There's been a bit of tension between me and Zeus. I won't go into detail because we've moved on, but this dog is definitely affected by stress and tension. The others are carrying on as normal, but without doubt Zeus has picked up on the lack of balanced and overwhelming emotion here. Currently, his pack leader is weak and stressed, and that I think brings back memories of worrying times in his life. I do think that in the wrong hands or pushed that Zeus would choose fight, not flight. I'm not saying that that is normal behaviour for him, after all I've only experienced it twice in 15 months, and on both occasions he's reacted to my high state of tension. The night that we had words was the night my father died, so there is no doubt that I was not functioning normally. Unable to deal with him "in the moment" I walked away from the situation, but got a lead and put Zeus in a crate. The following morning as I sobbed in the kitchen, Zeus showed great concern and would not leave me alone. I've cried several times since in the company of the others, but not one of them has shown the compassion that Zeus did that morning in the kitchen, in all honestly unlike him they seem oblivious to my sadness.
Zeus doesn't need stress in his life, normally he's a happy, fun, relaxed kind of guy. Sadly I know he's experienced more than his fair share of mixed messages, stress and lack of balance in his life, but currently what can I do? I'm in a place that is alien to me now, I just haven't got it in me to be strong, focused and dependable at the moment. I'll just have to try and follow a normal routine and try not put myself or Zeus in a place of uncertainty.
