My new foster- Pippa

[DharmasMom]

I got a new foster dog last night. I am calling her Pippa since she came without a name. The shelter said she was 3 but there is no way this dog is that old. She is very small and judging by her head and feet, may still be growing, her teeth are also super white. I will post pictures shortly, right now, I can't and I am about to get into why.

The problem is this dog is scared to death. There was no history on her from the shelter but I am pretty sure she was abused. If I make any quick moves with my hands she cowers and tucks her tail. She has been slinking around the house like she is looking for a place to hide. I have only gotten her to come to me a couple of times, I will then pet her and talk gently to her but the second I stop she runs off. I have tried dropping treats and hot dogs to her, sitting on the floor, and just basically being patient. I know that this is going to take time. My question is about getting her into her crate. I just spent 15 minutes trying to get her into her crate to eat. She ran around the house and wouldn't come to me. I tossed her hot dogs until I was able to catch her and then had to force her in. She struggles when you grab her collar so I am sure she has been mistreated this way.

I have been putting her in the crate, leaving her in and giving her yummy, high value treats while she is in there and that is where she is fed. I don't want to make getting her in there a traumatic event though and have to chase her around to catch her to get her in there.

Any ideas on how to make this easier for a VERY scared pup??

BTW, she and Dharma have taken to each other and have been playing together fabulously. She seems to really trust Dharma already and looks for her all over the house.

[mysweetkaos]

Congratulations on your new foster. She is very fortunate to have wound up in your home. I know from your other posts you will give her a great start! We did a long term foster on an abused dog....what a lot of work. Don't get me wrong, when you started to see issues change it was an amazing feeling and made all the work worth it. When we started with Havok....we put he and K's crates next to each other...because he worshipped Kaos. So we would give the command, throw a high demand treat in each, K would go in and Havok learned quickly that was an ok thing to do. Of course you have to be ready to make sure the don't try to run in the same crate...and I am sure you already know that if there is any food aggression issues or insecurity maybe substitute a toy. Hope that helps. Look forward to hearing all the progress you and she make

[wildo]

hmmm... How good is Dharma with her crate skills? Can you send her to the crate and she will go in and stay? Perhaps you can use Dharma to get Pippa to follow. As to high value treats/food- be sure to test anything and everything. Frozen green beans, marshmallows, raw chicken, raw steak, cooked steak, NB roll, kibble, store bought treats, etc. You just never know what will end up being high value for your dog. For example- marshmallows are far greater value than raw chicken for Gretchen- how weird is that!?

Also- I once heard a keynote presentation at a business conference I had gone to where the presenter elaborated on the phrase "to think outside the box." Turns out that people through terms and phrases around like this all the time, but it is useless without explanation. The box contains 9 dots contained within a square. The goal of the game is to connect all 9 dots with four contiguous, straight lines (without lifting your pencil from the paper). The game is only completed successfully by drawing OUTSIDE the box.

The point is that you have to question the assumptions! If nobody asked if you could draw your lines outside the box, then they would assume that you couldn't. This lack of questioning results in a game that cannot be won. So with your foster, "think outside the box." Question your assumptions and test them. You might find that things you assumed (for example what her highest value treats are) are not true.

Perhaps you have made an assumption that the crate is the best place for her to acclimate to her new environment. Are you sure that's true? Quesiton it... If she's searching for a corner to hide in- then give her a corner to hide in. Make an area that isn't a crate for her to find refuge. Perhaps the crate was a place she was abused prior.

Hope that helps.

[mysweetkaos]

Originally Posted by wildo

hmmm... How good is Dharma with her crate skills? Can you send her to the crate and she will go in and stay? Perhaps you can use Dharma to get Pippa to follow. As to high value treats/food- be sure to test anything and everything. Frozen green beans, marshmallows, raw chicken, raw steak, cooked steak, NB roll, kibble, store bought treats, etc. You just never know what will end up being high value for your dog. For example- marshmallows are far greater value than raw chicken for Gretchen- how weird is that!?

Also- I once heard a keynote presentation at a business conference I had gone to where the presenter elaborated on the phrase "to think outside the box." Turns out that people through terms and phrases around like this all the time, but it is useless without explanation. The box contains 9 dots contained within a square. The goal of the game is to connect all 9 dots with four contiguous, straight lines (without lifting your pencil from the paper). The game is only completed successfully by drawing OUTSIDE the box.

The point is that you have to question the assumptions! If nobody asked if you could draw your lines outside the box, then they would assume that you couldn't. This lack of questioning results in a game that cannot be won. So with your foster, "think outside the box." Question your assumptions and test them. You might find that things you assumed (for example what her highest value treats are) are not true.

Hope that helps.

I agree...Shermans favorite treats are frozen peas, bits of apple....and don't let him see you eating a banana Now K, he is a meat man. Oh baby carrots are a fav too.

[DharmasMom]

Thanks guys. Unfortunately Dharma doesn't have "crate skills" anymore. She hasn't been crated in a long time and the only time she goes in there is if she is stealing something she wants. Silly dog.

I will definitely try other things to use as treats and see what Pippa likes best. Thanks for the suggestion. Today I have been using Pupperoni's and hot dogs- both of which she loves. I was trying to lure her in with the hot dogs and Dharma was getting into it, trying so hard- sitting, sitting pretty- to get her share. So of course I ended up giving Dharma a couple. She was too cute sitting there with her paws in the air like "me too!! me too!!".

I just want to make this crate training as least traumatic for an obviously already traumatized pup. Once in the crate, she is good as gold, hasn't made a peep. Same way with breakfast this morning. She ate and then just laid down. She did finally pick up a toy for the first time a couple of hours ago so once she gets the hang of toys, I will be able to use them as well but right now it is pretty obvious she doesn't know what to do with them. Although she and Dharma have played tug a couple of times today outside because Dharma will wag the toy in her face until she grabs it. If nothing else, Dharma is teaching her to play.

[Rerun]

Just give her time. Usually dogs like this will settle in, in a few days to a week or so. be patient, move slow, be friendly to her..offer treats, some kind words, and just let her find her place in the family.

They aren't always badly abused like many think. Often they are just very weak nerved and tramautized from being dumped, staying in a shelter, moved to a foster home, etc.