Heather, Saving Grace
Today, Day 16, will be marked as a turning point, a tipping point, really, in the integration of Gracie into our family. The attached Status Report provides all the details, good, bad and ugly-- INSERT. but summarizing today's key "tipping events":
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dJeqKODzk4POp7cCt3IbFQ1UDyV5_oznMKNcupO9ZLk/edit
1) SHE WILL BE A RETRIEVER. She retrieves the ball thrown at a distance in an enclosed tennis court, for a treat. AND she brings back kicked ball in the large open lower level-- just for fun! That was the turning point in raising Buster-- when he became ball-obsessed at about her age. Then I was guaranteed his attention, and had something to work with.
I don't expect Grace to acheive Buster's level of excellence in figuring angles and catching on the fly-- she's comically graceless chasing the bouncing ball now. But at least she's paying attention to me-- to my eyes, not just my hands or voice. That is KEY.
2) SHE WILL (eventually) TOLERATE HER CONDO, the back of the Honda CRV, and thus be suitable for travel, for staying in the car alone for a period of time (0 minutes now), and thus fill OUR needs to visit kids, etc. She has been jittery and distracted at times in our multiple daily trips to Park and Field, even during long quiet times just sitting in the car with windows open
e when shand tends to freak out on our regular trips thru town--like panic attacks in total fight/flight mode, pacing, barking fiercely at people, dogs, trucks, etc. What changed today? She tolerated two long car trips, calmed down anxious distractions and chewed her stick contentedly.
3) to be continued..
