looks at it.  Get down with him and say "who's a good boy?" in doggy baby talk, and he looks embarassed ... for me.

Anyway, looking through the websites made me feel even more inadequate, until I found the one that I should have latched onto in the first place, based on the name:  FearfulDogs.com.  I mean, seriously -- is there a place more perfect for the likes of us?

It's all based on the fascinating story of the woman who runs the site and the dog she rescued.  And after being 9 days into our time with Mojo, who still lives in our kitchen but has shown signs of bonding, trust, and progress, you can bet I was reassured to read the following:

Initially, Sunny [her dog, a border collie she rescued from an animal horder] could not tolerate any contact with people. He lived in a corner of our living room for more than a month. He ate, slept, peed and pooped there.  I imagined that “any day now” Sunny would come bounding out of the corner and realize that life was good. He didn’t. It took over a year and a half for him to

not just tolerate me, but also to stop showing signs of fear when I approached him.

At last!  I found someone who has not only been through what we're going through (to an extreme we are not [mercifully] dealing with), but she has dedicated herself to helping help people like us who want to give a fearful dog its confidence back.  So far, the chapters I'm most eager to read are:  Helping a Fearful Dog Interpret Humanity, and Getting a Dog to Play.

So, today I bought a book. 

And I shall learn to read Mojo!