Dashy
A very Happy Birthday to Dashy today who we think turns 11!
When I was first called up by Dash’s mum and she asked me to come meet her dog, I thought I’d heard incorrectly. Grey Hound crossed with a German Shepard?! Is that possible? What will this pup look like? So when I first saw Dashy I could totally see both breeds in him, but what a stunning mix he was! Dash has such a pretty/handsome face so much so that he has a few admirers and followers that check in just to see him each month.
Dashy’s mum, when we met, gave me a little advice and that was that I probably shouldn’t let Dash off the leash (as he likes to bolt home) and that he doesn’t really like to swim or the water all that much. So with that info under my belt I thought I’d better take things very slow with Dash.
On our first walk we got about 5/10 mins away from the house and then a loud BANG! of a car door and off Dash took me, dragging me down the street straight home! Over the next few weeks I learnt very quickly to dig my heels in whenever any kind of loud noise was made. I worked really hard on getting Dash use to the noises of Balmain. Though I always wondered if Balmain was really that much noisier than Brooklyn?…
One day as I arrived, I noticed that down on the docks there was some loud heavy machinery work going on. As I opened the front door and called out to Dash he was just nowhere to be seen…
I looked absolutely everywhere. I started to panic thinking he’d some how gotten out. Then as I circled back through the living room when I noticed that the built-in wardrobe’s sliding door was a little open. I called out to Dash again, and as I did the clothes started to move a little. I pulled back some of hanging the business shirts to find Dash all curled up at the back of the cupboard. Poor Dashy was one pretty nervous guy. I think being away from his mum in quarantine when he first came over to Australia and missing all his New York pals may have stressed him out a little.
These days Dashy spends less time in his ‘comfort’ zones like the wardrobe, shower recess, bathtub or behind the bed pillows. Walking Dashy everyday for 2 and a half years, I had made it my mission to get him to be a relaxed pup in his new country & home. Although Dashy may always have a little ‘greyhound’ nervousness, he now happily plays off leash in the park (and doesn’t run home), swims right out in the deep, runs to the front door (at times dancing around, I use to have to almost drag him out of the house), actually looks at the camera when I ask (took me a few months to get him to look at me) and he has some really great canine pals that he really loves to hang out with and play.
Dashy, for me, is what doing my job is all about. We’ve become such great pals and I feel like I’ve accomplished something and learnt a lot.
A very Happy Birthday to my Dashy Pants, Dash-a-doodle, Dash man, Dashinator, Loulou and my fave ‘Louley’. I love you lots and lots! x
Dashy’s mum has done a wonderful job writing (below) all about Dash’s international past, I love reading all about him and I bet you will too!…
