Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 RRemedies Centre

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anne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

Post by anne »

Wilson and I have been hanging out together in his kennel. I just sit quietly, letting him come to me and sniff and touch if he wants to without the pressure of being touched. Wilson will happily take treats from my hand and is slowly gaining trust. I am happy to go at his pace.
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xxlynne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

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Today Owen and Wilson moved into the house to get them closer to the sensory enormity of warmth; freedom within their large room and exploration of fundamentals such as what a radiator is; what pieces of furniture are, and windows. They will learn the contrast of weather and temperatures with this haven as we move into winter and learn to respect the domestic as well and adapt to noises. It will be a tough couple of weeks. Having let them out this evening they reluctantly left their room to get that sense of familiar as they found themselves outside where their kennels were. It has taken 90 mins so far to get them to be brave enough to come back into the house. Owen was the one who managed it first and then all the sensory overload of moving through rooms and finding his room with his food awaiting. Wilson took longer to brave it in and explored every inch of every room once I had closed the backdoor, Wilson was moving around indoors. At one point I was stood still he was so overwhelmed he smelt and treated me like a piece of furniture. He is now eating his meal outside his brother's door and will rejoin him when I go back to him.

As we know with the lovely boys they soon learn and get the 'ropes' so coming in and out of the house and their room will get easier as they learn to trust. It is so lovely as they know me so well now but now the opportunity to build much further and deeper on living skills and finding themselves.
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xxlynne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

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Finding it a joy with work more closely with the boys. They have been out of their room 3 x today. 7. 15 until 8.15. They had a great play in the paddock and had a lot more exploratory time in the receiving rooms before they bravely went back into their room for breakfast. At lunchtime they went into my personal garden and I was delighted after 35 mins they went back into their room.

Tonight they had a good run-around and play together and I spent a lot of time amongst them. Wilson comes up a great deal and smells my clothes and is brave to walk beside me and move into a room with me. Owen is still the more confident to enter. Last night he came close when I stood still. Again tonight but actually discovered he was conscious of me and not really perturbed when I move. They are both taking a great interest in objects and items. More confident to move around and be part of a threesome tonight. They are sharing a bed, toys and food bowls which were a concern in the shared kennel but now they have a lot of space and managing to share beautifully.

Anne is putting a lot of time into the boys. You can see the confidence shining through their eyes as with her recent pictures.
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xxlynne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

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Bolder and a little bolder. Wilson and Owen have been in the house for 6 days now. Braver and a little braver... They are very comfortable to explore around me, smell me, stand their ground as you are in their close presence. If you slowly walk away they will watch with the slight inclination to follow, sometimes they do drift in your direction. Wilson can have a concern passing over a threshold if you are standing outside with him. Owen is bolder in this way. If you stand in front and beckon they stay, or their instincts take them away. The other tactic is to stand away so they can pass within a metre of you comfortably. They are getting braver walking passed Ralph's room when he is barking to tell them he knows they are there. The key at the moment is being about to close the back door with them both inside. Once enclosed they are more relaxed and quickly filter through to their room. Its the hovering and doubts about the backdoor threshold which can be an issue. I soaked having just spent 30 mins with them trying to get Wilson to venture into the house deep enough for me to gently close the door.

Wilson and Owen semi accept me as part of their pack when I'm with them but hinge together as litter brothers do, apart from when their bowls of food are down either end of the room. Owen is bolder in himself but doesn't come up as close as Wilson does. They will come into their room with me standing by the radiator and move around come up and smell. I can move and close them in, once they are fully in the room. If I move when they are near the entrance their feral instincts lead them into retreat out again. They have the pull to be in their comfortable large room. They engage in eye contact but sadly it is still as with a wild deer as they stand their ground with engagement but the gaze is a little hollow. I was remembered my dear Fern, Irish Terrier tonight who came to me after growing up in kennels at the age of 4. It took 6 months for her to come through and develop her personality and she had a ghost like feel which genuinely meant people saw through her and didnt tend to acknowledge her out on walks. Wilson and Owen are more advanced than she was but because they haven't engaged with humans they show no emotions on greeting just alert 'Oh its you can we go out? as they move passed you to enjoy play out in the paddock.

I'm so please they are in the warmth for the winter period and they will come on far as can be seen in just 6 days.
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anne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

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I spent some time with Wilson and Owen today and they were more animated and interactive with me than last week. They were much more confident sniffing around me and Owen was happy to come close to take his treats, where last week he held back. I sat on the chair and let them come and sniff me without asking anything of them. Wilson will come and put his chin on my knee while he is sniffing and is comfortable as long as I don't make a sudden movement, so I sit still and accept whatever they offer. Small steps. I am growing very fond of these boys.
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xxlynne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

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Owen and Wilson moved room on Monday 3 days ago to enable us to upgrade their room. They adjusted very well and continue to make slow but significant progress. They will return to their room tomorrow with new flooring.

The most prominent change is they now know how to occupy a room: A feral dog just doesn't. They position themselves appropriately and are not in retreat constantly, they stand and sense and analysis the sensory information they are processing. I can now walk at ease amongst them. I don't tend to use treats or food as I try to allow their being to come through and engage directly, rather than with a motivator. They need to develop from within and humans shouldn't be seen just as food givers but a pack members. On occasions when they don't come into their room their food is an easy flag for them however.

They are happier to walk towards you and mill around beside you, but their nerves are still there to turn their backs and walk away into the house as their feral antennae are always to avoid entrapment: The most basic of reactionary primeval instincts. Watching them slowly work with this and in tiny ways learn to trust and inhibit this 'flight instinct' is what occupies our time together of a morning, and evening when I can offer them time.

Their bedding is never torn, soft toys do get destroyed. Their housetraining is 50/50 and considering it is colder, wetter weather there is more pull to return to the house, rather than linger in the wet muddy areas and paddock.

They are more comfortable in their own skins. It is such a privilege to work with them on their journey as Anne and Claire are. This winter will offer them much.
PeachesByford

Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

Post by PeachesByford »

Dear Lynne - thank you for updating about Wilson and Owen. I recognise so much about what you have observed from our journey with Peaches. Ironically she has converted from seeing the house as a ‘trap’ (her initial response when she first joined us) to now seeing the garden as one, preferring not to leave the warmth and comfort of home! Her brothers are so lucky to have you all to give them your kindness and patience.
Peaches is doing brilliantly here; she is becoming more affectionate every day, loves being petted (on her own terms) and even likes a tummy tickle! She now travels with us in the car quite happily and subjects to being towelled after our muddy walks (although she’s not keen). Four walks a day, and two decent meals, plus treats and a filled Kong every day - we all sleep well!
Bless you all and Merry Christmas !!
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anne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

Post by anne »

Wilson and Owen are moving forward, their curiosity and inquisitiveness making them more confident with each passing day. I spend some time with them, in their room, 3 times a week and they are gradually engaging more and getting used to us humans. thumbs.gif
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xxlynne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

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The Boyz are coming on a delight. They are in the warm, in their large room and have us going in regularly and accessing the side of the house garden 4x a day. We are revamping the paddock that they have always had access to as well so at the moment they can run into the mud that was the paddock, running around first thing and of an evening when all the kennel dog are abed! They love to run.

I have adopted a "being with, whilst I do my activities" approach and having the door open so they can choose to be out or in. They actually are very interested in company and activity, so have the dilemma of shall we be in the garden or watch you doing things in our room. This week has been a break through for Wilson. They easily follow in if food or treats are 'in hand'. This is a matter of fact thing between us now, so I walk through without enticing them and they know most times I am carrying their food or treat in hand. Sometimes their meal awaits them in their room and they are just following me, each time with a 'come' command. How has Wilson excelled? Wilson has never been brave enough to lead through in front of me. Wilson always follows through and if I turn he runs then gets brave enough to come to the outstretched hand and I turn and he follows if Owen does. This week on 3 occasions Wilson has led in front / overtaken me into the room. That is probably 3 out of about 35 x but 3 is very significant he has crossed that wariness barrier. In fact I have had trouble then getting Owen in the room as Wilson has overtaken him, me next, and Owen has lost his nerve. It is a work in progress but they love their room they feel safe and have a great view on to the paddock and side garden of activity they can comment on.

Owen is the one who stands his ground more easily, holds eye contact without his nerves causing him to move. He is calmer and more self assured. Wilson is the one with the emotionality which directs his body movements to approach or to retreat. With Wilson he has come forwards directly to touch my face. He is the one who has rested his muzzle on Claire's shoulder whilst she cleans their room. His emotionality means he can do sharp barks which have no intent behind them at all and his is quickly able to meet gently having just stopped the bark. Owen shadows Wilson a lot but given calm he holds the calmness of the occasion.
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xxlynne
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Re: Wilson Hunterway x DofB March 2019 Gatwick Kenns

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