Super Shy Sheltie Foster

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Sheltie4

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Over the years, I have had some very shy foster Shelties, but my current foster, Meghan, makes the rest seem outgoing.

After three months since arriving here, she still will not come to me nor take a treat from my hand.

If I leave my powder room door open, she hides behind the toilet for hours at a time.

If I shut the bathroom door, she paces . . .

I have to prop the back door open and walk away, to get her to go outside (fortunately she comes in when I open the door and call her).

Once I catch her, she will relax and lay in my lap. We have taken a few naps in the recliner together :winkgrin: She relaxes while being brushed and getting ear rubs.

If I call her while in the house, she will stick her head around the corner, see me, then run the other way.

She has never barked in 3 months.

Walking on a leash? Forget it - she shuts down.

When really scared, she poops like bullets out of a gun(not diarrhea, but she just shoots out firm stools).

I have always let the shy fosters do their own thing until they are comfortable with me . . .and they have always come around.

But again . . .it has been 3 months.

Any suggestions? Do I force her into new environments (like adoption events, or other activities)?

Meghan is my biggest challenge to date, and I would appreciate any feedback and suggestions to help her.
 
Your foster, Meghan, sounds identical in behavior to a tri boy we had several years ago. It was 6 months before he would come into the house if he could see any human...we had to hide in another room until he ran through the door and into his safe place...his crate (which was always left open 24/7). Letting him out was the same routine...open the door, hide, and then when he was sure we weren't there he would race from his crate to the door to go outside.

We didn't push him...he was 9 years old when he came to us and had spent his entire life chained to a barrel in a barn...inches of dried feces and urine were his "bed" and food was only a "sometime thing". Cody never was adopted and spent his final 4 years with us...he made good progress and actually got to the point where he would approach guests and seek affection. He was an incredibly sweet boy but always a serious flight risk due to spooking easily.

I have never believed in really pushing a little dog when they are fearful. I don't think their mind is "open" to learning when under severe stress. I let them tell me the limits of what they can handle comfortably and only make tiny "nudges" to those limits to see if we can take the next step...but back off instantly if it is obviously too much.

I hope your little foster, Meghan, can slowly come to realize she is safe and start to enjoy life. It is so sad to see a little dog this frightened.

Trini
 
Keep doing the capture and pet for sure as that is scary but gives her a chance to calm and say hmmm maybe this is not so bad. While no where close to what you describe Spitfire did not like being 'captured' when I got him. He still has his moments but often jumps up because he loves to get petted.

Oh and how about a harness so nothing is on her neck? Something like a clean run that we use in flyball.
 
Your stories make me cry.

That dogs should be treated so badly is unforgivable. I have a fearful dog (an orchard puppy), but in his home he is happy and confident and loving. While the big bad world scares him, people and home don't. For dogs to be treated to get them to the point of Cody & Meghan as described makes me ashamed to be human.
 
Good news about Meghan!!

For the first time in over 3 months since arriving here, she barked!!!

The alarm went off this morning, and she barked to be let out of her crate in my bedroom!

Until today, I had never heard a peep from her.

I may regret celebrating her first bark, if she turns into a yap-meister like Jonesie Dream:eek2:

In the meantime we are celebrating the tiny steps.
 
WTG...that very first bark is a biggie!!! Although soon you may look back on her "quiet days" with longing! LOL

Yes, every tiny step is a big celebration. :smile2:

Trini
 
I am cheering with you!!!!

When we got Casey, he was 10 and had been severely abused. For the first 2 weeks, he laid against the front door, absolutely terrified. I had to put his food bowl down in between his front legs and leave. He would go outside but back in the door and right back plastered to the front door again. We literally had to go in and out the back door.

4 years later, he comes when called (when he can hear me which I think may be not at all any more) or motioned for (and I think his sight is now mostly gone too). There are still times he simply cannot come to me. It's still just beyond him. He flinches every time I reach to pet him. Every single time.

But he runs around and barks when it's time for dinner, he comes to us when we come in the door so he can be petted, he loves to go outside and lay on the porch. He interacts with us quite a bit considering how we started out.

I just had to give him time. A long time. With Casey, everything was tiny baby steps. But he's come a long way. He will now allow strangers to pet him a little bit!!!
 
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