Meet our wonderful clients, Ross and Jaime and their great dog Gulliver!

From Dr. Shawn Finch...

The only thing I have enjoyed more than getting to know Ross and Jaime through Twitter is getting to know them and their sweet, sweet dog Gulliver in real life!

It is fun to tag pictures of Gulliver with labels like #HaveYouMetGulliver (A popular Ross-inspired hashtag on Twitter is #HaveYouMetRoss!), #GulliverTheBrave and #BowTiesAreCool. Even more rewarding has been walking with this wonderful family through the trials and triumphs of having an anxious dog. I am so impressed with Ross and Jaime and as impressed with Gulliver and the progress he has made! And you will never find a cuter dog in a bow tie!

From Jaime and Ross...

Tell us about your family – humans and pets!

Our family consists of Ross Nelson, Jaime Williams and our Shih Tzu mix Gulliver.

What do the people in the family do for a living and for fun?

Ross is a software developer, and Jaime does marketing for an insurance company. In our free time, we love going to concerts, trying out new restaurants and playing with Gulliver. Jaime is a huge fan of auto racing and loves going to races at local tracks, which Ross tolerates. :)

Tell us more about the pets you have now and the pets you have had in the past.

Gulliver was surrendered to Nebraska Humane Society by his previous owners, who gave limited but very negative feedback on him on the surrender paperwork. We were looking for a small dog that would fit into an apartment lifestyle and we decided to meet him even though the adoption specialist warned us about the negative things his previous owners said about him. When the specialist let him into the playroom, he climbed onto Jaime’s lap and fell asleep right away. We ended up adopting him that night.

Jaime’s family has a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Max, and Jaime adopted a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Zoe from Nebraska Humane Society when she was twenty. Zoe was a senior when she was adopted and had been abused by her previous owners  She passed away in June of 2014 after five years with Jaime’s family.

Ross’s family has three cats: Gavin, Bailey, and Kado.

Tell us about when you first met the Gentle Doctor team or a story about the team others may not know.

Ross met Dr. Finch at a tweet-up several years ago, but at the time, he did not have any pets living with him to take to Gentle Doctor. After we adopted Gulliver, we originally took him to Jaime’s family’s vet and had a horrible experience with them. They denied that Gulliver had any anxiety issues and their answer to his panic attacks was “kennel him”, even though he lost a tooth trying to chew his way out of his kennel. Ross emailed Dr. Finch about our concerns with him and she was very understanding about his separation anxiety and panic attack issues. We immediately set up a “get to know you” appointment for him so Jaime could meet Dr. Finch too, and we were both very happy with the treatment plan Dr. Finch put in place.  That was the day we officially made Gentle Doctor our veterinary team for Gulliver.

What have you learned about pets that you did not know as a kid or before you had your own pets?

We have learned that pets can have severe anxiety issues, just like humans can. We have also learned that rescue pets that are considered “damaged goods” can turn around and have a wonderful life once they adjust to their new, loving homes.

Do you have wisdom about any medical conditions that you could share with someone who is perhaps just starting to walk their pet through a similar situation?

Gulliver has severe anxiety issues, both separation anxiety and panic attacks at home. Loud noises scare him (especially fireworks, air horns, and car alarms) and he starts convulsing. When we first got him, he would start whimpering and try to follow us out the door if we were leaving. He would also poop and/or pee on the floor while we were gone. With great veterinary care, some medications recommended by Dr. Finch, and lots of love, we have been able to slow down his panic attacks and get him used to being home alone. We would tell someone going through the same thing with their dog to be patient and keep in close contact with their vet because it IS possible to make your dog happier and more comfortable, it just takes time.

Do you have a favorite breed or type of pet?

Ross is a cat person, but also likes small dogs. Jaime is a dog person and loves all breeds, especially Corgis, Shih Tzus, and Pit Bulls.

Is their a shelter or rescue group or other pet related group that is dear to you that you would like us to help spread the word about?

We are huge fans of Nebraska Humane Society — they do great things for animals throughout the metro area, and two of our pets have come from there.

Is there a non-pet related cause you would like us to help spread the word about?

We are also huge fans of an organization called Child’s Play. They raise money to buy video games, books and other fun things for children in homeless/domestic violence shelters and hospitals all over the country. Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha is one of the places that benefits from these donations.

Is there anything else we should include in your story?

I think that covers it!