Doggie Daycare

Coco's been a tough nut to crack. When we first got her, we didn't know the extent of what had happened to her before she wound up in rescue. Her dog aggression seemed impossible to deal with, and as this blog tells, we visited trainers and dog classes, tried tricks and treats and puzzles and games, and simply felt we would never get through to her issues. I think we figured out finally it was simply fear and not aggression, and after talking to some friends who are in the veterinary field, we decided to try doggie daycare.

You know, the sink or swim method.

Well, she swam! We took Coco to a local doggie day care, The Ruff House. It is a really great place, run by super nice people. On our first visit, I met the owner and explained Coco's history, what we'd tried, what my fears were. There are three huge pens and a large back door area. In the main pen is a pack of dogs, a middle pen held two or three, and the other pen had one naughty dog. The owner just took Coco's leash, let her into the middle pen, and growled at her a few times and that was it. In a few hours when I went to pick up Coco, she was in the large pen with the pack! She litterally ran up to meet me, like an episode of the "dog whisperer". There was my little Coco, perfectly fine, her eye completely white, and happy as a clam. I've taken her three times since that first meeting. Each time she is a little scared when we get there, but her eye never goes red, she never sheds or frenchie yowels, and she's made...

friends

honest to god, here is a picture of her hanging out with three dogs. She's the one on the bottom. And the best news is that she is better behaved. We went to the vet on Monday, and it was a different dog. Ususally she has the red eye and there's fur everywhere. She did cry and carry on a little, but she stayed next to me and yoweled but I kept a tight leash and eventually she just gave up and dealt with it. After daycare, she curls up with us on the couch, or relaxes in her bed, happy and tuckered. We are now on a real hunt to find a second Frenchie so that she can have a friend. All this time, I think she's been lonely!

Oh happy days. :)