trini
Forums Sage
Hi Adam and Zack, sorry I missed this thread until today. But it sounds like you are making progress and that is great. 
Zack is very fortunate to be so loved and supported as he works through his fears.
From your posts I would suspect that some little thing that you are not even aware of really scared Zack when he was in your yard and he now associates whatever that was with the yard. It could have been something as simple as a car back firing as it passed your house. Staying out with him and sitting down so he knows you are not going to leave him is good reassurance. Dogs by nature are clean animals and I am sure he will be much happier (and so will you!) when he no longer uses the house as his bathroom.
With rescues, when we have no history on them, we have to play guessing games as to why certain things are triggers for fear...or even what those triggers are so we can avoid them when possible until maybe that fear can be worked through. Our rescue boy, Kinnon, is terrified of guns, even toy water pistols. His first Christmas with us our 7 year old grandson was given a water pistol by his older brother...when he took it out of the wrapper Kinnon bolted from the room in absolute terror...dribbling urine he was so frightened. To this day the sound of a shot or the sight of a gun still terrifies him. We can only assume that maybe he had been shot at...he was picked up by animal control as a stray along a country road.
Keep up the good work and tell Zack that he has a great Dad.
Trini
Zack is very fortunate to be so loved and supported as he works through his fears.From your posts I would suspect that some little thing that you are not even aware of really scared Zack when he was in your yard and he now associates whatever that was with the yard. It could have been something as simple as a car back firing as it passed your house. Staying out with him and sitting down so he knows you are not going to leave him is good reassurance. Dogs by nature are clean animals and I am sure he will be much happier (and so will you!) when he no longer uses the house as his bathroom.
With rescues, when we have no history on them, we have to play guessing games as to why certain things are triggers for fear...or even what those triggers are so we can avoid them when possible until maybe that fear can be worked through. Our rescue boy, Kinnon, is terrified of guns, even toy water pistols. His first Christmas with us our 7 year old grandson was given a water pistol by his older brother...when he took it out of the wrapper Kinnon bolted from the room in absolute terror...dribbling urine he was so frightened. To this day the sound of a shot or the sight of a gun still terrifies him. We can only assume that maybe he had been shot at...he was picked up by animal control as a stray along a country road.
Keep up the good work and tell Zack that he has a great Dad.
Trini
If I sit down within my dog's sight, he comes over to me for a pet. Having people always leaning over you is no fun, I'm sure!