Cassie's sudden burst of confidence!

[Cam Atis]

After many days, weeks, months of coaxing Cassie to go walk with me outside our home, AND I WAS ON THE BRINK OF RESIGNATION, that she will never ever be like Blue that trots behind me or ahead of me. NO SIREE!

One day, she suddenly found the courage to cross to the other property (connected by a passage) all by herself. That was about 1 week ago. She caught me by surprise as I called for her, since I suspect she is on the other side, but half-hearted only as I know she is kinda wary to cross, but the gate was half open as opposed to that gate having only a crack of opening. No doubt she nudge it open by her snout. OUT she came that gate with a little shame-facedness in the way she moved, head low, frantic as if she was caught something she ought not to do or known not to do, tail wagging, carried at little bit low.

Well, do chows always do that? I mean, she just decided and that's it. Suddenly I don't have to carry her 10kilogram frame all the way to the other side when I have to go to my drugstore. Suddenly she would walk , though she hesitates a few seconds, then walk forward again.

Suddenly, she wanted to be at the store front watching people! Willing to investigate and eagerly walks with Blue and I to the merchant next to ours. She is not her shy self anymore. She used to hide under the bench or try to hide behind my legs. Now she is confident.
I am really glad. It is already 3rd day that we do it in breeze. Today I walk them twice. Cassie is even eager to cross the street. I hope I can bring them to the beach with my girls so we can have fun. Cassie will be 6 months come June 05,2012

P.S.
She and Blue had a close encounter with a neighbor's dog who has the luxury of being loose. Nothing serious happened though and I am glad the owner was with the dog. Cassie showed her brave side really pulling towards the investigating mutt, ears pricked and tail up in an agitated stance. Blue aggressive as he has always been, urging Cassie to go for the jugular, yet wise enough to stand a little behind Cassie's shoulder. Clever dog.
The mutt decided to heed its owner and went his way. My dogs used to chase him along the fence when he goes down the street.

[hayleedog]

Well I'm happy she found her confidence, lets hope she doesn't take advantage of it.

My sister adopted a chihuahua from the local shelter, he was badly abused by his previous owners, he had some pretty serious hangups, He was pretty much afraid of his own shadow, he shook all the time, he wouldn't step foot in the kitchen area, wouldn't use the sairs at all (which was a problem as she lives in a condo that is three stories. And when she took him on walks as soon as they approached the house he froze. Now a year later that poor terrified little guy is like a completely different dog. It is heart warming to see a pooch overcome past trauma.

Loose dogs are a pet peeve of mine not to mention dangerous, I can't tell you the number of times I run into dogs that are loose or poorly confined in my neighborhood when I take my two for their walk. I actually had one guy have the audacity to say to me "some tuff guy you have there" as I was holding my dog''s head up so she couldn't get to their dog which looked like a maltese. It was like he actually WANTED a fight. I just shook my head and walked off, people like that arent even worth a reply.

[Cam Atis]

Just this morning while walking towards my house, I caught Blue aNd Cassie by the gäte and were picking up a fight with their "friend" the neighborhood mutt. So there they were arguing by the gate. And! When I told the mutt "Shoo!" while I am still a few meters away, a dog answered from my behind and is coming to me growling. I throw the stone intended to scare the mutt towards that new brown dog and he backed away. The mutt by the gate eyed me and walk towards my direction but he swerved and pass by me to go home across the street. Apparently these are gang wars initiated by my fenced buddies. The mutt and brown dog are from the same neighbor.
No wonder when that "friend" of theirs saw them days ago with me by the drugstore AND them outside their fortress, he came to challenge these two puffed up canines.

[Auddymay]

It's nice when our Chows act confident. When Dillon came to live with us, he had never made a sound. ..His housemates, however, alert bark all. the. time...well one evening, Big D about made me shat myself when I was on the computer. I sit with my back to the room. He let out a big resounding, 'WOOF!' and I turned around and he was right behind me, staring. Now we can't shut him up. He must think the bathroom is something to be suspicious of, because he barks almost everytime we come out, usually in the evening.

[Ursa's daddy]

Auddymay, LOL. Malachi has this really resounding bark, so I can picture it. It is loud and surprising if you are not expecting it.