Comments on: The Puppiness Project – Everyone Gets Scared

By: Leslie

Leslie — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 15:34:23 +0000

I love your dream. I love even more that you’re working towards it, fear and all. I have my share of fears, and of course, Bella has her share as well. I used to be so morbidly shy that to even function in a job, I had to learn ways to deal with it. I’m still shy but I learned to “fake it” (I would be a fabulous actor. Or hermit. Either one. 😉 I’ll never have a job as a public speaker but at least now I can speak up in a meeting to share my thoughts without passing out…

On the other hand, I would never expect Bella to just ‘deal’ with it. She doesn’t have the benefit of reason and I certainly can’t explain it to her so I have to allow her her feelings and work to change those. It is interesting to contemplate what makes us afraid of something others are not. And how fear and personality interact in our process of growing through it.

By: Jodi

Jodi — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:55:08 +0000

I heard a saying once “Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.” ~Dan Rather
We’re all afraid of something, but that can’t stop us from living. I applaud you for working through your fears and helping your dogs work through theirs.

Just be the dog.

By: Kristine

Kristine — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:56:24 +0000

Fear is such a hard thing to combat. Somedays I feel ready to try anything and then others even the prospect of making a phone call is too terrifying for words. I do think it is vital to face these fears and to do things that scare you, but I just wish I could figure out how to make myself do so. 😛

Driving is probably the highest on my list. It wasn’t always so scary but I haven’t been able to force myself to get behind the wheel for a very long time. It doesn’t help that most of my family don’t understand it and I get a lot of ribbing, not all of it good-natured. I do want to drive again some day as I know it would make my life a million times easier, if only so I can take my dog to more agility events. But it’s so hard to get past that hurdle.

By: Georgia Little Pea

Georgia Little Pea — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:23:35 +0000

I can’t wait to read your sailing blog. What you said about Cherie’s leg making her used to uneven ground sounds really plausible. Did Honey show interest when she saw Cherie on the board or in the cart? Wouldnt it be great if she got over her fears by watching and following Cherie’s example? Thats what we always hope for when Georgia’s friends go swimming!

By: 2 brown dawgs

2 brown dawgs — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:27:39 +0000

Hopefully some day you be able to take your sailing trip.

By: Greyhounds CAN Sit

Greyhounds CAN Sit — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:50:06 +0000

I’m curious, Pamela. Your sailing dream, are you hoping to live on a sailboat forever and never be a landlubber again? That is a very impressive dream and you’re doing so well at bringing it to fruition.

I have lots of minor fears and not being a terribly confident person I often say ‘oh, I can’t do that’. But I know with a bit of support I can do lots of things. My major fear is of something happening to me at home (choking to death or tripping over something and cracking my head open sort of thing) and it being days before anyone misses me, lol. The penalty of being a hermit, and not having a normal job:) The main reason I worry about this is for the dogs, of course.

Frankie and Beryl would probably share my major fear of something happening to me:) Neither of them enjoy having a bath, whether I do them in the shower with me or use a hose on the lawn in the summer, but I wouldn’t say they fear it. Beryl is like Cherie, cautiously curious … but I haven’t presented her with a wobble board or dog walk yet! Frankie will have a go at anything, tempered with enough cautious curiosity to keep him alive … so far! Although if he keeps crashing through ranch sliders and a couple of other recent things I haven’t blogged about yet he will eventually run out of lives!

Hey, if it doesn’t kill you it’s going to make you stronger, right!

By: Linda |Alfie's Blog

Linda |Alfie's Blog — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:14:11 +0000

I read somewhere that you should do something everyday that scares you. I’m an unwilling driver – especially since we moved to London ten years ago where the traffic is busy, and on the WRONG side of the road! I do realise that driving would save me lots of time and give me more freedom to do fun things – so in order to combat my fear, I’ve signed up Alfie for an agility class in September – now I have no choice but have to take some driving lessons 🙂

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 04:13:59 +0000

Feel the fear, and do it anyway . .it seems so simple, right? Every time we go for a road ride on our bikes, I get a nervous tummy before we leave. I don’t know why, and I always go anyways, but I find it strange. I am definitely afraid of getting hit by a car!!

Once at a seminar the speaker drew a circle around a stick figure and said, “this is your comfort zone. Everything outside the circle is outside your comfort zone, but as you start to do things that are outside your comfort zone, the circle expands.” For some reason it stuck with me! So glad to see that all of you are learning to face your fears and expand your comfort zone – I can’t wait to see how it all turns out!!

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 02:46:44 +0000

I love this post! I feel like you are therapist Pamela! I come here read your post and then I spill it!
I have a lot of fears: speaking in public, spiders, snakes, failure, promoting myself-this is something I am having a huge issue with lately. I have been attending a lot of pet related events in an effort to become more involved. I have also been using these events to practice my photography. I am use to having my husband along for these adventures and he is usually the social person, where as I am the one behind the scenes. He does all the talking and I do all the work. However, I have decided that it is time for me to grow up and do some of these things on my own. It’s been horrible, I get so nervous I almost get sick to my stomach. I forget to introduce to myself, I don’t talk enough, I forget important things like my business cards….but I am trying and each time it gets a little better.

As for the dogs, Leroy fears nothing, and Sherman fears bridges and fireworks!

By: Jackie Bouchard

Jackie Bouchard — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:06:05 +0000

I think it’s great as well that you are pursuing your dream. (There is definitely a lot to be scared of there. I’m not much of an open water person – one of my fears! – so that would be super scary to me!!)
I have lots of fears (public speaking, tight places, bugs & snakes, fish touching me – seriously, fish TOUCHING me. Egad. Horrifying). I try to some extent to work on my fears – like last year we went to Maui and I snorkeled w/ the hubs and enjoyed it to a degree. I don’t like to go far out, and I don’t like to dive down amongst the fish, but I managed to bob along the surface and it was fun.
Mostly now though I’m working on Rita and her fears. She’s afraid of gardeners and people in floppy hats and/or earphones, swimming (although she loves shallow water), anyone carrying anything that could be a weapon, etc., but she’s getting a lot better! Her food motivation helps.
I hope Cherie will help Honey get over her fears. I keep hoping Rita’s boxer friend who loves to swim will help Rita get over her fear of swimming.