/head> Zuma the Dog: March 2013

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Friday 22 March 2013

A more serious note - Part 2


With spring time fast approaching we start to notice new growth in our garden and new life appearing in the fields with the birth of lambs and baby cows. The cycle of new life and beginnings is starting again and Easter gives us the chance to celebrate those new beginnings. I too am celebrating a new beginning for me. Some of the questions in my last blog edition have been answered and help has been found for me.
 
Easter cards available to buy online at www.zumathedog.com
 

It took a lot of research and some phone calls and digging around, but we did find a connection with Dog behaviour and domestic violence and a suitable therapist / trainer has been found to help me with my issues. I have always had trouble trusting people since my abuser left and the trainer is now able to translate my troubles to Mummy, so that she has the best understanding in helping me. After my first consultation my therapist’s description of me was “extremely traumatised”. Finally! Someone who understands me! Many humans don’t expect dogs to have real feeling and emotions and my new therapist is able to articulate those emotions to Mummy making them more real for her. She now has some understanding of what happened to me as a puppy when she wasn’t around and in helping me she has to relive some of the memories she had put to bed. Perhaps this is therapy for both of us?
 
Me and Mummy working together to help each other
 
 It´s only been the first week and there really is a long way to go, but already I am making progress. German Shepherds, for some reason are not my favourite breed of dog and I have always tried to pick a fight with any that I meet. This week I have spent most of my time with a very nice and well behaved one and not one single urge to go and eat him. So, for me that’s a huge improvement. At home I am much calmer, I feel more serene and less anxious. Less of a desire to hide under Mummy’s feet, which I´m sure Mummy is happy about.

If I keep this up Mummy has promised me a big surprise and I´m going to work hard to make improvements each week. I will be able to move on from my trauma and live a full and happy life like many other dogs. You know what though? In all honesty, I am a Jack Russell and it is in my nature to be naughty, so don’t count on me being 100% perfect.

 

Much Love

 

Zuma XX

Friday 15 March 2013

A more serious note - Part 1


Most of the time my blogs trend towards the humorous side of life and the fun I have most of the time as a carefree doggy living the dream with my own kids lifestyle clothing brand. They say that people (personalities) hide behind humour and I believe this is the case for most part of my life. We are all a little naughty at times and many of us have issues and this edition of my blog will give you a little in site to why I am naughty at times. It´s not just down to my breed.

Mummy and I are extremely close and we hold each other very dear. We look to each other for support and have helped each other through difficult times. We are survivors of domestic violence and as it´s been a few years since our abuser left we still have a sense of co-dependence in order to get through our trauma. I was a young pup of only two years old when our abuser left. The first two years of my life was difficult. I was witness to Mummy being hit and shouted at and even hospitalised and when Mummy wasn´t around the attention was drawn to me. Mummy has no idea what happened to me and I have no words to tell her, but she can see in my eyes the fear and trauma that I endured. She was witness to the occasion beating that took place in front of her, but she always scooped me up into her arms to protect me, so for the most part the beatings were done without her knowledge.  A lot of my time was spent hiding behind sofa´s or growling at Mr Abuser in the hope he would stop his torment and the state of stress and hyper sensitivity I currently live in is what I have only known. Mummy loves me very much and shows me a lot of love and encouragement to help me with my fears of Human men, but she feels that my anxiety is getting out of control and beyond any help she is qualified to give me.

I have seen over the years that there are a lot of help for survivors of domestic violence of the human kind. You can just Google it and where ever you look help is available. There are regular cases  in the news where women speak out as survivors to show encouragement  and help to those still enduring their traumatic experience.  Mummy has had much human support and has been able to work through her issues and come to some sort of peace and moved on. I, on the other hand can´t seem to move on and ask, but what about the dog? What about the family pet? We have emotions and feelings. We have trauma and issues. We have flashbacks and memories that we need to come to terms with.

 
 I am the silent witness and feel that I have been forgotten about throughout this whole healing process, where is the help for me? How do you help a dog that for 99% of the time shows love and goodness and affection yet for the 1% is fearful and anxious and has no trust for Human men? How do you help a dog who is a survivor of domestic violence?

A question for Cesar Milan I believe or perhaps we should look a little closer to home? I have a feeling some of my questions are about to be answered.


Much Love


Zuma XX