I’m a worrier and I often take little things too seriously because I fear where they may lead if not corrected. Adopting a puppy has been challenging because of this and it’s why I’ve worked hard to train Ellie. At roughly 6 months old she started to show signs of fearfulness towards strangers, traffic cones, Halloween decorations, and many other seemingly random things. Over the past 8 months I’ve helped her face these fears one after the next and we’ve made a lot of progress.
The other day, on our way to Petco, I was reminded of those walks and the worry I had that she might not overcome her fears. She is now 1 year and 2 months old. I glanced down at the calm and happy puppy next to me and realized those worries never came to fruition. It was just another challenge we needed to face. The point of this message is that you’ll worry about things like a good pet owner should, but don’t stress it too much. Your dog will surprise you and grow with your training over time. Stay positive and hopeful and just keep working hard!