Brooklyn Shelties
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Max Available for Adoption to a Special Family!
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He had a brief relapse of any progress shortly after his dental. It seemed like a lot for him to go through and made him more fearful for a few days. After that, he went back to doing his business outside without a problem. He's afraid of all noises, wind, distant voices, car doors shutting, everything. But he's figured out that we'll circle around one particular area till he does something. Lately it takes only a minute or less. Then he's rewarded by getting to go back inside. He's settling into a routine of being taken out multiple times a day to urinate and most days he will have two bowl movements a day. A couple of times we were even able to urinate and defecate in one trip!
He's been making efforts to come out of my bedroom by himself. I go out in the hallway and call him and he'll make two or three attempts before he reaches me. When he retreats he will look back at me. You can tell he really wants to come out. In fact, I think he knows the "come" command. He's trying!
In order to eat he still has to be alone in his kennel in my bedroom. The guys ate before Doug and me so they had all eaten when I gave everybody a bite of my sandwich for a treat. Max was in my bed, I took two small bites to him, he mouthed the first one after I set it in front of him. The second bite he took from my hand, then sniffed around for more. This is a biggie!
Another thing, I left his thundershirt off for several days and put it back on yesterday. I really believe it changes his demeanor. He's more relaxed. Not to say he's not nervous but it's knocked down a notch when he's wearing that shirt.
Max is one of the older of our Brooklyn Shelties, perhaps 6-7 years old. He is a bit more social with humans than the others but still highly fearful of strangers, the outdoors, and sudden noises of any kind. He has adjusted to being walked on a leash and will walk easily up and down stairs with soft verbal encouragement, “Come, Max!” Max is very comfortable in his crate with the door open and now ventures out periodically to investigate his surroundings. Our Trainer advises that for Max, we’d like to find a family with patience and understanding who truly wishes to make the commitment to Max for the rest of his life. He will need time and compassion in his rehabilitation, which may continue throughout his lifetime at some level or another. It is important that his forever family realize that he can and will improve, but that he will most likely always be a fearful dog that finds comfort in routine - and a soft spoken owner.
Best wishes to all the Brooklyn guys and foster moms/dads!
Benji
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Benji still wont let me feed him treats by hand and runs by me but won't let me touch him. I sit and talk to him and give hm treats. He comes a little closr all the time tho. Its just sooooo slow going, I don't feel like I've made much headway. I do know when something scares him he will run toward me, but then stop. So he wants to trust. He is starting to calm down in the back yard. I bring him and Brady out and Brady will run around a while then lay down. Benji will run around, pace then walk around. He never sits or lays down tho. That will be a big deal to me.
Ginger
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Ginger is such a sweet girl. Wanting to love and trust yet still scared of the unknown and what to expect from humans that want to give her that love. When she first came to stay with me, I had to literally take her crate apart to get her to come out. Now when I open her crate in the morning, she sticks her head out and looks around knowing it's time to go outside. She tolerates the leash and much prefers a retractable leash to a short leash. She now knows that once we are outside, she needs to get down to business right away. She used to be terrified of the "outside" world and all its noises, hitting the ground if a bird flew over head. Now she looks at it with curiosity and has even started exploring the other things in the yard that she used to run from just because they were "there". She still prefers her crate to any other place. I have forced some social time by closing up her crate and not letting her retreat as often as she likes. She's starting to come in the living room with us in the evenings and even came and sat by (on) my feet last night while I was reading. She lets me pet her and pick her up although she doesn't want to be held for too long. Baby steps with this girl. Some days its one step forward and two steps back, other days she takes a step forward and stands strong. Every step is a milestone. Ginger appears to be about 1.5 years old and 14 inches tall.