I was reading on Facebook about all the crazy emails/phone calls you've had to deal with today, and I thought you might want an update on Whisper. She's doing really, really well and we are so happy to have her in our family.
We've been really working on training, and I took her to work with me daily for about 3 months so I could watch her and correct her if she spun in the crate. I can now leave her at home in her crate for 8 hours without difficulty, and the last time she spun in the house was 2-3 weeks ago. Outside is a different matter. If I let her use the dog door and go out into the dog run, she will spin 90% of the time, so it is rare that she is allowed that privilege. If she goes out in the yard off-leash with me, she circles the trees about 50% of the time. We are gradually improving on that aspect. Today I allowed her off-leash and she circled, but I was able to catch her eye from about 30 feet away and indicate that she should stop, and she didn't ignore me (YAY! This is the first time I've been able to "call her off" without physically getting in her path). The progress is slow but very steady, and I am hopeful she may one day be able to use the dog door. :) She always tips her head to the left when she spins, and I've wondered if she might have some tinnitus in that ear, but I have no idea how to test for or treat it, so I guess I'll just keep wondering.
My kids adore her, and she is SUCH a joy to train. She is very responsive and really wants to please. The trick, as with any dog, is communicating exactly what I want her to do. The deafness has been a non-issue for us. The only real time it bothers me is when she goes to spinning outside, as I can't yell at her to knock it off - I have to physically go stop her. But, that's a minor issue well worth dealing with in return for the joy she's brought us. Thanks again for this sweet little girl.
Sincerely,
Marci
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