A Lucy Story: Dog Walk Anxiety
- Simply Jelly Jam
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Reminiscing about a couple of dog walking events with my dog.
My dog, Lucy and I attended a dog walk event supporting Service Dogs, Inc. Despite feeling excited to attend, I worried about Lucy's anxiety acting up.
In case it's helpful, below are the main points covered in this post:
Why I Worried
Last year, Lucy and I attended the Mighty Texas Dog Walk organized by Service Dogs, Inc. I attended heir events years ago with my first dog, Shadow. Since Shadow and I had so much fun at those events, I hoped Lucy would enjoy it as well.
Upon arrival, Lucy seemed overwhelmed at the sight of hundreds of dogs, most dressed in pajamas (it was a pajama-themed event). I could tell she was confused and unsure of her surroundings. There are never that many dogs at the dog park.
I monitored her body language. I planned on leaving immediately if she showed signs of wanting to flee or fight. We steered clear of other dogs until she relaxed.
Fortunately, Lucy calmed down when we checked-in. She stood with her front paws on the table as she watched someone verify my registration and handed me a swag bag.
When I was handed a T-shirt, Lucy decided that she wanted her own T-shirt. She grabbed a folded one from the table and attempted to take it with her. I pried it out of Lucy's mouth and embarrassingly handed it to the lady laughing behind the table.
Lucy loved the live band and paratroopers! She especially loved greeting and petting the small dogs that were not scared of her. We headed to the path and waited for the walk to begin. Lucy seemed happy, and I believed that we were going to spend several more hours having fun at the event.
When the crowd of people and dogs began walking, Lucy became nervous when everyone started walking in the same direction at the same time.
Lucy jumped, turned, and twisted her body to slip out of her harness. I could tell she was experiencing the doggy equivalent of an anxiety attack. (I, too, have anxiety attacks when I am uncomfortable or frightened.)
I knelt and held the leash low to the ground to prevent Lucy from slipping out of her harness. I spoke softly and stroked her cheek to calm her down. She stopped trying to slip out of her harness but made it clear that she no longer wanted to be at the event.
We left moments after the walk started. Lucy and I were there for about an hour.
Earlier this year, Lucy was diagnosed with severe anxiety.
How it Went
This year, we headed to the event earlier than we did last year. Lucy was happy when we arrived. She greeted several dogs on our way to check-in.
Fortunately, they did not have t-shirts laid out on the tables for Lucy to grab. While I am glad Lucy did not have a chance to steal their goods, I wished they had an option for pet parents to buy their dogs matching t-shirts. Oh well.
We spent time checking out several vendors. Later, we sat at the bleachers closest to the stage. The area in front of the stage was blocked off for flying disc dog demonstrations. Lucy enjoyed watching the disc dogs have fun jumping, running, and catching frisbees.
At one point, Lucy jumped onto my lap and licked my nose. It was her way of letting me know that she was happy. I hugged her because I was overwhelmed with happiness. I felt grateful to have this bonding experience with her.
After the demonstration ended, we browsed a few more vendors' tents. We were not in line when the walk started. I debated skipping the walk in case it triggered Lucy to have an anxiety attack, but I later decided to join towards the end of the line.
To my pleasant surprise, Lucy walked without issues! She stopped periodically to greet other dogs, but she never attempted to flee from the path.
I was elated to spend this quality bonding time with my young dog. I loved watching her socialize and wag her tail. I believed that we were going to spend several more hours having fun at the event.
When we walked about a quarter of the path, Lucy made a sharp right turn instead of following the crowd of people and dogs. I felt confused but let her lead the way. She led me off the path, through a parking lot, and to my parked SUV.
When she sat at the back door and wagged her tail, I knew she was done with the event. We left earlier than I hoped for, but we stayed longer than last year and had no anxiety attack. Progress.
We left, picked up my Dad and small dog from the hotel, and went straight to a pet store for treats.
What's Next?
Lucy and I will participate in next year's Mighty Texas Dog Walk! Until then, I hope to expose Lucy to other dog-friendly events. I believe she will grow to love such events where she could socialize and do something new!
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Thanks, and have a great day!
~Simply Jelly Jam
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