The MegaWheels Day 2

This morning, I decided to put Meg in the wheels first thing, before breakfast. That way she'd be extra hungry for chicken, and also I wouldn't have time to let my own anxiety build. I sensed we were in for a challenge. I was right.

I had one hell of a job just getting her into the wheels. She bucked and she wriggled. She didn't snarl though, which was something. Time was she'd have bitten me, no question. We've come a long way. But Meg, who was rescued from an abusive environment, is not a dog who responds well to being 'told' what to do. The trick is always to make her feel that she is acting through choice (it is purely a coincidence, from Meg's point of view, if her choice happens to coincide with what you want her to do) and the thing is with the cart you have to lift her in, so it's not as though you can just entice her and let her do it herself. There's a strap that goes over her shoulders and a sort of webbing gate that locks down over her rump. You kind of need three arms, one for the strap, one for the webbing, and one to keep pumping chicken into her mouth. As soon as I got one end in, the other end jumped out. This went on for some time. I was tempted to give up and try again later, but I felt it was important to end on a positive note. The MegaBrain is a force to be reckoned with, constantly computing data, processing it through a complex series of MegaCentric algorithms, to determine the optimal outcome (for Meg, naturally). A win for resistance so early in the game could have long term consequences.

I kept going. Talking to her all the time. Explaining. Asking her to trust me. And feeding her chicken. Eventually, we did it. She walked a little bit, with me holding the rear end up. Then she sat and refused to move. We waited.

I was maybe two metres in front of her, holding out the chicken. We sat there for several minutes while the MegaBrain whirred. She whimpered a bit. Barked a couple of times, then got up and walked towards me.

I think we just had out first breakthrough.

The MegaBrain in action

The MegaWheels Day 2 (Part 2)

We tried the wheels again this afternoon. Again, just very briefly. I hummed and hawed about whether to do it, worried that if it went badly, we might undermine this morning's progress, but then if it went well, we might consolidate it. In the end, I baked a fresh batch of liver cake, and with this irresistible offering warm in my hand...

This time there was no resistance at all to being put in the wheels. And she walked in them without any issues, even turning a couple of corners all by herself, which is remarkable, frankly. When I got her out, she was so pleased with herself, she danced all over the garden.

I knew it was significant what happened this morning. Something shifted. There will be more ups and downs to come, for sure, but I am SOOOOOOOOOOO proud of my girl!