Update on Freya

It is now 7 months since Freya came to live with us and she continues to surprise us with how well she is doing. I can happily say she is fully integrated.

She had a laparoscopic spay at my fabulous vets just over a week ago. Considering how nervous she can be meeting new people and having only met Katharine once (my fab vet), she happily walked off with her ready for her operation. I am so lucky that my vets take time using fear free methods and truly understand nervous and anxious dogs.

My vets don't often use the inflatable or old style elizabethan collars, instead they use body suits. What a difference this has made to her confidence.

Just home from her operation

The body suit has worked in the same way thunder shirts work for some dogs. I've always been a little sceptical about these and hesitate to suggest these to clients due to the cost and the lack of studies to prove their efficacy. Well, it is safe to say, my view has now changed!

Freya sleeps in the bedroom, on her bed at the side of our bed - another huge step for her and regularly wanders around the house investigating!

We have discovered she has a toilet roll fetish too - she likes to remove them from the toilet roll holder and drop them, intact, along the hall! Hilarious.

All three dogs greet me together when I come home and all of them congregate at the door waiting for their walk!

She is learning about toys and often lies watching the staffies playing with a very inquisitive look on her face.

I cannot stress how important it is to take things slowly when integrating dogs. It is much better to go slowly and celebrate small successes than rush things and end up with a problem between dogs.

Freya's favourite toy