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I swear Spencer is going to conquer the world at the pace he is going. I remember when our friends Michael and Elizabeth bought this little skinny, neglected pooch from a family who was looking to get rid of her. Cute as can be, but she was pretty pathetic when they got her. With love and care though, Chanelle has turned into one of the sweetest most loving and loyal dogs ever, and has turned out to be something even more. She's my son's friend.
Spencer has always been really interested in dogs, but he has always struggled with a deep fear of them. The way they bark and jump around really made him nervous. I could always tell that he wanted to get close to Chanelle and he would seek her out when Michael and Elizabeth would bring him to the school play ground to pick up the kids. Spencer was always sure to keep a safe distance, but would try desperately to get closer to her each time, trying to hide his fears just so that he could one day pet her. This day came a few months ago, when he finally pet her on the back. It took Spencer 2 years to be brave enough to finally reach this goal. The look of pride and excitement on his face was absolutely huge. Chanelle has always seemed to have the knack of staying calm around Spencer for some reason. This can be out of character for her, as she is a dog that loves attention and gets excited when you pet her or or reach to touch her. With Spencer though, she has always tried to stand very still when he has tried to get close to her....almost like she knew. Strange, I think that little white dog could read the situation and wanted to help my son get over his worries.
A couple of weeks ago, we had dinner at their house, and they made their final big step together. Chanelle carefully jumped up on the chair to sit with Spencer. He was so thrilled, and while he was still scared, he loved that she sat with him and let him rub her back. That dog sat there for a long time, patient and gentle with my scared boy. I find it strange that a little white dog can understand a situation while there are so many adults who just can't even grasp the basics.
So as he gains momentum, I realize more and more that he wants to overcome the fear. He wants to feel proud of himself. He wants to be brave and do things that don't feel as natural to him as they do to other kids. Despite the fact that Spencer struggles to communicate, those big huge eyes often tell a very big story. In those eyes, i can see his fears, see when the stubborn kicks in, see when he is filled with joy and excitement, and when he is absolutely terrified. Thank goodness for those eyes.
So this boy and his new friend have made progress. These successes give me incredible hope for Spencer's bright and happy future. Alot of kid's would just give up. Not my boy. He doesn't like to let anything get the better of him. He will conquer the world, even if it is one four legged creature at a time. :)
For our very patient friend on 4 legs named Chanelle.....thanks for hanging in there and making my boy feel so very pleased with himself!!
