Wispy joined our family in 2015, coming from a situation where she was left unhandled for many years, she had alot to learn. Luckily Wisp was a smart learner, thrilled to start her clicker training journey. She rapidly learned every behavior I could think to teach her! Her gentle personality helped her learn quickly, just show her what you want and she gives it her best! At first, everything felt very mechanical with Wisp, she responded to cues, earned her reinforcement, and waited for the next cue. Wisp was cautious about trying new things and concerned that she may be punished if she stepped out of turn, it took her time to learn that she didn’t need to be perfect all the time, she could relax and enjoy the game we were playing. She needed to trust that this wasn’t an order or a threat, but a fun puzzle to solve! After about a year her Lyme disease became more obviously uncomfortable and Wisp started displaying her feelings a bit more. While this was something we addressed quickly, it was helpful for Wisp to see that she could communicate her feelings honestly, without being punished. It’s been many years with ups and downs with her chronic hoof abscesses and occasional health issues related to her neglectful past. Despite this, Wisp has opened up into a bubbly, sweet girl, she’s developed an optimistic attitude and eagerly tried new things. Wisp loves to play with her young friends that volunteer here!