I wonder what Shyla was dreaming of this morning as she gazed into the sky.
Perhaps she was dreaming of never feeling scared or worried again - always standing tall and proud.
That's how she acts when we're alone in the forest...
...until she sees or hears the first sign of someone approaching. Then, her demeanor and facial expression change dramatically.
The good news is, that although she may never feel totally comfortable and confident around people and dogs she doesn't know well, she has learned to cope with them. She musters her courage to interact, and, after we're alone again, she bounces back to her normal demeanor almost right away.
And starts dreaming again. The sky is the limit.
Really, I can't ask for anything more. "Bounce back" is a great quality in a sensitive or fearful dog. It means that they can relax soon after something strange or scary happens. Shyla has great "bounce back" now.
So, after her minor scare this morning, we enjoyed the signs of spring all around us on our bike ride.
Shyla wagged and I smiled.
What a beautiful and sweet girl. I can totally relate. When Rufus doesn't bounce back after a "scary" incident, it breaks my heart. He will spend the rest of our walk or hike looking behind him, making sure the scary thing is gone. The moments he lets it go immediately are so important.
ReplyDeletelove it. :)
ReplyDeleteShyla and Lightning have so many similarities with their fears. He has gotten so much better but he is still very cautious about new things. Bikes re his biggest nemesis. If he hears one coming from waaaaaaaay behind us on our walks, he looks back every 5 seconds to see how close it is. He still doesn't like them, but at least he is a bit calmer about them passing us.
ReplyDeleteLooks like another beautiful day there.
Learning to cope may be one of the most important things dogs and humans can learn. Lovely photographs of sweet Shyla.
ReplyDeleteYou both have come so far in this journey!
ReplyDeleteNola
It sounds like a beautiful turnaround to me! I hope that you and Shyla have many more better days ahead!
ReplyDeleteYour spring flowers are so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAnd you take the best photos of them!
Yay for Shyla for bouncing back
love
tweedles
Love seeing that Pasque! I'm enjoying the desert. Hope you enjoy some warmth soon, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the encounters don't ruin her day, and that you have the area to yourselves most of the time. That's priceless. Yay, both of you!
ReplyDeleteKB~Aloha! I love how clearly Shyla expresses herself; this is a gift to be able to see her fear and then her normal self bouncing back. With Hunter, I can see a little but not as clearly as you do. He is coming out of his shell too and being much more friendly to those he doesn't know.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures.
Hugs, Noreen
p.s. Seeing the photos of Shyla made me smile as I'm missing Hunter. I'm thankful he is having so much fun with our family but I never feel complete when we are away.
Lovely day ...Shyla is enjoying her morning.
ReplyDeleteAyla got out of our garden yesterday when she saw a hare....she hunted it for about 10 min. Then I could Yell her to stop when I came near her :-)
Beautiful! You both have a lot of 'bounce back' :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad she is in such a good place!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a good day despite those strangers approaching
ReplyDeleteLily & Edward
As I read this, I was thinking that Shyla sounds like me! It sounds like her fear reaction is not as big and she bounces back quickly, which is all good.
ReplyDeleteShyly just keeps getting better all the time.
ReplyDeleteIt is so wonderful watching Shyla come out of her shell, one bounce back at at time.
ReplyDeleteI hope Spring sticks around for you all!
Shyla is such a beauty and we always love her photos!
ReplyDeleteShe is enjoying her life and that is good.
ReplyDeleteYour Pals,
Murphy & Stanley