I think I should title this something like, We Wish the Dog Had Worked Out.
Yep, that will work.
I think it pretty much tells you how things went with us and the dog.
When I last updated you, we had just gotten a dog. One that was 6-year-old and a rescue. The dog was adorable~ weighing only 5 pounds. And Elizabeth took to her so well.
The week started off pretty well, it was a bit more work as the dog was pretty nervous and shaking. But she seemed to calm down and enjoy our company.
But the shakiness was a sign of the trauma she had had. Trauma that we did not know fully about nor really were we able to undo.
As I said prior, we are not dog people in that we have NEVER had a dog. My kids have asked for one but I chose to have selective hearing loss and we did not get one.
But there was something about this one that made us say YES!
Now, a few days into the week, and the dog was still nervous.
Okay, hold that thought for a moment.
Please remember that Elizabeth has special needs SPD and global dyspraxia with the dyspraxia including the inability to judge hand pressure. From stirring cookies too lightly to even mixing an egg, to coloring almost through a page and onto the table underneath.
So, you can guess that she would hold the dog, and we worked with her to hold it gently. But that is work for Elizabeth so did she always?
I am guessing no.
Did she always want to hold the dog?
I know, yes!
So, we have a nervous dog and the SPD/dyspraxia Elizabeth.
OOH, and did I mention the purpose of the dog was to have her be Elizabeth’s dog and companion?
Okay, back to the story.
I left the room on Friday with Elizabeth and the dog alone in the den to make a call for work.
I heard “Ouch” from Elizabeth who came to me, rubbing a red knuckle on her hand. The dog bit her hand. Not breaking the skin thankfully.
Welllllll? This happened more than once. We were saddened by this.
Was it the dog’s fault-no.
Was it Elizabeth’s fault-no.
Was it a situation with many moving parts? Yes.
Did we keep the dog? No- we were not able to but a good home was found for her- she is a happy dog!
What did we learn? So much!
The biggest thing is that the teaching we do for Elizabeth in all other areas of her life needed to be done BEFORE we brought the dog into our home. I ask myself, why didn’t we think of this. Maybe it is because we had never had a dog before. And, as I said, I am always learning even 27 years in.
We needed to teach Elizabeth about the care of dogs and the space they sometimes need. And the special needs of this dog due to her past traumas.
But we would have had to know these things about the dog ourselves to help Elizabeth.
We had the best of intentions, but special needs did step in here.
So, we know now, if we think of a companion dog for Elizabeth. It will be just that one FOR her, that we work with a trainer prior and make sure the match is made well.
We will learn and then Elizabeth will learn and then the outcome will, I am sure, be better.
Of this, I am sure.
The gift of this was knowledge we can use moving forward.
And this, my friends, concludes our dog story.
See you next month.