Monday, September 7, 2009

Heidi's Journey Continues

Miss Heidi, The Last Rose of Summer is Blooming

Heidi's Bed

Heidi's completed House

Heidi's Cage soon to be moved away


Miss Heidi’s Journey Continued

I will never know if Miss Heidi’s first few months of life were intolerable for her, but I strongly believe they were. She is extremely fearful of humans, but has begun to trust me and my wife and youngest daughter, but that trust is still very fragile. She did not know how to play when she first arrived and wanted only to be in a secure place by herself. We set up a huge wire cage for her and when the door was closed did she seem at ease. She did not appear to know what dog treats were and for the most part refused them. Cheese was her preference and with it I slowly began to control her panic attacks. But even now she won’t come when called, but will meet me halfway by going to her cage. In the mean time I began building her a home, actually a small cabin. After finishing it I left small pieces of cheese in the cabin and behold she began going inside and appeared to be very much at ease in the building. A few days ago a heavy rain with lightening came and I assumed she would go inside her new house, but she didn’t and remained outside cowering and looking for me to come outside to put her up. I cannot express how I felt watching her out in the rain, but wanted her to make the decision herself. She finally went inside but would dash out and set in the rain watching the back door. I had enough and told her to go inside the cage which was very wet. I then led her to her house and dried her off with towels. Perhaps this experience changed her mind set and now she has moved in the cabin and soon I will remove the wire cage. She is learning, trusting me more each day, but the journey is not completed for she can for seemingly no reason become very frightened. But at least she has a big yard and secure warm place to live and spends each night there with the door closed. She is truly a beautiful, gentle creature and those pretty brown eyes of hers have captured my heart and soul. Adios

No comments: