Just Adopted: Two Weeks In And Processing Fear

Leash-free!

Kestrel is continuing to demonstrate anxiety on walks, primarily to other dogs. She isn't reactive but they give her pause, she analyzes the risk level when she sees them, and dogs barking from their homes can nearly ruin the rest of the walk for her. 

It's important to recognize that fears grow if not dealt with, so I'm addressing it in two ways.



First, it's by my own behavior on the walk and doing my best to keep her under her stress threshold. I feed a lot on walks at this point any way because she's learning my leash preferences for her as well as the basics of responding to her name, sitting at corners - all the basics you need to practice for pleasant walks in many different situations. 

I always strive to be calm and grounded. This is essential. I'm learning to be mindful of my emotions and expectations. 

I've found that using the clicker is not the best idea when she's even a little anxious because it's too focused. I need to to be less focused, less alert, less attenuated. In trying to re-focus her I found that I was not relaxing her, so I had to recognize that casual is calming. Still a high rate of reward, but for much calmer and more casual behavior. 

There's nothing to prove at this point by walking past the barking houses, so I cross the street when I can.

I do want her to meet calm and friendly dogs, though, so she can have more positive experiences and thus not assume the worst. I need to tip the scale in the other direction. (and it's so odd because indoors at stores and such she walks right up to dogs,  so it's very much based on walking scenarios). I try to assess too and if it seems possible I ask if they can meet. Often that's not the case so I aim for calm and relaxed watching with food. 

I've adjusted her energetic essence formula to focus more on this fear issue. 

I've kept the Black Tourmaline and Portage Glacier essences for detoxifying because they're working (scratching and some slight eye gunk, her diet now totally raw).

I've switched out everything else and am using Peridot, Hematite, False Hellebore, and Soapberry. 

I'm sure that the persistency of the fears is also related to where she's at physically; clearing out the past on many levels is a process.

Today we had a nice little Reiki session that I'm sure we both needed.