[pyrnet] Fear of Dogs, etc. (very long)

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

First, let me say, you've all had a busy day! I go away to work
for 10 hours and come home to 82 messages in my Pyrnet Folder!
LOL! Now, as for the sign, mine reads, "This house is maintained
for the comfort & security of my dogs. If you cannot accept that
then you cannot accept me. SO GO AWAY! They also have one that
continues on to say "If you can accept that then you can accept
me. SO WELCOME! Mine, however does not have the second part. It
hung on the front gate of the other house. I still have it, and
when I am once again in a home of my own (I live with, and care
for, my elderly and failing Father) it will go up on my front
gate there, also. As far as fear of dogs go in relation to
visitors, some years ago, my husband was a youth group leader in
a church youth group. Some of the kids visited us frequently. One
evening we got a call from one of the boys who wanted to bring by
a visiting exchange student. My husband asked if this person was
afraid of dogs, he was told no. So, over they came. Turns out,
this young woman was an exchange student from South Africa, and
she was black. She was absolutely freaked out by 5 Great Pyrenees
rushing at her to say hello. We put the dogs away, calmed her
down and talked to her about her fear. It seems that the
Apartheid (SP?) government in South Africa used big dogs to keep
people in line (not Pyrenees, but they do fit the bill as big
dogs). She herself had been attacked by the dogs when some
trouble started while she was out shopping, minding her own
business and the police were called in. This poor young woman
offered up to all detailed accounts of what had occurred in her
country and the role the dogs had played. After an hour or so,
she decided to try to conquer her fear. We brought out the
youngest and of course smallest of the dogs. Chelsea was about 7
months at the time. I had her on lead and brought her into the
living room and let her greet all the visitors except the young
woman. We sat across the room and I made Chelsea lie down next to
me. Everyone started talking and Chelsea started belly crawling
toward the young South African woman. The young woman watched her
do this but did not start trembling in fear as she had done
previously. Chel reached the end of the lead about 2 feet away
from the girl and laid her head on her paws and kept giving her
the saddest Pyrenees eyes I've ever seen. After about 10 minutes
of this, the young woman decided she'd like to pet Chel. I
allowed her to belly crawl to the girl's feet. Chel then pushed
herself up into a sitting position and laid her head on the young
woman's lap. The girl was absolutely enchanted by those Pyrenean
eyes! She did not stop stroking her head. By the end of the
evening she had managed to conquer her fear enough to meet and
pet all the dogs. But only one at a time. She was also
comfortable enough to have Chelsea off lead in the room with us.
Every one of my dogs were very exuberant when greeting all the
other guests, but when it came time to meet this young woman each
and every one of them was quiet and submissive. They did not push
the issue with her and waited patiently for her to stretch out
her hand and stroke them. After a couple of hours, Chel ended up
in her lap on the sofa, all 65 lbs. of her! The young woman was
giggling with joy and kissing her! So, here was a young woman who
certainly had very good reason to never want to conquer her fear
of large dogs, but through the love and soulful expression in the
eyes of my Pyrs, she did. I was very proud of my dogs for sensing
her pain and distress and handling things in a way that only Pyrs
can. I was even more proud of this young woman's courage. I never
met the young woman again, but I hope that in some small way, we,
and the dogs, made a difference in her life. I wish her well.

Barb Bowes
Bo & Chelsea (Pyrs) & Flopsy (Pyr Shep)
The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!
bamb@monmouth.com