Hide & Seek

Ms. Sophie had a social debut today.   Fosters of mine always do a meet and greet at the store I work at.  After all, my coworkers hear all about my dogs, so meeting them is a natural.

I keep telling them about Chicken Little and she was true to form.  I was a little concerned about the drive out there thinking she might try to crawl onto my lap.  No worries there.  She did climb into the front seat a couple times, but mostly she laid on the floor in back with her head under the seat.  Guess I needn't have worried.

She encountered a scary overhead door, boxes of freight and six coworkers.  Her tail may have been tucked clear to Timbuktu, but her ears were up and she was looking around.  Okay, maybe she was looking for the nearest exit.  She was offered a treat, but politely declined.  Heck, I offered her some bacon this morning, and she wouldn't take it.  Someday she'll learn those are not only ok, but yummy to the max. 

Now that she's home, her tail is out and she's barking at the shoe brush that was left out on the chair.  Guess you could say she's not just shy, she's observantly shy.  And willing to be heard. 

Perhaps part of hiding and seeking is also speaking up.  That she does.  Hiding is not necessarily passive and seeking is not totally active.  For Sophie it's a mix of fear and faith as she learns people are not synonymous with bad things.  Shoe brushes, treats and people come in many forms.  It's okay to be afraid.  Conquering that fear may involve some barking, but treats will follow.