With a BIG sigh of relief...

Essentially today, I want to shout it from the roof tops - My dog did not have a panic attack when the 

Garbage truck drove by! 

And I'm trying, very hard, to focus on this small victory and have it turn my day around - because lets

face it, today has not been the best of all days. I'm tired. Everyone at school is tired (and thus cutthroat and

cranky), I have a HUGE exam to write on Monday and Im really stressed about it, my Fiance has been working

crazy hours and I feel like I never see him and to boot I'm 90% sure my catalytic converter just went out

in my 12 year old car. *sigh* 

But I keep coming back to Blue, and his victory over the garbage truck :) 

We rescued Blue last April, as an adolescent German shepherd something-or-other and once he settled in, his

anxieties blossomed. Lack of socialization, poor socialization, or any mix of things have placed a big pile of

anxiety on my Blue-dog's back. We've been working on it a lot, and the wiz kid catches on fast and LOVES

clicker training, his confidence is very slowly coming along...  But this past week alone we've shared small

victories between ourselves. This past Monday I was at a training hall waiting for the next class to start 

(that I help out with) and I was working with Blue in a corner while the first class took place - Usually he

becomes overstimulated and breaks down but I'm getting better at reading him and we're becoming more

of a team. This time he actually calmed down enough and started free-shaping for me (yippee!) 

And now today, with the garbage truck, he heard it, we both went over to the door and watched it go by as

he sat and ate readily from my hand :D watched for a bit, checked back in with me and had another snack. 

I can honestly say, despite all the things that have frustrated me today, that I love my dog, am SO 

thrilled to see him making small steps, and I really am cherishing this moment (as it gives me the warm

and fuzzies - which in itself is shocking as I am not a warm and fuzzy person). So I'm going to smile now

and be proud for my boy (and not likely explain why to the general public as I will look crazy - but one

point on the scoreboard for mom and Blue!)