A Facebook memory popped up the other day of a friend and I taking George to a cafe.
This was George's last time in a cafe. He was doing OK until another dog came in and we decided to abort the mission.
Of course, knowing what I know now, we wouldn't have been in the cafe in the first place. As he had started displaying some signs of reactivity (not always, but enough), we should have had a break. Maybe desensitised him to a cafe environment by sitting outside at a distance if he was ready.
It's also a year since we went to the teenage dog classes. That was when I realised his behaviour was more than the normal teenage behaviours (see Puppy school and group classes).
Again, hindsight is a wonderful thing. The class environment made George's reactivity escalate.
It all got me thinking about the days before reactivity, or when his reactivity was so much milder.
We had a few really fun months exploring together. He had been a timid puppy but his confidence was coming on in leaps and bounds.
I didn't have to constantly manage the environment and worry about triggers. I don't think I appreciated it at the time!
This led to me feeling angry and remorseful about the two incidents which really escalated the reactivity and fear.
I have lots of "if onlys". If only I hadn't allowed the fat beagle that went for him and knocked him over to approach. If only we hadn't gone to that park where the big dog chased him. If only I had realised the importance of decompression and reducing exposure to triggers.
If I were to do it all over again, I would do so many things differently.
But I'm trying to remember that we are where we are, and all I can do now is not make those mistakes again, and support him to feel safe and happy as best I can.