Receiving a phone call or an email where a dog Carer is worried about the behaviour of their loved pet is an everyday occurrence for our Dog Listeners, but on one occasion a message read " I don't know if you can help us but our lovely girl is just not happy anymore and it is breaking our heart as she no longer plays with us or her toys. She simply sits by the window".
The 'lovely girl' was a three-year-old, brindle Staffie called Megan. When I phoned her home I spoke to a very concerned gentleman called Dave and, as he talked more about this precious 'girl', it was clear that he and Michelle, his wife, were extremely upset by, what appeared to be, a total shut down by Megan. As with all Carers, there was the natural desperation to find the reason for the problem and they felt sure that Megan's problems had begun nine months earlier when their first baby came along; while Megan seemed to love baby Molly, there had been so many changes.
When I arrived at the house I was invited in to a warm, friendly atmosphere with toys littering the floor. In the centre of this array was a smiling, giggling baby who squealed with joy with every touch of her play ball. In the corner of the room sat Megan, eyes down and head away from us all and, with that, Michelle burst into tears and said, "What have we done to her?"
As we talked the couple told me how Megan had been one of a litter of 7 puppies born in a draughty shed with undernourished parents who were all covered with fleas. The whole family, along with 10 other dogs, had been removed to safety by the authorities. Four of the puppies were very poorly and within one week had died (as did their mother). None of the surviving dogs could be re-homed, as they were evidence and still the property of the original owners. Megan had always been described as having a strong and loving personality but she was also a thinker...with bowlegs. When the court case was over, the dogs were signed over to the authorities and could be put up for adoption and Megan, aged 8 months, went to a couple who already had multi-pedigreed dogs. It was planned that they would keep Megan too.
This was to be the first of many homes for this beautiful girl, whose undesirable behaviours had proved too much for so many; the rescue centre was now faced with a 19 month old girl who seemed impossible to place.
Dave's cousin who worked at the centre told Dave and Michelle about Megan; he was terrified that this innocent dog would be destroyed so they rushed down to the shelter and, as Michelle said, "It was love at first sight!" They convinced the Manager that this was the only dog for them so Megan found herself en route to home number 5.
What Michelle and Dave gave to this little lady was patience and time and they were rewarded with love and devotion; although it came out during our conversation that Megan had never seemed to relax and enjoy life and this had become more evident since the birth of Molly.
At this point I felt so happy as I knew that this highly intelligent dog just needed the right information given to her which would take away the unnecessary responsibility of leadership so we set about working with her to 'trade places'.
It is very hard for me to explain the joy that I experience knowing that without using force, frustration, gadgets or fear I can bring peace and harmony to any family and none meant more to me than this pack. Once I reassured this delightful couple that having the baby was not the problem, they were ready to work with me and the changes came very quickly. Just one week into giving Megan the new information Dave rang me almost in tears as, for the first time, Megan had sat wagging her tail by the side of the baby's bath, as Mollie splashed and squealed her way through bath-time. Just two days later Michelle called me to tell me how Megan had begun to play for the very first time and was retrieving a ball.
There is a saying that 'A family that plays together, stays together', and I feel privileged to have played a small part in this story.
