Keeta (AKA Nakita) and Garner

Hi there!

This is Keeta (A.K.A. Nakita) and Garner here! We were adopted by our new mum and dad (Lesley and Jesse from Calgary) from you guys about 5 months ago when we used to live with Silvia. Could you please pass this email on to her. We just wanted to catch her up on what has been happening for us in our new home!!!

We really love our new home and our parents sure love us a bunch; however, it was a bit of an adjustment period when we first moved in! I (Garner) was a pretty nervous guy and got really scared of a lot of things, my nickname even became "Mr. Worries" because I worried so much and was always very tense with a really tight belly!!! I did not really like going to the dog park much as all those other crazy dogs got me pretty worried! Keeta on the other hand, loves the dog park and is always looking to play with whoever is around!

Soon, after we got settled in in our new home, Keeta really started acting strange and it was soon discovered that she was a "resource guarder" and did not want anyone to go near her toys or anything else she thought should be hers. She even bit our mum twice on the hand and growled and made her feel really scared.

Our mum and dad cared about us a lot though and wanted to do whatever they could to help me with my worries and Keeta with her guarding and aggression. We had a visit from a really nice trainer who came right to our house. She helped a lot on that first visit and mum and dad felt a lot better. The trainer liked us so much that she decided to make me and Keeta her "case study dogs" for some training she was doing and we got to do a 9 week- intensive training for FREE! My parents have learnt a lot about us and we're really doing a good job of listening and getting along together. I think the best thing that my parents learnt about was the "Tellington Therapeutic touch" which Keeta and I both really love.

It has really done an amazing job of getting rid of a lot of my worries! I am less tense, more confident and just feel better about myself overall. I even like to go to the park and have started to play with some of the other dogs!!! My parents say that I am such a loyal guy, I always stay close and try really hard to listen and do things to make my parents proud. I also learnt a lot of manners at my dog school class- I was the top student!

Keeta is doing way better and is much more respectful to our parents. No bites, not many growls, and is even giving her toys to them when they ask for them!!! She loves the t-touch too and lets mum touch her where she needs to when she was not even aloud to touch her paws before!!!

Keeta and I like to play together and once in a while will even do a little snuggling together! Our favorite is going out to the mountains with mum and dad...we can be off leash in the mountains as we stay close to mum and dad. We also love to go back-country skiing with dad...I love to try to catch his skis!!!! I think we have really brought lots of happiness to mum and dad's life and they have brought lots to ours! We are a great little family and look out for each other.

I hope that all is going well with you and all your pup-friends. Thank you so much for taking care of us and keeping us safe, it's so nice to see that you are still looking after other pups that need your help.

ps- thanks for the calendar you sent.....Boy....do I ever look handsome on that cover!!!!
wet nose kisses and licks!

Keeta and Garner
xoxo