successful playdate

There are some warning signals here, but overall things went very well.  An hour and a half of hanging out, and all was good.  The only slight kerfuffle was when Ziggy told Roux to get out of the doorway when we were trying to get outside. 

Ziggy completely charmed Roux's people and was on her very best behavior.  The sort of behavior I"ve never seen her do with another person besides me.  Wasn't long before they were mocking me for my overconcern.  They insist that they can watch her when I travel, and I wish I had a short trip coming up to test it, before my long six-day trip in August. 

I'm so glad I've learned so much more about calming signals, to encourage them and to stop behavior that interferes with it.  Roux likes to chase Ziggy and grab her legs which stresses her out so we stop that, but when they run and Ziggy chases him and doesn't catch up, we encourage that.  I've taught her to do that with me - when I first got her, her prey instinct was so strong she was a menace and I was worried about her with kids, but she has learned to run and chase but not make contact with me.  Very proud of her doing that with another dog, too.  She's learned a lot of manners from the black lab down the street and I can read her better now, too.  I had to stop a few things like my friend wanting to take a selfie with her and both dogs (forcing them into too close proximity), but things went very well.

Progress, y'all. Such progress.  So proud of my wild beast.