07/20/2026
George loves being a beach dog. We were SO impressed with every dog guardian we encountered. Everyone did a great job respecting leash rules and giving each other space.As a guardian of a dog with barrier frustration & fear of strangers. I was apprehensive about bringing George to a public dog beach.
While George does really well ignoring other dogs on leash respecting our space. We've worked very hard for him to be able to ignore other dogs when on leash. He feels extreme frustration watching other dog play off leash and missing out on the fun. Especially if they invade our space.
In town, off leash dogs invade our personal space on a daily basis. This encounter always leaves George filled with big feelings which he is learning how to cope with. George is not aggressive. He is so excited to make friends, the confines of the leash frustrate him as he cannot interact with his own kind freely. He releases his big feelings with anxious shrieking, whimpering and sometimes loud barks.
George and I put work in every single day in some form or another since he came home to foster. Yesterday, it paid off. We received so many compliments. They complimented us on his good looks, they laughed with us at George's clownish enthusiasm and later they complimented us on his nice manners (after his energy needs were met.) A number of people asked to say hello. They understood why I said no and did not understand how anyone could abandon him.
George took everything in stride. At the start, he was impulsive & enthusiastic. His brain cells went on vacation and he was running on instinct. He was a lot to manage until he got some of his exercise & enrichment needs were met. He was able to regulate and relax with all the activity.
As the hours passed by, he stopped trying to play with every dog he saw and enjoyed the moment with us. He had a great time zooming in the sand, jumping in the waves & napping on the beach. It was a spontaneous trip, one we will certainly be doing again.
Thank you to our community for loving George as I do. You mean so much to us. A special thank to George's funcle who made this experience more enjoyable.
🐾Auntie Jessie and George
