“Look at me, my first trip to the Dog Park! Oh boy!”
Why is ascent to self confidence so gradual?
Because size of ‘The Next Step’ maybe larger than you think if self-confidence,support are lacking.
Quite some progress from her begrudging first walk about six months ago. But jeez, it took this long to get to this point! All this stuff we’ve been working so hard on this, it’s a natural for most dogs, but not this one.
Situation Analysis: You got this super shy dog, totally depressed, has ZERO self confidence, realizes it’s tiny frail. So how do you break out? A ‘smell-filled stroll’ was first step, elementary school. But ascending to the ‘Dog Park’ was like accelerating all the way to graduate school.
The path from ‘First Walk’ to ‘Dog Park’ took about six-months. At times progress seemed glacial, if nothing else non-linear. Early in the process after I was committed to being her ‘lifetime home’ I thought about journaling, then decided against it.
“You must keep track of your daily progress?” Sounds weird coming from a Stanford engineer, but I decided to let zen determine our progress.
We weren’t going to adhere to some didactic, milestone based plan. Rather simply elevate our situational awareness. Pay close attention to the factors that made it a good day or bad. Process was more importat than outcomes. Try and influence progress, don’t push, mandate it.
Then dog tries to push it, These walks are great, but kinda getting boring. Is there some place I can play with other dogs. Not just the park, more like a ‘Dog Park.’ Can I try that?”
A good leader has to strike a find the right balance, progressional pace for each of their people. ‘Just enough rope’ the tried and true expression. They’ve been stealhy aware of everything, saw some ‘yellow lights’ when picked just the right opportunity to give the’green light.’
But observant, accutely aware. Give them a chance to swim, but don’t let them sink.
Here’s Twinkles’ recollection in her voice of when she got the ‘green light’ to TAKE THE BIG NEXT STEP. Her first trip to the Dog Park! Hopeful anxiety turned into nervous anxiety QUICKLY.
Now I earned my first trip to the Dog Park. All the big dogs running around at a frenetic pace can be a little overwheming. So I fell back to my comfort zone, did the puppy dog eyes and found a cozy female lap, to lap-dog onto.
Then, when she had to go, I was gently placed under her chair. I wasn’t quite ready to join ‘The Pack’ ten-times my size, darting around at a frenetic pace. Yup, I’ll just watch and learn. Maybe someday, but it wasn’t going to be today.
Dad would keep some distance, but always had one eye on me. Then suddenly he deemed an interdiction was needed.
Alert to the situation saunters by, “Uh what’s going on here? A German Shepherd took quite an interest in me, and it wasn’t the novelty of seeing such a large squirrel. Vigorously smelling, he came to the conclusion I was in fact a dog. A dog in estres.
Sherrif Tom gaining control of the situation chuckled, “Twinkie is the German Shepherd your new BF? Not sure how the geometry would work on that one,” He petted his potential son-in-law and gently removed Twinkles.
This bitch bitched. What are you doing? Look how popular I am!
Dad pointed to the blood on my hind quarters, saw the ‘whites in my eyes.’
“Yeah, well first I see you cowering under a chair and reason why you’re popular because it’s ‘that time of the year.’ When I inherited you didn’t know you not fixed. We’re going to the vet tomorrow, we’re gonna ‘fix’ this.”
I’m not gonna be popular anymore and just made new friends.
“Ah puppy, your confidence has accelerated light speed but it needs more development. Don’t give in the treachery of first dates and false friends.”
“Twinkles we’re going to a place where, if you play your cards right, you’ll be popular beyond belief and make REAL friends, people who love you for who you are.”
But I’m OK here, I want to play with my friend, he seemed nice, OK.
“You’re better than to settle for ‘OK.’ Litle dog gonna take your Next Step. A BIG change. I think you’re ready, Im ready. We’re gonna em-bark on a true aventura where BOTH of us will “Get Unleashed.”