Freya's Queen (Freya)

What our Volunteers say: Emma

I took Freya out this morning for an assessment. She came back early due to the heat. She was fine travelling in the car. I took her to Partridge Lakes where we had a nice walk around the lake, and she met a few dogs—some off-lead, some on. Big dogs she isn’t bothered with, and medium dogs are fine; she let one come over and they sniffed each other. When at the café, we saw a few tiny dogs (one being a sausage dog) and she barked. She doesn’t lunge at them but does bark a lot. She does stop at medium-sized dogs and stares at them, but nothing more! She was surrounded by a lot of ducks and wasn’t fazed by them. She is quite a fast walker, so if you walk slowly it feels like she’s pulling, but otherwise she walks nicely by your side. She wouldn’t lie down at the café; I don't know if there was just so much to watch or the weather was getting warmer, even though we were in the shade. She’s a lovely girl though. FYI: In the picture with her muzzle off, she had just drunk some water. xx

What our Volunteers say: Sue

I've had a day out with Freya today. Just the two of us plus a bag full of treats, poo bags, wipes, leads, raincoat, cool coat, etc.!

After giving Freya a hand jumping into my car, we headed to our first stop, which was just down the road at "I'm with the dog... in the field". Freya didn't lie down. She was far too curious about the scenery. This place has three secure dog fields for your dog to run free. It was a 1-acre field, and you park your car in the field itself.

I led Freya round at first on her lead to investigate. We were in a completely enclosed area, so Freya was without her muzzle to enjoy the experience fully. If anything, she found the freedom rather overwhelming. She wasn't timid or shy, but there were no zoomies like I expected. I threw balls for her which she chased a bit, but Freya likes to watch, and there wasn't anything for her to see. We had almost 50 minutes there and then back into the car for a 20-minute or so drive to Marbury Mere.

She lay down before we got to the motorway. I think the seat belt restraints were quite short for her, so coming home we made adaptations!

Freya was very patient once we got to Marbury, waiting quietly on the lead whilst I gathered all our essentials together for our walk and worked out the parking machine. She couldn't believe her eyes that there were other dogs. Mesmerised! I had her on a double-clip lead, and there was no pulling or dragging. From the car park into the big wide parkland. Again, mesmerised, interested, alert. She spotted small, light-coloured dogs in the distance. There was no dragging or barking, but I dare say she would have been over to them in a flash had she not been on the lead.

We headed over to the loo, and I took her inside with me. A very kind lady held her whilst I disappeared, and I could hear her chatting away to Freya.

We then headed towards the path round the mere. There were dogs on leads and loose. Freya was alert but not reactive, and I encouraged her to focus her attention forwards rather than to the side or behind. There was no reaction to seeing ducks and geese other than to quietly observe. She also saw Frenchies jumping into the canal. Again, just fascinated!

At one point, Freya spotted a squirrel on the ground. Then it ran up a tree. That was rather exciting for her, and she did a little yelp-bark. That was the only time she barked all day.

I compared her reaction to little black dogs and little white dogs. Little black dogs were of no interest to her, but she was more sensitive to small white dogs—i.e., not reactive, but she paid more attention!

We followed a little white dog down to the river. She sped up then but didn't drag. To be honest, I thought her manners on the lead were excellent the whole day. Once completely on our own, I took her muzzle off so she could enjoy the delights of the river and have a drink. She definitely appreciated that.

We then headed slowly back towards the main parkland. Freya does enjoy just standing and watching. She's interested and alert. She does focus on things that are moving way in the distance. Small things. But you just divert her attention away, and she's fine.

As we continued on our walk, we bumped into someone who knew HRH and Freya. It was Pascal and his friends. Freya really appreciated all the fuss. And she showed Pascal how she could ignore a little white furry lying under a table close by.

Back at the car, Freya had a drink. But really, she just wanted to watch everything.

I helped Freya into the car... she jumps out easily.

Next stop was The Spinner & Bergamot down the road. Freya was happy to come in the pub with me whilst I got a drink. There weren't any dogs in there. She had a drink of water.

I sat in the beer garden with her. She stood the whole time. Observing. She met a young Saluki-cross greyhound. She really wasn't interested. Other dogs came and went. She just watched. There was a little white dog under one of the tables. She kept her eye on it and watched it leave.

At the pub, plenty of people spoke to me about Freya and HRH. The little girl whose mum had the Saluki cross wanted to give me her spending money and take Freya home!

Then it was back to the car, quick drink, and home. Freya lay down quite quickly coming home as the lead clipping into the seat belts wasn't so restrictive.

I'll admit I was on edge this morning as I wanted the day to go well for Freya. And I hope she enjoyed herself. I think she did.

She just needs help with getting in the car, but getting out she's fine, and she needs her attention directing away from little white dogs. And she only barked once, and that was at the squirrel. And she didn't lie down, except in the car.

Just a pleasure to take out.

I'll post the pictures separately. And also be aware she only had her muzzle off at the stream to enjoy a well-deserved drink.

Thank you for reading.