Timken Learns About Life In The Real World, Part 2c

Ok so with the recent memory of how the last meet up with a new person in a new place went we were ready to try again and this time I would make sure to set Timken up for success. Remember Cony now Jack? Jack is a dog who also is undersocialized (not to the degree as Tim) and so I know that his dad, Dick, would love to help with Timken as he had been working on that with Jack. I also know that Dick would be happy to let me call the shots, so I emailed him inviting our selves to the house. He was more than happy for us to come and visit.

Here is the email I sent Dick in preparation for our visit.

"So I have been learning about what works for Tim and what doesn't work as far as socializing. He does not do well if strangers try to give him treats or talk to him so when we come over it would be best for him if we all just talked and let him be and not try to have you touch him, reach out to him, or try to give him a treat. This is just too much for him right now."

Dick wrote back to me that he would make sure to follow my instructions and that he would just sit on the floor and let Tim be. PERFECT! And that was exactly what we all did!

 Tim meets Dick and my past foster boy Jack (aka Cony). A Positive Experience!

 

This visit had a few good things going for it up front. One was that Timken had met Jack and spent a few days with him at our house a couple of weeks prior to this visit, he had not met his dad though so that he was new to him and he had not been to this house before. Also we brought Sybil along with us as I just wanted to set this experience up to be as positive as I could. This visit was 2 days after the last experience that hadn't gone so well. Yes I am being an over protective foster mom, but I was just bound and determined to have this go well and it paid off! Tim was a rock star! I only got three pictures but they tell the story.

 

 

In this picture I am sitting on the floor right next to Dick (red shirt to my right) and Timken is sitting on my lap and is curious and interested in what is going on. Dave was across the room and we were all just sitting there talking and ignoring Tim. What I didn't get a picture of was when Tim decided to walk over to Dave by walking across Dick's legs that were stretched out in front if him. AND I was so appreciative that Dick did not reach out to pet him, which would be a natural instinct. I was so excited for Tim!

 

 

This was my attempt to get a picture of Tim who decided to come back to my lap by walking back across Dick's legs, notice his tail is relaxed and not tucked? Just to let you know, Tim could have gone around the other way and not crossed Dick's legs but he felt confident to go right over him. Baby steps and this foster mom was so proud!

 

 

Sybil who loves to meet new people had no trouble getting a kiss in there to Jack's dad.

After we were there about 20 minutes we all decided to take the dogs for a walk and then to go ahead and leave on a good note. So we all went for a walk together to the top of the street and Tim did really well! He even went potty which tells me he was feeling relaxed enough to relieve himself. We will have to go back for another visit and see how Tim does on a second visit. Thanks to Dick for playing along with my criteria for Tim. What a positive experience we all had.

 

Stay tuned for another post in this series.  New Rattitude alumni Skittles and his mom, Angela, are coming to our house for a visit soon and to offer help to Tim as he meets another new person and new doggie!