Hi everyone, I'm back again! I've now had Lady for 4 months and... a lot of things are still really difficult, but how I feel has changed dramatically. We started working with a behaviourist, which gave us a lot of confidence. Lady has had a season and we got through that (her reactivity was through the roof during!) and we've got a date for a spaying in the autumn.
With the behaviourist, Lady has now met and gone for walks with 4 different dogs. I also recently introduced her to a friend's puppy and it was really successful. We still have a long way to go, and sometimes I just want to pack it all in. Yesterday she started barking at SOMETHING outside (goodness knows what) and I just burst into tears! But on the flip side, my behaviourist this Saturday told me that my handling skills are exceptional, and the bond we have (Lady responding to me/my DH) are outstanding.
When I originally posted, I really felt like I would never make it to 3 months with Lady. I was counting the weeks every single Monday, waiting for something...anything... to happen, but now I feel so much less stressed. Owning a reactive dog, especially one that also has separation anxiety, is hard work, but it's true that how you feel about the situation can change so much. It really has for me! I'm now just taking each new challenge as it comes, and introducing Lady to the world little by little.
Thanks to everyone who gave such lovely messages of support at the beginning - this really is such a lovely group.