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We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

Hi, my name is joannarashelle!

joannarashelle

Hello there my name is Joanna

I just wanted to say hello I struggle with mental health problems and a recently diagnosed Aspergers condition..

I adore anything to do with animals wildlife nature (I work as a Dog Psychologist and Behaviourist) and enjoy playing the piano and making people laugh and feel good

I'm looking forward to a new voluntary position enabling school age children how to read, as a trained helper.

I have always felt different to others but didn't know why, I have been bullied on and off throughout my life though academically bright I struggle with social interaction and everyday things we take for granted, going into a shop is a major problem for me for example and though I want to be with others (I live on my own and have no family support.. in fact certain members of family have been the bullies!) I fear the social setting, though enjoy walking with friends and our dogs in beautiful areas.

Although my 'disability' isn't visible to the eye I've always felt comfortable with people who have a 'disability' be it physical or mental.

Hello to you all and I'd love to make friends with you xxx

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Chris_Alumni

Hi @joannarashelle, welcome to the community, and thank you for sharing your experiences.

joannarashelle

mossycow

Oh my goodness! Hi there! I play piano too and help kids read at my daughter's school. We don't have dogs as my husband and are are allergic but my daughter is desperate to work with dogs and horses when she grows up.

What do you like playing on piano?

How did you get into your work with dogs?

Nice to meet you!

joannarashelle

Hello there mossycow I love your profile name

Pleased to meet you and thank you for taking the time to message me

joannarashelle

Mossycow I sent you quite a long ramble not sure if it went through as can't see it!

Did you get my ramble about how I started working with dogs?

If if not I apologise.. I'm new to this...!

Francesca1994

Welcome to the community! My name's Francesca and I have Cerebral Palsy and I will be answering questions and welcoming new members so if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask!

joannarashelle

Hello Francesca and thankyou!

xx

mossycow

Oh sorry, no I can't see a ramble. Could you be bothered to post again?

joannarashelle

Oops sorry!

Was just saying I've always felt comfortable around animals not people as much, have an almost spiritual connection with nature especially animals and dogs in particular..

Dogs have been my co-pilots throughout my life, shielding me from pain and enabling me to get out when all I want to do is shut myself away.. I struggle with social interactions..

A long story but people strangers and friends would comment on the connection I had with my dogs and how did I do it why could I get them to listen to me etc.. it came naturally to me and because I needed to work to feed myself (or should I say my dogs!) and can't work in a 'normal' environment.. I at last realised my calling in life was to enable dog owners to read and understand their dogs better, thus giving their dogs a more fulfilling life and I get paid for doing something I've always done since I was a little girl!
A longer story than that really.. it took years for me to realise I had a gift, I thought it was just me being me, but for some reason clients think I'm amazing at what I do (just acting the way I always have done with dogs!) and I get to spend my whole life literally eating with sleeping with being with and working with dogs.

Like your daughter I also love horses.

I love Debussy and Bach piano pieces but also love to play honky tonk Jazz!

Phew that was a long message!

Hello Mossycow!!

Francesca1994

joannarashelle said:

Hello Francesca and thankyou!

xx

No Problem!!

mossycow

Wow, that's fantastic. I love that dogs are your copilot. Cracking way to describe that!

So pleased you've found a career in what you love, that's worth so much!

Also love Debussy, love Chopin Rachmaninof (though my hands are too small!) and playing alsorts really. My daughter is learning violin and its a bit of a dream come true when we play together.

I'm totally fascinated by what you said about reading dogs. That is indeed a gift!

CaderMac

Hello @joannarashelle! I love animal, wildlife and nature too but unfortunately I am currently unable to have a dog, so I'm currently researching getting a little pygmy hedgehog for a pet! What type of dogs do you have? I would love to have a King Charles Spaniel one day.

joannarashelle

Hello @CaderMac and thankyou for your post!

Pygmy hedgehog oh my goodness how cute would that be!

I'm sure one day you'll have your King Charles Spaniel, they're gentle souls aren't they?

For the last 8 weeks I've been without my own fur baby (dog) having just lost my beloved Golden Retriever 'Honey', what a softy she was, I was brought up with Border Collies but genuinely love all dogs and indeed all animals!

Please tell me about Pygmy hedgehogs!

Joanna xx

mossycow

Oh no! So sorry about Honey.

Yes! Tell us about pygmy hedgehogs! Are they tiny? Can you put pictures on here?

mossycow

this is to test....

joannarashelle

Teehee I got that one!!

CaderMac

Sorry to hear about Honey, I know how horrible it can be to lose a pet. They become your family!

Pygmy hedgehogs are small and adorable! I want to make sure I can take very good care of one before I rush in and get one, but so far they seem like they can make very cute little friends. They like to live alone which makes it easy, and they eat cat food and have meal worms as a treat! Apparently, they are very active little creatures so need plenty of space to whizz around. I would like to be able to handle my hedgehog a lot so that it is friendly and sociable.

I have found this website really handy and you might find it interesting to find out some more too!

http://hedgehogcare.org/

Fundamentalist

Hi from Fm. I love hedgehogs, I once rescued one that had got itself stuck in a plastic fence. But I absolutely can't STAND dogs, They absolutely wreck my life and have done for over fifty years! I now can't have any visitors at home because of a wretched dog next door which howls it's guts out whenever it's careless owner goes out and leaves it on it's own and I now also can't go out in my own back yard because of the appallingly anti-social dogs in the yard three doors down. Why should I be forced to live like this? What about human rights, people come before dogs! I've also had to give up going walking away from the main roads because of maniacal psychopathic anti-social dogs on the loose which keep furiously aggressively menacing me and only me which I furiously resent! And far too often I've been outrageously forced off buses because of hypermaniacal dogs relentlessly ranting and howling their wretched guts out and absolutely ripping my skull apart with their appalling noise. If someone can't keep their dog quiet on the bus they should be required to get off as I would be if my phone went faulty and started playing music on it's own and I couldn't stop it and I've had that happen before. And my phone doesn't make anywhere near as much noise as a dog does! Fm.

joannarashelle

Hello there what a shame it seems you're surrounded by thoughtless people who can't train or care for their dogs adequately, so they develop problems out of frustration as we do.

But at least we as humans can articulate and vent our frustrations and disapproval can't we!
All a dog can do to show it's frustration is bark which is the dogs way of communicating.
Dogs and indeed so many animals in general can be hugely beneficial to us who struggle with life's overwhelming situations.
I can't bear to see a dog that's frustrated or hear one barking excessively, but I don't blame the dog, I blame the person who is meant to be responsible for that dog.

Without animals giving me unconditional love and in particular dogs, I probably wouldn't be here sending you this message. They have comforted me and loved me and supported me where people have failed to do so.

I hope you find a way to learn to focus on something else when you're near a dog that is over stimulated (and you'll know what I mean by this)
Its horrid for us when we're in places or situations we feel threatened by, dogs react in much the same way but they vent their frustrations generally by barking or more extremely by nipping.
But with an owner that sets boundaries teaches manners gives love exercise and attention, a dog will be happy and feel it has a good leader so will behave accordingly.

Dogs want to please us, they just need direction by someone who can give it.

I can forgive a dog for pretty much anything, I cannot say the same for people!

Best wishes to you and I hope you find your calm place

xx

joannarashelle

Ps forgot to say.. a dog can and will pick up on anti social behaviour in people, and can become aggressive if not corrected and taught to be tolerant.

I suggest the next time you're confronted with 'an anti social dog' I suggest being calm and controlled and pleasant.

Youll see a difference in the dogs reaction towards you

Best wishes xx