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Wednesday, May 4, 2011

TAZIE Who?

It was really great to see everyone from Ft. Stewart at the Golf Tournament last week.  I could not believe the number of people that were there, the number of family and friends that came to show their support.  It truly was amazing.  It was also awesome to hear all the positive comments that complete strangers gave, that Terry gave, and that everyone from Ft. Stewart gave TAZIE.

I was pretty nervous bringing her to an event like that.  She hasn't been around a crowd of people that big as far as I know.  She was not all intimidated by the people, by the noise, by anything really.  She was actually seeking attention from people that she did not know and people I didn't know for that matter.  It is pretty hard to believe that just 2 months ago I didn't know if she was gonna bite my face off, or anyone that approached her.  I can remember laying in bed watching t.v. late at night with her, and she would just get that look in her eyes.  I would just hope that she wasn't about to take a chunk out of me.  Over the next few weeks, that look got less and less, she cried less and less in her sleep, she had fewer spells where she would shake in her sleep, and now she sleeps almost undisturbed 100% of the time.

After the tournament, I decided it was time to get her out and get her around more people.  I took her to group at the Vet Center for the first time this past Tuesday.  It was a 180 degree difference from when I had CAROLINE in group.  TAZIE was curious but not anxious, she went and visited with everyone there, and everyone was very accepting and if she wanted them to pet her, she let them know.  She came back and checked in with me frequently, and by the end of the group she was laying down asleep behind me.  I could not have asked her to behave any better.

Today I took her with me to my individual session, and now that I am expecting her to behave well, she does not disappoint.  After the Vet Center today, she went with me to the Toyota Dealership so I could get my car serviced.  I spent some time talking with some of the people that worked there about her history and about paws4vets.  I took her inside the dealership while I was waiting on my car, and ended up talking with a woman that was sitting across from me for about 30 minutes.  You would have never guessed that just a little over a year ago she was feral.  She behaved as well as any other dog I have seen or worked with.  On the ride home I was thinking to myself, "What in the hell possessed you to talk to a total stranger for 30 minutes about what is going on?"  I think I came to some understanding that the more confidence that I have in TAZIE, the more confidence I have in myself to get through stressful situations like the Golf Tournament, or sitting in an unfamiliar place talking with people I do not know.