Trust in Others &
Be Someone to Trust
When Riley was born, she lived with her parents, her six sibling pups, and her foster family. At eight weeks old, I came along and adopted her and instantly changed Riley’s life forever. I’m sure the abrupt change made her nervous and frightened.
My family and I immediately did everything we could to make Riley feel as comfortable, loved, and secure as possible. I’m glad that it didn’t take long for her to relax and feel right at home. Despite the fact that we had taken her away from everyone and everything that she had known and loved for the first two months of her life, we could tell that she trusted us completely. She knew we were her family and that we would always love her, protect her, and take care of her.
When I first adopted Riley, I was hesitant about leaving her by herself when no one was home. I had read so many people’s horror stories about what their dogs do when they’re not home and the nightmare they’ve come home to. I knew with Riley it would be different. First of all, I had to put my trust in her. The reality was that there were going to be times when she would have to be alone. It was inevitable. So I wasted no time in training her. I’d go out for short periods of time and leave Riley in gated parts of the house by herself. As soon as I’d return, I’d reward her with small treats and tell her what a good girl she was.
As time went on and the training regimen advanced, I’d spend longer periods of time out of the house, and increase the areas that she was allowed to be in by herself. There was a ripped piece of paper here and a torn piece of cardboard there, but other than that, things progressed quickly and smoothly. Riley swiftly learned from her initial mishaps, and I’m sure she didn’t want to risk being disappointed again by not getting rewarded with treats. When she made those first few mistakes, I never got upset with her and I always showed her I still trusted her by immediately giving her the opportunity to try again. It didn’t take much time before she had free reign of the house when I was out for a long period of time. I trusted her to behave and she always came through for me. In fact, she must have napped in the same spot the entire time I was gone. The warmth of her blanket was always a give-away.
Sometimes I wonder how a six-pound dog could be so trusting in such a giant world. She lets me hold her with one hand or gently flip her onto her back so I can give her the ultimate belly rub. She knows I’d never hurt her and I’d do anything and everything possible to always keep her safe and protect her. I’m grateful that she has unlimited trust in me, but the feeling is definitely mutual.