The Edge

[Edge]

This looks like a cool place to land.....

I've spent various amounts on forums such as this one and I always get more out of talking to strangers than I ever get out of talking to my husband or my psychiatrist.

I call myself Edge for a variety of reasons. We own a company with the first word being Edge so I like it. Edge is also a good word to describe the way I manage my life to keep it balanced. I have to be vigilant at all times that I don't 'fall over the edge'.

This time I'm looking for a place where I can learn coping skills in dealing with sexual abuse. I have a pretty good handle on the other types of abuse I suffered when I was young, but the sex stuff has always been on the back burner. It's time to bring it up to the front. I hope y'all can help me do that.

I learned a long time ago that the best therapy was sharing with others who have experienced some of the horrors I did. Everyone else thinks I'm a freak, which is fine. They leave me alone so at least the abuse doesn't become perpetual and I can live happily - which I do with my husband of 15 years, my 14 yr. old son, my 22 yr. old daughter who just gave me a BEAUTIFUL grandson two weeks ago. Then of course there's my german shepherd, Izzy, my cats, Legolas and Arwen (virtual prize to the first person who guesses correctly what book(s) I named my cats from) and finally Emmett, the Blue-Tongued Skink.

Hoping to get to know everyone better. I warn you in advance, I am not a "short post" person, so fetch your bunnie slippers, a cup of coffee, and a pack of cigarettes before you sit down to read one of mine. Oh, and keep a clean rag nearby to clean your screen because I have been know to cause spewing of beverages through the mouth and nose with some of my clever reparte'.

Gee, I hope I can live up to all this......

Edge

[firegirl]

Welcome to the board! I have a German Shepherd too. Aren't they the best?? Mine is Max.

[dodo]

hi and welcome to AS - I have a king charles spanial called Millie - youwill find several pictues of her - and some of my 2 kids too!!

best wishes

karen

[gumby]

Welcome. I already have my cup and blanket and all. I am ready to read. I also have a white shepherd, who is overly curious. I could use some puppy training tips. She's a big pup and almost acts like a kid.

Again welcome to AS.

[Edge]

Welcome. I already have my cup and blanket and all. I am ready to read. I also have a white shepherd, who is overly curious. I could use some puppy training tips. She's a big pup and almost acts like a kid.

Again welcome to AS.

Oh! I almost forgot about the JuJuBees.....ya gotta have some JuJuBees, too......

White Shepherds are exquisite! Izzy was a big pup when we got her, too. She was 14 weeks old and all ears and paws. LOL Her previous owners knew nothing about raising a large breed dog. I was fortunate to find a great puppy socialization group that I took her to every saturday so she could learn to get along with other dogs. She did okay except for the solid black dogs. She hates those to this day and she's now 7 yrs. old. Petsmart has training classes as well. However, if you can't afford to or simply don't want to take her to an obedience class, there are very simple things you can do at home that go a long way. The easiest is to have her on a leash in front of you while you have one of her favorite treats in your hand. She will be TOTALLY focused on your hand at this point. Hold the treat just slightly higher than she can reach it (she'll snatch it if she thinks she can get away with it). Tell her to "sit" and wait calmly to see if she does not (probably won't the first time so don't be discouraged). Keep saying "sit" in your normal speaking voice (unless you want to train her to only respond when you yell at her Watch her very closely and the exact second that her backside starts to lower say "sit" again and give her just a tiny bit of the treat (I use hot dogs so I can better control the size of the treat in proportion to her willingness to respond quickly.) If she goes all the way down into a sit, give her a bigger piece. Then have her stand again, tell her to sit, and give the treat immediately when her butt hits the ground. By this time her attention span may be running low on effort so wait a couple of hours or so and try again.

The only things you really need to be warned about are that some homeowner insurance companies will not cover your house if they know you have a shepherd. That is so assinine! My daughter was attacked and bitten badly on the face by a cocker spaniel - insurance companies allow spaniels, though. Also, NEVER let the dog take food away from you - even if it means chasing her down and getting it back. She needs to learn her place in the pecking order of the pack and recognize her human denmates as superior to her. That means feed her after you eat. If I want to give her a treat, I'll put it in my mouth first so she tastes my saliva on it. She recognizes me as the Alpha female and will not assert herself to me or any other members of my family because she knows who the bosses are.

A good friend trains shepherds for agility trials (the most fun you could have with your dog!) and I LMAO watching her work with him. He wants the treat so bad he goes through every command he knows as fast as he can to figure out which one she wants him to do. Talk about impatience! LOLOL He's a very well trained dog!! Mine is not thatobedient but she's a house dog mostly and is very well behaved. She's the first dog I ever had. If I ever get any more dogs, they must be G Shepherds. Amazing animals!!!

Hope this helps.....

Edge

[gumby]

Edge thanks for the advice. She knows how to do things. I really think the pecking order tips. Her major issues are chewing, the bitter apple isn't bitter to her, and yanking my stuff like shoe laces, socks, glasses, pens only my stuff. Oh she's stubborn and not mean at all and beyond energetic she likes walks, parks, rides. When she's sick, she acts like a calm puppy. She's umm... ...She's a full fledge puppy. The hierarchy info is especially helpful thank you again.

Oh with the shepherd thing...I use the alternate breed name for the white shepherds, American shepherd, because they can't compete. Both are better than how she looks like a fox, wolf, or coyote, because of the solid coat. It's funny how they are extra alert toward other shepherds.

Welcome again to AS and hope you find the forum as helpful and supportive as I have, even for recently finding this forum. and

[angelic]

Welcome edge. good to have you with us, you are among friends here....Paula

[teazle]

hi and welcome to AS

[hangthesilver]

Welcome! And you've named your cats after Lord of the Rings, silly.

[sisterinsurvival]

Yahoo, !
We love you, and are glad you've found AfterSilence!

[Edge]

Welcome! And you've named your cats after Lord of the Rings, silly.

Ah, someone was on her toes....LOL...your virtual prize is a trip to Rivendell with a hobbit of your choice!

[Survivors sanctuary]

Welcome ..

[BlueWings]

Oh, I love you already and I'm brand new as well!

I'm also very happy to see somebody as verbose as myself. People seem to be turned off by many words, and I don't know if it's the ever-growing selfishness of the population anymore or what, but I truly love words. They speak so much, and I am happy that you're not just a newbie, but a talkative one at that!

Oh, and you mentioned coffee and cigarettes. Which, I'm well aware isn't the healthiest of habits in the world, but you piqued my happy note with that so you get a well deserved from me. Lol.

Welcome aboard!

BlueWings

[afireinside]

Hi Edge and welcome to AS

[-Nicole-]

Welcome to After Silence

This is a great community full of supportive, caring, non-judgemental people. It sounds like you will fit right in

Nicole