2008 June

  Lily Come Home and the Flight of Terror

Yes, this is based on the childhood film about Lassie! However, Lily was seduced by a neighbourhood cat. There are several cats who lie in wait for the new dog on the block, preening themselves, making sure Lily has seen them – and then dart off! This particular morning the walk is ending and Lily isn’t on her lead. The nearby path runs parallel to a main road, busy with morning traffic. Lily is off in a split second, completely deaf to my shouts. I listen to inner bodily peace and make my down to the road. There she is strolling along on the central lines, on her way back to me. I sigh with relief that cars are slowing down and I collect her safely.

The next episode is when Lily barked warning a distant dog not to approach her – it did: a small terrier. Lily does a runner, deaf yet again to my cries. I trust my body senses and about ten minutes later I arrive home to find her strolling around waiting for me. At least I know she knows the way Home!

The learning for me is to keep desensitising her to fear triggers by using a whistle to alert her, saying “psstttt” (dog whisperer technique) when near other dogs / cats, and using the bribe of “biscuit”. “Biscuit” has worked on a number of occasions when I noticed the glint in her eye the wander lust – a throw back to her freedom days of being a Street Girl! Every time, so far, her love of food (and me) has won the day.

There are lots of things I can tell you about Lily, and how she has made such a difference to, for instance, my inner ache of loneliness. Lily is so affectionate and if she hears me upset will immediately come to me.

I would love to hear your own therapeutic relationship with your pet / or animals, birds as well as the challenges!

Once a year we are asked to give thought to our fathers, to celebrate their role in our lives.

This draws the question. How has your relationship or non relationship with your father /dad impacted on you? What influence has your relationship with dad, his legacy, had and still having on your relationships in the present day.

Has this relationship enabled you or disarmed you? Encouraged or disrupted? Left you feeling loved or ?

I hope that this space will be given to reflect upon the variety of influences a parent can have on our lives and what we are left with.

Thinking out-loud

Jill