I would like to jump forward briefly to the present day in this account of Nanette's Life.
The past three years have been Extraordinary, Hair raising, Terrifying, Wonderful, Extremely Funny at times....this Dog has revealed a whole new Canine Dimension to me!!
The picture here records the first time that Nanette went out in the garden and lay down in the little grass patch...What's so remarkable about that???.This was only 5 days ago after being with me 3 years and 4 months!!.
I recognise that Nanette has a ' Confinement Mentality' . When she first arrived, in those painful early days and continuing right through the first year, she was severly agrophobic. Although I never see that behaviour in her now and have not done so for at least one and a half years, she is still wary of the ' civilised ' world! Who would blame her!!!!
In the Forest, it's a very different story. Here, amongst the Trees, Bushes and Undergrowth she comes into her own. I remember when we first went walking in the Forest at the beginning. She would seek some tall Grass or a Hedge and settle down under it, caressing the grasses with her face.
My latest concern is that to date , although I have worked carefully and patiently with Nanette, she has not responded at all to ' Education'. It is currently one of my dilemma's that I walk with Nanette and Bertie knowing that I can release Bertie because he has a response to my commands, furthermore He has a certain respect that we look for in a relationship with our Dogs and He knows that this Respect is Mutual. Nanette, on the other hand, has retained a certain ' wildness' , which actually I value! BUT what it means is that I have never been able to instill a sure response to ' recall' in her.
It's completely alien to me to have a dog on the lead most of the time!! but in this case, I can only allow short bursts in a little park nearby even though there are open gates the other side....fortunately Nanette is addicted to the habit of receiving a sausage at that spot after I have re attached the lead.
My constant question of myself is ' why have we created a society of domesticated Dogs which must generally be attached to the 'owner ' most of their lives '? My observations of Owners whose Dog's are always free ( and there are two or three in our town ) are that there seems to be a certain' disinterest' or should I say 'Psychological Detachment ' between Dog and Human... these Dogs's pay no attention to other Dogs at all...well, maybe a passing glance but that's all. BUT, they faithfully follow the Master.
I am now convinced after three years with Nanette that this is a right and natural way of Being with an Animal. So what is at the root of our 'Attachment Attitude' ...you know ..ME and MINE?? 'My Dog is Nervous' or ' My Dog can't meet other Dogs' and the Woman in my Town who lifts her Fox Terrier into her arms every time another Dog approaches in case it's aggressive!!!! The 'old Dears ' ( My Contemporaries ) who practically strangle their poor dogs by holding the lead so tight that they believe they have complete control. Ego and Fear is what it's about of course...
So, where in this context should I stand with regard to Nanette to whom I would love to give total freedom ?
A chat with a friend who is an Inspector for Brigitte Bardot Ass brought me into a sort of balance so to speak. She was adamant that a dog who has been ' Martyred' as they call it here....that is to say subjected to sadistic, cruel treatment can never be detached as it's unfair to expect what we have come to understand as ' normal ' response from such dogs. Although I won't go this far, I see what she means.
For the ideal we need to have had the dog from Puppyhood....then we can learn with the Puppy to be in the World together in a Natural Way. In Bertie's case, having come to me a year ago at 10 years of age ( approx ), there has obviously been an attempt at 'education' albeit aggressive I'm sure. So now, Nanette will continue to have freedom in the little Park, and at the side of the Stadium, which although concrete, does at least provide some space for running and playing with me, which we both love to do!! xx