I know they have dreams so I can only imagine they can have nightmares but can they fear what they haven't experienced?
Skye has been with me for four months now, in fact she's turning one in just a few days. She came to me from a shelter were she was surrendered, supposedly because they lived in a condo and were being fined for her barking and because people accused her of being a pitbull (another can of worms for another day).
I don't doubt her barking was an issue in a condo but I'm sure her being a hearing impaired Catahoula Leopard Hound and the challenges that presents in her training and needed exercise level would have been strong factors as well. Not fully understanding what I was getting myself into, and I have a fair bit of resourceful friends and professionals helping me with her, I get this.
But I wonder just what she experienced in life before she came home with me that day in February. She was only in the shelter for two days and seemed very happy there with the staff. I realize that being deaf creates an extra need of constant reassurance that she's safe. When she sleeps she's always jumping awake from a deep sleep to run in search of me only then to flop back down in her deep sleep when I've been located. Except when she is in her crate (covered), she is always so happy to go in it and that's her safe den. When she goes in there at night, even if she's still full of energy, she's quiet. I don't hear from her again until morning when she may whine or bark if the bathroom is an urgent necessity.
So imagine the wonder last night when after only maybe an hour in her crate, Quincy and I hear Skye barking her loudest, aggressive bark. Quincy started of with her low growl and low volume woof, much like when the racoons were trying to invade our truck while we were in the tent. Waiting to have access at the threat. We waited a short bit to see if Skye would realize that it was a bad dream and settle again. No go. After 30-60 seconds of the barking she was not giving up. Quincy stayed where she was when told as I went to check. I turned on the lights, lifted the kennel cover and poor Skye was glued to the back of her crate in fear. I gently opened the door and smiled, signing her to come. She came and buried her head in my chest and hugged me with her grappling paw, there she stayed for a good minute. After a couple of minutes of cuddling her, keeping her in the crate, she settled again and remained quiet in her crate the rest of the night.
All is back to normal this morning, but still I wonder......
Skye has been with me for four months now, in fact she's turning one in just a few days. She came to me from a shelter were she was surrendered, supposedly because they lived in a condo and were being fined for her barking and because people accused her of being a pitbull (another can of worms for another day).
I don't doubt her barking was an issue in a condo but I'm sure her being a hearing impaired Catahoula Leopard Hound and the challenges that presents in her training and needed exercise level would have been strong factors as well. Not fully understanding what I was getting myself into, and I have a fair bit of resourceful friends and professionals helping me with her, I get this.
But I wonder just what she experienced in life before she came home with me that day in February. She was only in the shelter for two days and seemed very happy there with the staff. I realize that being deaf creates an extra need of constant reassurance that she's safe. When she sleeps she's always jumping awake from a deep sleep to run in search of me only then to flop back down in her deep sleep when I've been located. Except when she is in her crate (covered), she is always so happy to go in it and that's her safe den. When she goes in there at night, even if she's still full of energy, she's quiet. I don't hear from her again until morning when she may whine or bark if the bathroom is an urgent necessity.
So imagine the wonder last night when after only maybe an hour in her crate, Quincy and I hear Skye barking her loudest, aggressive bark. Quincy started of with her low growl and low volume woof, much like when the racoons were trying to invade our truck while we were in the tent. Waiting to have access at the threat. We waited a short bit to see if Skye would realize that it was a bad dream and settle again. No go. After 30-60 seconds of the barking she was not giving up. Quincy stayed where she was when told as I went to check. I turned on the lights, lifted the kennel cover and poor Skye was glued to the back of her crate in fear. I gently opened the door and smiled, signing her to come. She came and buried her head in my chest and hugged me with her grappling paw, there she stayed for a good minute. After a couple of minutes of cuddling her, keeping her in the crate, she settled again and remained quiet in her crate the rest of the night.
All is back to normal this morning, but still I wonder......
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