Hello, my name is Jeffery. My brother Buster is a therapy dog, but I am actually still in therapy. I had some significant trauma which started when I was a puppy and lasted nearly four years. It has left me with significant anxiety however like all anxiety there are strategies that can help. In times of increased stress such as moving house, I go on a short course of SSRI’s (that’s anti-depressants but they can actually work better for anxiety). As well as that, my regular go-to supports include a weighted vest, relaxation through long slow stroking pats, a good diet and regular exercise, and removing myself from uncertainty before I escalate. My triggers are often new people, too many people, or raised voices. 
Trust has been a difficult thing for me since I have been rescued and my pain-based behaviours still include inconsolable barking in populated environments, unpredictable behaviour around new people and dogs, and a preference for hiding under the bed if things get overwhelming.
I appreciate that some chihuahuas can naturally be noisy and ferocious, especially if they are not socialised, so I think that explains me a little bit more as well. Plus also, being kept in a box in a backyard for years and treated like a guinea pig prevented me from interacting with others and has left me rather uncertain of my place in the world.
I am very grateful for the patient humans who accept me as I am, who watch out for my triggers and keep me safe, and who know how to reassure me when I become anxious and afraid.
Luckily Buster is willing to let me be the boss which helps me feel in control and prevents us from vying for the top position. We play together and guard our property as a tag team – I am the vigilant ears (rather like an alarm clock), and Buster is the muscle who leaps into action when I call.
I don’t feel like I am ready for my own photo gallery at this stage.