Champion of My HeartA real-time memoir about life with a fearful border collie, by Roxanne Hawn

Thanks to everyone who shared our Kissing Booth Dog Video last week. As promised, here is a behind-the-scenes look and answers to the most-asked questions.

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The Relaxation Protocol for Dogs audio files we created remain one of our most popular fearful dogs resources on Champion of My Heart. Perhaps it’s time to revisit how this behavior modification plan for dogs works.

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As I mentioned in Tuesday’s report about our recent hike with the girls from Cowgirl by Proxy, Lilly suffered a major fearful dog freakout on our short hike. I have several theories on why she melted down in the most unlikely place.

Fearful Dog Freakout Background

Lilly is somewhat famous for throwing herself to the ground in dramatic fashion (as if gravity suddenly got stronger right there). She curls one arm under, drops her head, tucks her tail, and flat out refuses to move.

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Since we have no herding news of our own, after a long lapse in lessons due to non-stop work and family demands, today Champion of of My Heart looks at how someone else uses some clicker training in a herding context.

Herding is often taught using mostly pressure and “corrections.” And, when you ask about how clicker training might fit into the process, you’ll hear some grumbling about things like:

• The livestock are their own “reward.”
• Clickers make dogs focus too much on you and not on the task at hand.
• It’s a natural, much more dynamic process than teaching another kind of trick or easily segmented task.

So, when our pal Anna from Happy Healthy Pup, who recently relocated from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Atlanta, Georgia, suggested I talk to Astrid Smith from A Dog’s Journey … well, I sent and email and got on the phone.

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I admit it. I’m a Wordless Wednesday rule-breaker. I always say too much. Today, let’s talk dog harnesses. The one Lilly is wearing here is actually Ginko’s (scaled down badly). I need to find a good one for Lilly, so any and all recommendations welcome.

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Oh, it’s Monday alright. I made a few decisions these last 3 days (you know, like spending time with my hubby, pups, and family) that sends me into a new week behind on pretty much everything. Yes, I had some coffee (rare for me), but I thought we’d share a little Lilly-style mojo.

So … if you are feeling:

• Under the weather
• Under never-ending deadlines and demands
• Under the influence of negative people or energy
• Under the pressures of worries or emergencies

Then, Lilly and I send you our very best wishes for strength, patience, grace, and productivity via this new video showing … Enthusiasm Border Collie Style.

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After more than four years blogging about real life with a fearful dog, I’ve learned a lot and made oodles of mistakes. When Caring 4 Creatures, a rescue group based in Atlanta, Georgia, asked me to write a guest post, I summed up several important lessons for anyone who adopts a fearful dog.

I hope you’ll pop on over there today to see what I have to say in the guest post called “Adopting a Fearful Dog,” including:

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The Bedtime Book for Dogs by Bruce Littlefield is dedicated to Littlefield’s Good Dog Wes and all Good Dogs in our lives. Check out our video book review.

The Bedtime Book for Dogs: Summary

The Bedtime Book for Dogs tells the story of a dog who wanted to play, but his friend was busy … so the dog uses a variety of talents to seek his own adventure.

Since Lilly has been known to get into dangerous scrapes while making her own adventure, you might be saying, “Uh-oh,” about now.

Rest assured all is well in the end, but I’m confident my friend Susan McCullough, who writes the Northern Virginia Dog Blog (which is often about the importance of scooping the pooping), would blanch at this Good Dog taking care of business at the local park.

As our friends at GoPetFriendly.com like to say, “There is no poop fairy.”

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Friday, Lilly had a rough day for no particular reason I could find. But, when it came time for her to load up for her third (and we hoped final) spider bite recheck, she threw herself to the ground and had a full-on anxiety attack.

Tom told Lilly earlier in the afternoon that she needed to see the V-E-T, so I pretty much blame him. I can say that because he doesn’t read the blog.

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Our crazy-cold spring means finding our pond somewhat frozen many mornings. That’s a real risk.

One of our neighbors lost a new Lab puppy, after he fell through ice on their pond.

So, I’m super careful to supervise Lilly and Ginko.But, a few weeks ago, Lilly flung her ball at me, and it skidded onto the ice. She went after it.

Thankfully, Lilly has a pretty solid LEAVE IT and a decent WAIT under her dog-training belt.

I’m sure the urgent tone of my voice helped convey how serious I was in this instance.

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I met Lisa Marshall from Estes Park, Colorado, during my big trip to New York City last month. Funny that we had to go across the country to meet. Anyway, she faces a challenge of being a dog-lover and a home chicken-raiser. She needs our help.

You see, Lisa wants to enjoy her mountain life (much like ours) with both her dogs and her chickens living  free on the old range, but the dogs need to learn NOT to harass the poultry.

Obsessed with the chickens, Lisa's dogs try to break into the chicken yard and have nearly eaten a bird or two that flew the coop.

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Even though I’m not a traditional mother with human kids, I like to think I deserve to get at least some of what I want on Mother’s Day. So, I brought Lilly along with us on our various visits. This meant strapping her into her seatbelt in Tom’s truck.

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Think Lilly is out of the woods on this crazy spider bite? Alas, think again. Monday, Tom helped me take BOTH dogs to the veterinary hospital. Ginko for his wellness exam. Lilly for her recheck #2. The saga is still NOT over.

Seriously.

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Tuesday morning we awoke to a debate between me and Tom over the size of Lilly’s spider bite lump. I said it was bigger, maybe 10%. Tom said it was the same as the night before. Possible surgery hung in the balance. Terrified to make the wrong decision, I waited and waited.

I groped her neck. I took pictures and flipped between the images for nearly an hour, trying to decide what to do.

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So, we now knew that Lilly suffered a spider bite and ensuing infection. But, we’ll never know what kind of spider or where or how it happened, but she needed treatment and fast.

Again, if you are sensitive at all, fair warning … what unfolds next isn’t particularly gross, but it is upsetting if you understand the potential outcomes of a fearful dog going through something both painful and scary.

You can catch up via Dog Spider Bite Part 1, Dog Spider Bite Part 2, and Dog Spider Bite Part 3 of our latest veterinary emergency saga.

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