Meg and Bev

looking at those video’s can you imagine how far this dog has come to remain calm in this one ….

[img width=468 height=382]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b19/clairewarden/th_MOV00342.jpg[/img]

and then for misty to go from that … to this ……..

[img width=468 height=382]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b19/clairewarden/th_MOV00438.jpg[/img]

in 8 weeks ….

here she is again – her and misty infact … in among loads of doggies – playing ball like nice girls

[img width=468 height=327]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b19/clairewarden/park1.jpg[/img]

Wow Claire that is soo good to see! I know Bonnie was worse than Meg and I’m probably wanting too much too soon! Just can’t see meg ever being that relaxed around other dogs!

Both of mine are shattered after Bev’s session today and i’m enjoying the peace and quiet that that brings!

I love Meg to bits and will never give up on her-would just prefer not to spend the next 15 years or more avoiding situations!

sooo …

Meg sounds to me like a typical border collie girl who hasn’t had proper puppy socialisation, has been with her sibling for far too long (and thus cued off her and not listened to a word humans have said!), and lacks any real adult training / socialisation.  She’s been allowed to get the better of her humans in her previous homes by the sounds of it had started walking all over you aswell.

Now, when you agreed to take her on – you were expecting a fully trained sheepdog, what you have is a very typical young female border collie rescue i could show you a hundred just like her and much much worse.  So – yes lower your expectations – she’s actually more work than taking on an 8 week puppy would be, take each day as it comes and remember tomorrow is a new day!

Put your trust in Bev’s methods – these pictures are proof that it works for dogs just like your Meg and worse and when I started with Bonnie I didnt have any real dog skills at all, infact i didnt even have the confidence to talk to my own dog in public !!

Bev – you have my permission to release any of my notes onto this thread 🙂 

Claire x

Thanks for your support everyone, it really helps knowing that you have all been through similar situations. Posting that last night was really hard as it makes me feel like I have failed her. She is a very special dog and Ollie adores her. She is definately pack manager and we are now promoting that which should make her life easier!
Today was our first day back to reality (I went back to school so early mornings started again) I took Ollie out for his walk and my husband took Meg. i got to the field and played frisbee. bearing in mind all the factors (its dark, first morning in reality without Bev, never walked further than the end of our street in a heal close) I wasn’t expecting ash to get too far before having to abandon the walk and free shape in the house instead! – if she can;t walk nice then she doesnt get the walk!

However! On my way home I saw Ash and Meg walking towards me with meg in a heal close!!! I wanted to cry, I was so proud of them both! We did the whole “leave it” so not to have an unsolicited greet and when both dogs were listening we let them greet! Ash then took the frisbee from me and continued his walk!

He said she was a wee shite on the way home but only cos she saw another dog in the distance (who we think she thought was ollie playing in the field), and kept trying to to go back that way!

Anyway, cos it was my first day back at school I filled Kongs (why has no one told me about these magic things before!!!) and left them at home (normally Meg finds ways of entertaining herself). But when I got home the knogs were empty (and hidden!) and the house was in one piece!!

We then did some door practice and Meg had a lightbulb moment!!! She realised that if she budged then the door shut so ended up just staring at me rather than the door!!! With Meg obviously ready to learn I did loads of C2 work in the garden and she even left the ball I was kicking when in a heel close!!! (Thought i’d test her boundries!)

She has just done some freeshaping and chaining with ash and is now sleeping like a baby!

After yesterday I am so much happier and can see the progress!! We took Meg to a park with Ollie and a friends dog yesterday and she was all over the shop! got a bit of good stuff out of her but I really felt like i’d let her down and not put enough into her training. Realise now that the criteria was probably a bit high and she did as well as I could expect!

I will keep you all updated and hope you don’t mind my long posts!  It is great just being able to write all this down. I owe a lot to Bev for her time and patience (esp with me) and am looking forward to the road ahead!

Hils