MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

Aww, I love your chicken dialogue.

Hehe thanks!

 

[MaryJanet]

Oh it has been a while since we have had the chance to understand chicken-talk.
You have a gift MJ!

Well, tis the season for gifts

I wonder if I can exchange it for something better...

 

[MaryJanet]

For a long time, I've been thinking about a pair of pups who can take me for a walk every day. Now the hens are settling into their forever routine and the verandah rebuild is underway, it's time to begin suggesting "pups" to Blossom.

From what I saw on the night I picked her up from her over-crowded, noisy, stinky, high stress foster home and from what I've seen when my cousin brought her dogs for a surprise visit, Blossom has anxiety about other small animals.

So, I'm attempting some desensitising.

I don't have much hope of it working but I don't want her to be frightened in her own home when the new puppies arrive. It'll be much better for her if she has the confidence to tell them to behave when she needs to. Also, I've seen calm cats in circumstances that would have Blossom climbing the walls in terror, so this is not about "catness" it's about her. I'm going to see if she can be calm around small animals.

I started her off with a small animatronic rat that stops and starts again. At first she said what the heck is that thing? After 15 minutes of it running around, she sniffed it. Second session, she hopped around it. I'm hoping third session will build her confidence even more. When she sleeps with it, we'll go to the next step, an animatronic yappy, bouncy dog I've had since I was tiny and we'll repeat the process. While that's ongoing, I'll ask my cousin to bring her littlest dog for visits and see how Blossom goes. It'll be a real test.

I imagine this process occurring over a year to eighteen months.

People say you can't train cats. But this isn't training, it's desensitising.

She's done it before. When she first moved in, she gradually desensitised to her new home and now she's the queen of her castle. Whether she can do it again I don't know, but I'm willing to try for the sake of preventing anxiety in the future.

 

[RoyalChick]

For a long time, I've been thinking about a pair of pups who can take me for a walk every day. Now the hens are settling into their forever routine and the verandah rebuild is underway, it's time to begin suggesting "pups" to Blossom.

From what I saw on the night I picked her up from her over-crowded, noisy, stinky, high stress foster home and from what I've seen when my cousin brought her dogs for a surprise visit, Blossom has anxiety about other small animals.

So, I'm attempting some desensitising.

I don't have much hope of it working but I don't want her to be frightened in her own home when the new puppies arrive. It'll be much better for her if she has the confidence to tell them to behave when she needs to. Also, I've seen calm cats in circumstances that would have Blossom climbing the walls in terror, so this is not about "catness" it's about her. I'm going to see if she can be calm around small animals.

I started her off with a small animatronic rat that stops and starts again. At first she said what the heck is that thing? After 15 minutes of it running around, she sniffed it. Second session, she hopped around it. I'm hoping third session will build her confidence even more. When she sleeps with it, we'll go to the next step, an animatronic yappy, bouncy dog I've had since I was tiny and we'll repeat the process. While that's ongoing, I'll ask my cousin to bring her littlest dog for visits and see how Blossom goes. It'll be a real test.

I imagine this process occurring over a year to eighteen months.

People say you can't train cats. But this isn't training, it's desensitising.

She's done it before. When she first moved in, she gradually desensitised to her new home and now she's the queen of her castle. Whether she can do it again I don't know, but I'm willing to try for the sake of preventing anxiety in the future.

Wow. That sounds like quite an undertaking!
If it were my cats I would worry about the pups.

 

[MaryJanet]

Wow. That sounds like quite an undertaking!
If it were my cats I would worry about the pups.

Your cats have the confidence I hope she can grow into.

 

[RoyalChick]

Your cats have the confidence I hope she can grow into.

Actually I think they are quite scared sort of cats - they disappear if any stranger appears - but the little one acts out her anxiety as aggression and Nightshade thinks he is a panther when it comes to hunting.

 

[MaryJanet]

Actually I think they are quite scared sort of cats - they disappear if any stranger appears - but the little one acts out her anxiety as aggression and Nightshade thinks he is a panther when it comes to hunting.

I was very pleased when Blossom chose to look at the animatronic rat instead of hiding. I hope she makes the same decision when the dog comes out of the cellar.

 

[MaryJanet]

The Christmas festivities are underway for me! See you on the other side friends.

Wishing you a safe and joyful Christmas.

 

[RoyalChick]

The Christmas festivities are underway for me! See you on the other side friends.

Wishing you a safe and joyful Christmas.

Have fun with your festivities.

 

[Grammy60]

Wishing everyone a very Happy and safe Christmas time