Nanette and I had not yet ventured beyond the electronic gates on foot...to be honest, I was nervous of this which of course did nothing for her confidence!! But we went out everyday for a ride in the car. This had a positive result!! The car became a 'Safe Haven' like the house.
Towards the end of April ( 2006 ), I took the 'bull by the horns' and drove in to the country part around Vence. We parked opposite a field full of grasses, herbs and bushes. it was with great difficulty and at a 'pregnant snail's pace' that I got Nanette out of the car. We somehow made it across the lane ( no traffic ) into the field and she ate a 'bucket load' of herbs. I recognised Nature at work!!
Then she pushed her way through high bushes and long grasses, I saw how much comfort and pleasure she got from this contact with nature's growth....it was a lovely experience and I didn't hurry her. I went home with a happy dog.
During the evening, I lit a candle on a long elegant candlestick in the shape of a treble clef and placed it on the coffee table as usual. Suddenly....I don't really know how it happened but I stumbled and knocked it off the table. It made a rather loud 'Clang'. I had no idea of course that something so 'every day' would have such a dramatic effect on Nanette. She rushed out of the lounge into my study!! and I found her there with eyes bulging, lungs breathing like large bellows and her whole body shaking from head to end of tail!! This seemingly rather insignificant event had a number of unfortunate repercussions. It was a couple of hours before she ventured back to her normal bed in the lounge and even then, she was keeping me at a distance psychologically. Any trust that she had developed, simply vanished. Did she think I was trying to hit her?......
The next few days were difficult when it came to our usual visits to the parking and communal garden. Equally, trips in the car were just 'trips in the car'!! No way would she get out at all!!! I even drove back to the field that she enjoyed so much but she simply refused to get out.....so we sat there in the car for 20 minutes!! I should have taken a book!!! My big worry as I drove home was 'are we going to spend the night in the car?'!!! Happily all was well.
I persisted in re establishing her confidence and the normal routine and finally after 3 or 4 days, we managed to get back to some semblance of 'normality'. I was even pleased when she again pulled me under a hedge!! This was a more 'normal' Nanette!! It was shortly after this that I began to take her to the outskirts of the town in a quiet residential area on a regular basis. Here, we had a real 'adventure' when I was obliged to use Nanette as a wheelbarrow!! It's not as bad as it sounds but it was very scary for both of us.... I'll tell you about that next time. xx