As part of the Practitioner Training Programme in South Africa we visited the SPCA in Midrand. This is a wonderful shelter that does incredible work in a country that like so many others sees horrific cases of animal neglect and abuse.

Irma Wouters, a participant in the programme, selected a gorgeous white cross bred dog to work with on our first visit. He was new into the shelter and was very nervous. The dog was petrified of having someone in his run. He sat pinned up against the wall and was not remotely interested in his surroundings. His ears were down and his tail was tucked firmly between his legs. He had the most soulful eyes imaginable. I have seen many sights in my time and this is a common one. There is a limit to how many animals you can fit into your life, as everyone involved in welfare work knows, but sometimes you come across an animal that truly touches your heart on the deepest level imaginable. This dog is one of those beings. And this is his story.

Session One

Irma worked with another Practitioner and after sitting with the dog for a while carefully observing his calming signals just did a few TTouches with the back of her hand to help initiate contact and to reduce the stress and anxiety. Slowly the dog began to relax a little. The participants also introduced the half body wrap which can help dogs settle and gain in confidence. The session was kept quite short with a plan to work with the dog during the second visit.

Nervousness and anxiety is obviously common in shelter dogs but TTouch can dramatically reduce the time it takes for dogs to adapt to their new situation. It can also help them overcome a variety of issues thus greatly increasing their chances of being rehomed.

TTouch can also help with gait irregularities and helps dogs gain self-confidence through a combination of ground work and body work and this fabulous dog has been a perfect example of how powerful this simple, safe and effective technique can be.

Session Two

Two days later we went back to the shelter and already a vast difference in the dog was noted. This time the dog was happy to have people in his run and was happy to come out of his kennel on the lead.

Once out, more observations could be made. This gorgeous dog obviously had some physical problems for what ever reasons and could not co-ordinate his legs at all. His back was crooked and he had a large raised area over the shoulders. His legs were consistently crossing each other and he would regularly collapse on to his wrists and fall over, but the joy on his face and the shine in his eyes at being out walking and investigating the grass said it all.

He was out for over an hour and was lead over the ground work obstacles wearing a half body wrap in between body work sessions. Working dogs over different surfaces and through patterns of poles laid on the ground greatly increases the brain-body connection and improves physical awareness. Combined with all the other options available to TTouch Practitioners I feel there is great hope for this dog and was so delighted when Irma decided to keep re-visiting the shelter to work with this amazing dog. He has the most incredible temperament and really deserves the chance of living a long and happy life in a new home. If quarantine had been abolished here for dogs coming into the UK from South Africa he would be sitting at my feet right now. Before we left Irma wanted to give the dog a name and picked Ra.

Follow Up Sessions written by Irma Wouters

Session Three

Today Ra only stood on his left wrist 3 times in 1.5 hours. The first time was because he was so excited about leaving his kennel, the second because a huge Great Dane started barking at him and he got a fright (the Dane is in one of the runs where we had the playground set up), and the last time was when he was really tired and I had just moved him to his new kennel. The "bump" in his spine between his shoulders also seemed to have normalised a bit.

With all Ra's fooling around, I only managed to get the half wrap on him on Saturday, but we did quite a bit of labyrinth, textures and paintbrush on his feet and legs. Springboks seem to quiet him down just enough for a few touches and then he NEEDS to go exploring for a bit again.

Session Four

Once again, he was hyperactive and doing the helicopter stunt on me quite a bit. I managed a full wrap and noticed that his front legs still seemed to cross over each other while walking. For all my trying he allowed me to put little wraps on his wrists - didn't manage the hindlegs, will try those next time. On the way back to his kennel, his front legs seemed to move forward instead of across. Also, today he didn't walk on his wrist once, although his wrist action is still clumsy and slow. I've been slowly trying to introduce him to the shelter staff - he's still quite scared of strangers, but it's good for him to know that these people won't harm him. He's befriended the two dogs in the middle run next to the lawn where we were working last week and when the Great Dane barked at him today again, he cocked his leg and aimed for the tyre against the Great Dane's fence - as if to say "I'm not scared of you and you'd better remember who I am!" Needless to say, the Great Dane was quite stunned by this move!

What amazes me is the amount of love that beams out of his eyes. He truly is a wonderful being!

Session Five

Ra is still improving bit by bit. It's as if he knows when I arrive, since he's always "waiting" at his kennel door when I come around the corner! Clever boy isn't he?

As far as his walking/running/jumping goes, he's now walking on his pads (hindlegs) and his front legs point forward instead of across. When he runs, it's still as if he uses both hindlegs at the same time instead of the usual one by one and his wrist action is still a bit clumsy.

He does an incredible amount of fooling around which becomes less the longer he's been out walking and working in between. I don't want to push him too hard, but in the end we have to settle down and do some "work" in every session! He's a magic boy though - so much love in that little face! All the people at the shelter (visitors and staff) to whom I've been introducing him think he's wonderful! Children just love him to bits!

Ephraim (the guy who knows all the dogs at the shelter), has noticed a vast improvement in Ra too! He says that initially Ra would not be visible when they fed him and he would only eat once all the staff have left the area, never mind his kennel, but now he comes out to eat regardless of people in the area! Ephraim also says that Ra is now ready to be rehomed but only to a very nice gentle person who's willing to take good care of him.

These changes have taken place over the course of two weeks. We will keep posting new information as it comes through and of course if you are reading this from South Africa and are looking for a dog to be your best friend....

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