Hello, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to me and my two cross-bred dogs, lava and spatula.
The little alpine duck bracke that had been with me for almost four months, the Radika came out of her shell a little more and began exploring her new home. She was leading the way as we went for a walk, with me and two other dogs (and cats) following me like puppies. However, last week she appears to have decided to find an adventurous spirit and become familiar with the surrounding fields and forests.
GPS location for peace of mind
All of my pets wear GPS colours. Lajka is no exception. For the 3 months I’ve lived with us, she has already managed to lose one GPS collar that I need to replace. She is a unique character. Initially, she would have returned home while we were out for a walk if she heard a car in the distance. She stays close to her home and has a radius of approximately 1,000 feet. At first, this was very worried about me. I’m used to having dogs on the leash and inside, so I’m never being monitored outside. But Lajka is another story. When I rescued her, I decided to give her the freedom she was used to. And that means she can go freely so that she pleases. Fortunately, we live very remotely and far away from the roads and other homes. Having her GPS allows me to track her movements and see what she is doing. And that allowed me to see how far she was from the house she stayed for hours last week.
3 hours later
One day last week, during a regular walk, the radio was acting as usual. She would run around, but she was chasing me and the gang in close quarters. Then she slowly began to move away, still keeping her eyes on us. As a hunting dog, she has an even greater desire to dig into a great nostril and hole. I couldn’t believe it. She stays in the field and refuses to go back home and chase after us. All of this is just over a mile from the house. The first few times I took her home a bit and it worked. But one day I decided to see what would happen if I left her to her hole.
Well, she stayed in the same place for over 3 hours and dug a hole. She finally spent breakfast and then finally returned home around noon. But she was so happy and proud of herself, she was covered in dirt from her head to her toe. And most importantly, she knew very well where her home and safety was.
Learn to deal with anxiety
For me, this was a big step, allowing the dog to do his thing without interfering with it. My other dog, lava, loves to escape to my neighbor’s house and I can always chase her and get home soon, but no harm, but again, no real danger. She plays with her neighbor’s dog and goes home when she gets tired. But it still makes me uneasy and doesn’t have her close. Lajka was only with me for a few months, but I already love this little dog and couldn’t imagine anything bad going on with her. But I’m also learning to let go and relax. After all, I don’t live in the city, but there are a variety of threats there, including wildlife. However, I have noticed so far that my dog has strong survival instincts and intelligence to know how to behave in most situations. We live in such a peaceful place, so I am learning to let go slowly so that they can enjoy their freedom a little more. But I know it’s a new experience for me and it takes me more time to get used to it, but I’ll do my best.
This article is part of the series by Dr. Maja, Lava and Hela.
