Monday, February 25, 2019

~ Gone to the Dogs ~

The last few days have been a whirl of excitement starting with a knock on my door last Thursday evening.  Who on earth could it be?  We don't get too many visitors out here in Podunk since we are a little off the beaten path.  If family or friends plan to stop by they generally call first to make sure we are going to be home.  A quick peek through the window revealed the neighbor from down the road.  Out here neighbors come by for two reasons.  
1.  One of your animals is on their property
2. They need help with something
My chickens are bedded down for the day and we don't have any other animals so number one is out of the question.  He must need help with something. Much to my surprise it was neither of the two.  He had come to ask if we would be interested in a dog.  Not just any dog but a Service trained German Shepard.  As some you know we took in my Gramp's GS, Lobo,  when Gramp's past away a few years ago.  After Lobo's passing we swore off having another dog.  It's like losing a child when they pass.   But once a dog lover always a dog lover.  It's taken some time to heal and we think we might give this dog a chance, well at least go and visit with her to see if we thought it would be a good match for us.  As you can guess we fell in love with this sweet girl.  Her name is Kahleesi.  She is a year old.  She has been abused and neglected.  Her first owner was a mean old man that abused her to the point of drawing blood.  Her rescuer trained her and tried to give her a good home but due to life she soon became neglected.  He realized Kahleesi deserved a good life of love and attention.


 Since the cage life is all she knows we have some hurdles overcome.  She's very well behaved, but how bad can you be if you won't leave the cage.  She is free to roam but is afraid to leave her safe place.  Did anyone notice the old ugly quilt under the cage?  Hubby wanted to toss the old quilt but I knew it would come in handy someday.  Its the perfect sized to put under the cage so the cage won't scratch the hardwood floor.  


Slowly we are getting acquainted, learning about each other by spending time outside.  She does really well on a leash and follows basic commands well.


Today we went out the front door to go on our walk and then came in the back door.  As we came in the back door she became terrified and tried to go back outside.  We noticed yesterday when she came out of her cage she was avoiding the hard flooring in the dining room.  Taking one large step out of her cage and onto the living room carpet.   I need to work on her fear of floors without carpet.  Over half of our home is some type of hard flooring.  


When called she looks away as if I don't even exist.  But what his little gal doesn't know is I'm more determined than she is stubborn or scared.  The living life in fear and neglect is over.  Today she will learn to deal with this floor and love it.  I've googled the hardwood floor phobia and watched a YouTube video on the subject.  Now to help my girl.


Here's the video if  you have a dog with this phobia.  I'll let you know if it works for us.





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29 comments:

  1. She's beautiful! Good luck with helping her get over her phobias quickly. No telling what she was punished for in the past, and it will take time to bring her out of her shell, but she's worth it.

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  2. What a beautiful dog! I’m so glad you’re able to take time and work with her.

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  3. Training question - would it help her if you changed her name since she won’t look when you call her? Would a new name help her adjust to you better? I have had only cats for the last 30 years so am curious.

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  4. She's such a lucky dog to have come to a loving home.

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  5. She’s beautiful and so blessed to have found you.

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  6. Beautiful pup! So glad you took her in and are willing to work with her. Hope she realizes soon how good you will be to her.

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  7. Bless you for taking this beauty in and giving her a safe home that she deserves. We have 2 rescue dogs that we love dearly (they hate each other, though) and can't imagine life without them. With love and patience, she will leave her old insecurities behind and open her heart to all you can give her!

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  8. She is beautiful! I look forward to seeing her progress with learning to have a loved and luxurious life with you.

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  9. Your new fur baby has been blessed to have found a loving home with you two!! Prayers and hugs as you teach her trust and love !!!
    Susie

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  10. A gorgeous dog! My first love of dogs are German shepherds, we have had 3.

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  11. Beautiful girl and she is so lucky to have a wonderful home. She will bloom with your love. I am a dog lover, too and I love spending the day with my two shelties.

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  12. How wonderful you are determined to turn her life around...she is beautiful and she will bloom into an amazing companion!

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  13. She is a beautiful girl! I am so happy you are making her part of your family.

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  14. Good luck with the dog. We too swore off any more animals because it is too sad when they die. You have a challenge working with an abused dog, but luckily for her she now has a good home. Time and patience will pay off for you both.

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  15. Congratulations on the new addition to your family -- she's beautiful!

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  16. What a beautiful baby! Congratulations and good luck with her. She deserves a chance!

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  17. She is precious!! Keep us posted on how she is doing!

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  18. Oh Lea Anne, she is beautiful! We got a rescue a little over three years ago and she is the sweetest dog. Big and can be rough, but very sweet! I'm sure she'll come to trust you and love you given a little time. It just kills me when people abuse animals. So glad you have given her a good home!

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  19. She’s beautiful! I’m so happy you are giving her a wonderful home. I watched the video, it was great. Hugs,

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  20. Thank you for being willing to give the lovely girl a home.

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  21. Congratulations on the new addition. Dogs are extremely resilient and I am sure that she will come around shortly.

    We rescued an abused Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel/Poodle mix) and she was terrified of loud voices. . .she would run and hide behind the toilet every time I called for my husband (who has a habit of not hearing anything over the TV). It took her about 6 months to realize that we were not yelling at her.

    She was also very scared of men (all except my husband, go figure). . .but with our frequent camping trips she was able to get over that also.

    We had her for 7 years and she was my shadow for the entire time.

    Once again, congratulations and wishes for a quick adjustment period.

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  22. OMG I'm crying. She's so pretty and innocent. She has had such a hard life... but Cesar Milan used to say, don't harbor the past with dogs, live in the now. You are just who she needed to turn her life around. Our last poodle was out of the crate within 6 months and never looked back. Our current poodle Milo loves his safe place, so we are resigned to a life of that crate in the family room. Greyhounds have a big adjustment to homes too... maybe research on how to retrain them might be interesting? Kahleesi is soft, soft eyes, and soft feelings. She will bloom with growing confidence as she learns life will now be safer. I just do not understand hurting an animal.

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  23. Bless you for hearing the siren call of rescue. That hard wood floor phobia can be tough to overcome. Having rescued a puppy mill girl, I empathize with you. Elsa was so broken down emotionally having living her entire life in a puppy mill cage (best estimate 4 years or so), she didn't even know how to take a treat. Imagine having to 'train' a dog how to accept a tasty, high value treat?! Patience and love along with more patience and love seems to be doing the trick. Now I have the most food motivated pup I know. ☺️ In the past 6 months, she's started spontaneous tail wagging and is starting to learn a few tricks. Before you know it, she'll be a 'regular' dog! All best wishes as you teach this beautiful girl that uprights can be trusted again. Good luck!

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  24. Thank you for taking in a new fur baby. I cannot watch the video here at work, but knowing you through your blog, patience, talents, and love she is in a good place. I have acquired a dog in my sisters divorce and 2 stay cats i have given a home, in addition to those that pass buy i leave a bed out and feed almost daily....Please continue to give us updates on how she is doing. She is such a beautiful dog, and it will take time for her to be comfortable.

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  25. I'm so glad she found a new home with someone willing to work with her to overcome her fear. She's beautiful. I like to think there's a special place in hell for those that abuse babies, animals and the elderly...and those with special needs. How can someone be cruel to animals is beyond me.

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  26. God Bless! I adopted my little chihuahua 7 weeks after I lost my rescue jack russell I had for 14 years. My daughter just adopted a 7 month old female rottweiler about 6 months after her rescue pitt mix passed who was extremely sweet. My husband and I would really like to have a German Shepherd, but we need to wait until DH is retired to make sure s/he is walked each day. I have fibromyalgia and a two block walk is enough for Lila if I don't feel like going farther. If my husband predeceases me, I will have at least 5 rescue dogs! My oldest daughter's dog died while we were in Hawaii at her wedding. The day before we all headed home she had a massive seizure. We were all devastated. Aimee got her after a bad breakup and was with her until 10 years later she was happily married. Her job was done. She adopted Chloe about 4 months later. Her husband has two large labs, like very large! I love all my grandpups almost as much as I love my granddaughters!

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  27. Such a blessing....for you both. Maybe she was hurt slipping on the hardwoods and that has caused her fear. My Border used to be scared to death but we put down rugs with rubber backing so she could walk from one to another. I wasn't long before she was walking on the floors too so eventually we took up the rugs after she was no longer scared.

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  28. What a beautiful German Shepherd. I am glad that she has found a home with someone who has the patience to show her she doesn't have to be afraid.

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  29. How kind, and wonderful for you to take her, and give her a furrever home! Bless you!

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