[JenniferH]

I just wanted to add my little brag. Its not much but I feel so much pride in my dog that I wanted to share.

A while back I had some worries that Bella had some fear issues. I believe my worries were for naught. It must have just been a stage. She is doing so much better! Of course, new things give her a bit of a start but she is making huge strides every day.

Last weekend we had a cookout. First one ever with Bella. Two of the guest were 13 month old twin girls. I havent been able to get her around babies since I dont know any. I was wondering how she would do. In order to not scare anyone I kept Bella in the crate for the first 30 minutes so she could observe all the new people and the noise level. She was then allowed out. She did great. No barking or anything. She sniffed at the babies and didnt appear at all worried. They loved her. She licked their legs and faces clean after they ate which they just loved! She played with the older kids in the pool outside as well. Everyone loved her!

DH and I both work. Bella is crated during the day. I go home at lunch and play for an hour and then its back in the crate. This week I decided that after lunch I would leave her loose in the house to see how she did. I picked up everything and "prepared" the house just in case. Not a thing out of place! No accidents no dead furniture, nothing! She did so much better than I had planned. I even called DH and warned him that when he got home to be cool if she had torn anything up and let him know not to freak out. No need for that!

I have also noticed that when she is with my DD she is getting so much gentler. Before, she would be so excited with all of us that she would be just a bit too rough with her. Never on purpose but shes so big that she could easily knock her down. Now, its like she understands. No more of the craziness around the dd! Those two are glued together, best friends...

I'm just so proud of my dog!

 

[1211meeka]

Good Job Jen! Bella must be a very happy dog!

 

[scannergirl]

Wow. I'm so glad miss Bella is doing so well. You should rightfully be proud of her (and yourself, as well)

 

[JenniferH]

Thanks! I think the bragg is mostly because I feel so much better. When I first got her I worried over everything. Was the food right, was the bed right, was my tone of voice okay? Why did she eat that pine cone? I must be a horrible dog mom if she ate a pine cone. I spent so much time worried about how I was raising her and got myself into such a fret that any little thing that was "off" scared the heck out of me. I finally figured out that I just need to chill. Shes our dog and shes great and maybe I dont do everything perfectly and maybe we need to work on some things but we're happy! So once I started to just relax and let her be a dog and just enjoy everything about her things for all of us got better. Now, when she barks at the window instead of me analyzing everything about it I just dont sweat it.

 

[Sherush]

How old is Bella now? She sounds like a good girl. My GSD Jesse is now 6 months old and we have been solicializing every day since he was 8 weeks old, some weeks/days seems fearful other days bold, I just figure it is puppy stages myself.

 

[JenniferH]

Lauralie, Bella is 10 months old now. It seems to me that the puppy fear stage comes at different times with different dogs. Bella is just now moving on from it and I can only imagine how she'll be changing each month. Getting better and better I would imagine.

 

[Butchsdad]

I know what you mean. Butch was my first GSD, and I thought I had gotten a strong, bold, confident breed and I was frustrated that he seemed afraid and hesitant at times, especially around other dogs. Butch is now 17 months and it's like 2 different dogs. He is the calm, bold, confident dog that I was looking for, but I was unreasonably expecting that confidence right off the bat. It just doesn't work that way. He has always been a joy to be with and around, but it is so much better now since he is out of that stage.