DORI'S HOMECOMING

I knew that Dori was not a seasoned traveler like Elli and that she had probably never been on a plane before. Still, I felt nervous as I struggled to move her efficiently into the row of seats and convince her to lie down under the seat in front of me. I was certain I was making a scene and holding up traffic. I supposed I would figure out how to communicate what I wanted to Dori soon enough--and I would forget that flying had ever been a problem.

Dori had very few problems with flying, even if she was a bit nervous. I petted her a lot and tried to give her some reassurance as we took off. Soon she was asleep--and so was I.

Landing was quite an experience for Dori. She jumped up the moment we hit the ground, and I found my lap full of trembling dog. I didn't correct her for her fear, and I chose not to struggle to return her to a more appropriate position. Only time would tell whether I had made the right choice or whether I had interpreted this behavior correctly as a sign of fear. At the moment, I had plenty of things to worry about without adding a stressful attempt to cram a resistent dog under the seat for the last two minutes of the ride.

My mother was waiting for me in the terminal. One of her first impressions was Dori's "regal look". This look would turn out to be something many people noticed about Dori.

I was tempted to allow Dori to work at the airport. She was so eager, and I was so proud! But she was new and the airport was crowded. I reluctantly followed the school's instructions about not working her in the airport. Mom guided me out to the car, and we drove home.

At home, Mom put a leash on Elli and brought her out into the front yard. Elli didn't seem the least bit concerned about Dori's presence. She did, however, seem concerned with mine. I thought she would never stop panting and wagging her tail! I had missed her, and for a moment I felt I had done something horrible by bringing Dori home to do her job. I decided that perhaps I would feel better after a while and waited for Elli to settle down and get used to my being home again.

Elli and Dori got along wonderfully! They enjoyed evening walks together with Elli following another family member on a leash. Elli didn't like to play very much any more, but she and Dori soon learned to share my attention.

In Addition to Elli, I also had two cats at home. Dori took some time to learn not to chase them, and she had difficulty mastering the temptation to eat cat food. The cats also became accustomed to her presence and were no longer hostile.

Dori's behavior while not working was discouraging at first. She had boundless energy and used it for retrieving anything made of plastic or paper which could be destroyed--and for destroying whatever she retrieved. I was disturbed many times by her tendency to investigate countertops and snitch food items lying on them. I learned very quickly that effective reprimands for Elli were only reinforcements for Dori. Somehow I needed to act like I enjoyed this little game so that Dori would bring me the retrieved object and release it. Learning to put this knowledge into practice took several months.

At the time of homecoming, my greatest difficulty was not with Dori but with having acceptable places to walk on a regular basis. I live in a small town, and most areas do not have sidewalks and are not traveled by many pedestrians. Furthermore, I had experienced changes in my vision which made me feel uncomfortable with venturing out without knowing routes well in advance. I also lived in a part of town where there was no bus access.

These factors and a belief that Dori's off-leash behavior would improve if I lived in my own home rather than in my parents' home, which was not "dog-proofed," led me to begin looking for an apartment. I found one and moved in at the end of January, just three months after bringing Dori home. We began the adjustment process all over again, and Dori would take several weeks to reach the level of off-leash time that she had earned at my parents' home. However, the move would turn out to be a very positive step for both of us--and I would continue to learn more about Dori's needs and how to work with her idiosyncracies.

Elli stayed behind when I moved. The retirement was complete now, and I would learn to be content visiting her when I visited my parents. She was establishing her reign over all the other pets in the home--my two cats and my sister's Beagle--and she was happy.

Dori At Three

The development of content for this site is supported by your contributions and by the sale of products through various affiliate programs. If you have been touched by the material on this site, please consider shopping at Sarah Jane's or making a contribution using the Amazon Honor System.