What I did on my Vacation!!!!

From Bridget's Shy Dog Page She is a Pit mix who happens to be a shy dog as well. Please visit her site to learn more about her and the issues she deals with. You will also find links to shy dog sites if you have a shy dog and are not sure of how to deal with it. Shy dogs come in all shapes and sizes! No breed is excluded from this condition. They are not mean dogs, just very scared and misunderstood. With proper handling and a lot of love, they can sometimes make a full turn around.

Update 6/o4/o5...... What I did for Memorial Weekend! By Bridget

I went up north to Hardy Dam where I got some long needed R&R...well, mostly :P The drive up was long and we had a car full of kids. So I curled up on my mama's lap and napped the whole way up.

We arrived at the cabin where I got to see Buddy again. He was happy to see me and we went outside to play while the people took care of all their silly belongings. We ran around in the fenced in part, as Buddy is not allowed out off a leash. He tends to get into the swamp and run after deer, neither of which make his pappa very happy.

I knew most of the people at the cabin... there was my mama and daddy, the kids that I consider litter mates, my mama's grandma and grandpa (Buddy's people) and a friend of the kids. I am still not sure of Buddy's pappa, as I have only met him once before. But he likes to give me dog treats and doesn't get mad that I am still a bit scared. He is not so bad. Buddy's mom likes to give me treats too, but she sometimes teases me for being scared of her still. I don't like that so much.

Later that evening Aunt Ronnie showed up with her 3 kids, one of which is a baby girl named Cadence. I like Cadence! She never yells at me or teases me. She is far too little to give me treats yet, but I like her company because she is so sweet and calm. The older kids are nice for dropping food everywhere they go! I love that! All I have to do is follow them around and I get all kinds of goodies! :D I had met Ronnie before, but I was still a bit nervous around her. She didn't mind and was very nice and understanding about it all. All and all, I like Ronnie. :) She also brought her friend Kerri whom I have met, but not really spent much time with. I like Kerri too. She is nice and thinks I am pretty.... but I still do not know her well enough to let her pet me.

Before supper we took a ride to the pontoon landing. I had never seen one before, but since everyone was so excited..I could tell it was going to be fun! I hopped on board without hesitation and awaited our departure. The floor seemed a bit wobbley, but I knew I was safe..... that was until we started out on the water! That water was spooky! I could tell because it was dark and deep. And it kept making noises and trying to bite me as we sped thru it. I kept an eye on it though...it wasn't gonna get me!

We stopped at the springs, which I had never seen before. The water was so cool and refreshing..it was GREAT! This was my first time on a lake, and I was loving it! We then moved further down to a better swimming spot for the kids.

Here I am taking in the atmosphere, checking for any stray swans and seeing what this driftwood thing was all about. It was nice to feel the cool wet sand between my toes. :)

Buddy and I had fun playing too.

We made the best of our day at the beach. It started to sprinkle and we headed back for the cabin for supper and rest. It was a good day, and I was tired. I took a nap, but then stood guard the rest of the night while my people slept. There were many strange noises that we don't have at home, and I wanted to make sure that they were not monsters.

Saturday Uncle Mark showed up. I remembered him from Easter and was very upset with him still. I made sure he knew I was watching him, and that I wouldn't be letting him boss me around none. I could tell that this made him uncomfortable, but I felt it was fair, since I was very uncomfortable too. I was thinking this was as bad as it could get, when Uncle Ryan showed up! He brought Trigger the golden retriever with him, so that was cool. Trigger liked to play too, and we all three went out to play.

However, later when I came back in, Ryan kept trying to pet me, and couldn't understand why I was not friendly to him. He just didn't get how a dog couldn't like him.... after all, most dogs I know love EVERYONE! But I am picky, and a person has to earn my trust. He got mad and scolded me for not being friendly...so I growled and barked for him to leave me be, and I went to play with my friends. I never let my guard down, whenever the men would move, I made sure they knew I was keeping an eye on them! I love my daddy, but other men scare me and make me nervous. They need to know that I am on to them! I wished they would go home.

We went out again that afternoon on the pontoon. This time when we stopped, my mamma played fetch with me. I had never played fetch in the water before, and was scared at first to swim out. It is rather scary when you can no longer feel the ground. I had no idea how deep it was, and whether or not I would make it back. But once I got the hang of it... I had FUN!!!! Driftwood is fun to fetch in the water becuase it floats! :)

Getting wet and playing in the lake is the BEST! :D

Once again it started to rain, so we went back to the cabin. We had ribs that night!!! MMMMmmmmmm!!!!! I got a yummy rib bone to chew on...and it was great! I must thank uncle Mark for that ..... he makes the best ribs! We also had corn on the cob, which I love to eat just like my mamma. It was a good day.

I got to run around the campfire that night, picking up after the kids. They always have yummy stuff, sometimes even stuck all over their clothes. I did my best to help keep them clean. ;) Sometimes the oldest kids get mad at me for being too close to their marshmallows, so they kick at me and shove me away. I guess it is fine, I don't mind much, I spose I wouldn't want someone trying to get my marshmallow either. I was feeling tired, so I sat down with my mamma by the fire and just hung out. Kerri was there, and I like Kerri a lot now. I let her know by letting her pet me.

I was sooooooo tired that night, I crawled up into bed with the kids and fell fast asleep.

The next day was good. We went to some garage sales that morning, and then came back for breakfast. I didn't get too much at breakfast because the people really like their food and didn't leave much behind.

We went out on the pontoon again..this time without the Uncles. I didn't mind. It was a good trip. Kerri sat next to me and I let her pet me again... she has been so kind to me, I trust her now. Grandma tried, but I still have doubts about her because she yells at me for being scared. And I just don't understand it. But it's ok.

We went to the beach again. Only this time we got to go on the trails up into the woods! I love the woods! So many animals, and smells, and things to discover!! It is so much fun running thru the woods... no one to bother me, the sounds of the birds, new flowers to find and rabbits to chase! I wish we had a woods in our yard at home.

It was a good trip. The only thing that went bad was that I got blamed for a tiff between Buddy and I. He was cranky and I bugged him to play. I should have let him be, but I was so excited to be in the woods and on the beach..I wanted to PLAY!!! So he bit me in the cheek and just hung there!!! I tried to get him off by running around the beach, but he wouldn't let go! My mamma saw what happened and was trying to catch us. Buddy finally let go, but I was upset then. He really hurt my feelings. So I waited until he turned away, and I pulled his tail!!!! He HATES to have his tail pulled... so I gave it a little tug..and then RAN!!! LOL He chased me and tried to bite me again..we tumbled into Grandma, who was none too happy, and then I was real naughty and pulled his tail again. Grandma saw me do it and assumed that the whole fight was my fault. I probably should have left buddy alone, but he didn't need to bite me like he did. I just wanted to play.

That evening at supper, I let Ronnie pet me too. I also like laying by her, because she doesn't scare me anymore. But those guys.... I don't know about them...I gave them chances, but I still have my eye on them.

We packed up and left that evening to come home. It was a long ride, but I curled up on daddy's lap this time and slept all the way home. I was so happy to be home. I could finally relax and be myself! I loved my vacation to the cabin, especially playing at the lake and in the woods... but I love home! Because I know everything and everybody there... it is where I feel most safe. I think the trip to the cabin did me good though. I made some new friends and have begun to realize that people are not as scary as I once thought they were. I am doing better now with children and most women as a result... and I know someday I will finally stop being scared.

I hope everyone else had a good weekend! I know mine was full of adventure!