When I saw her, her bright blue eyes were round and wide. Her pupils were dilated. Ears back. Tail down. Weight shifted back. She was nervous. Skittish. I was cautious and a truthfully a bit nervous going into her kennel. The shy dogs are just as likely to bite (if not moreso) than the dogs that make a big display of growling and lunging and using offense as the best defense. I slipped into her kennel and she turned, crouched, slinking to the far end. As I shut the kennel door I turned my gaze away from her for only a second and when the door was shut and my eyes moved back I found she was next to me. I spoke sweetly and cheerily to her as I squatted down, and again she moved away. I wasn't getting bad vibes, wasn't feeling she would nip, her body language was softening so I went to her in the corner and put the leash around her neck. I am patient when needed- I've spent 10-15 minutes in kennels getting a leash on, and some dogs are so scared about the leash, or of leaving the kennel, I don't even bother with a leash and just spend the time in the kennel doing what I can to show comfort and love.
With the leash on she followed me, past the grooming room where I grabbed a brush, then out and to the interact yard. Perfect leash walking. In the yard I did my usual, took the leash off (she laid down as I did), then ignored her as I went to sit on the bench. I gave her several minutes to sniff around without trying to engage her at all. When I finally called to her she ignored me, continuing to sniff. I tried again shortly after but she ignored again. I approached when she wandered close to me and touched her. I was soon giving belly rubs as she laid down and rolled over, exposing a recently shaved belly and spay scar.
I spent a long time brushing her, which she loved. She is pretty itchy from her previous flea infestation. Her lower back is dry, flaky, crusty, scabbed, and missing most of the fur. Just above her tail looked raw.
I brushed and brushed, and she rolled around and seemed to love every moment of it. Whenever I stopped to pick the fur from the bristles she would squirm and roll and always wanted more.
I walked her back to the kennel row, grabbed a stuffed frozen Kong, and put her back in the kennel. She seemed excited about the Kong. I went and cleaned my leash, washed my hands, and when I walked by her kennel again on the way out I paused to peek and she was happily licking and chewing the Kong.
Today, I asked staff about her. To see what was going on, why she was still there when she was so nice. She doesn't "show" well in the kennel. She's skittish, scared, and when staring intensely out with those piercing blue eye from the back of the kennel with her ears back, she does not look friendly or approachable. I got out a couple other dogs then got her out again. I couldn't resist as she'd been so, so lovely the other day. When she saw me she had that wide-eyed, freaked out look. I made a kissy sound and talked sweetly to her, and she immediately perked up and started wiggling, and swishing her tail. She remembered me! Leashing her was easy.
I brushed her more in the interact yard, then pulled some treats out. She planted her butt before I even said sit. I had her follow me a couple steps and asked her to sit. Butt straight down. Yay! Good girl. I said "down," and got no response so put the treat at her nose and pulled it down to the ground. She stood up. Ok, doesn't know down. "Sit." She sat. Good girl! Treat. I put a treat at her nose and slowly pulled it down to the ground, just in front of her paws, then along the ground slightly toward myself. This time she leaned forward, putting one paw forward. Yes! Click and treat. Good baby step. Same thing the next time. The next time, wait a second longer.. and.. other leg stretches forward. Yes! Click and treat, and new criteria. No reward unless both feet step forward while her butt stays down. A few more repetitions and she laid fully down, elbows touching. Woohoo, girl girly! I gave a jackpot of several treats on the ground. She ate them then got up. Repeat. Then again, and this time I clicked just as she was getting the last treat on the ground and gave her another treat, wait a second then again, a second and again, a couple seconds and again, clicking and treating her for staying laying down. I repeated this a few times and before I knew it she was easily being lured to lay down and would happily stay down. so I started adding the word to it. I then had her sit a few times so I could get a decent shot of her.
Then it was time for more petting!
And belly rubs!
And rolling!
I went and talked to staff. I wanted to take her home. She doesn't show well, she's stressed, she's freaked out in the kennel, her lower back has the skin issues, and I'm a husky lover. I put her back in the kennel, then first went to medical to ask about her skin to make sure it wasn't something potentially contagious to my own pets. They said it was skin dermatitis, irritation from fleas. I hadn't seen a single flea on her so I assumed she'd been treated for them. I also asked out of curiosity if she was pregnant when spayed, they didn't know, so I don't know if she had puppies or if they were removed [aborted] during her spay a week ago, but she definitely has "mommy boobies" still. I then went to the front office. Both ladies were at lunch, and I hate interrupting their lunchtime but one was about done and said we could chat. She said she didn't have a problem with me taking the dog, but what was the plan. I hesitated a moment, finding the words. To take her temporarily, a couple weeks or so, to let her skin heal, to let her relax and reset from the stress. If a rescue ends up wanting her, great, if not then I plan to bring her back in when she's looking and feeling better. Do need to dog and cat test though first, or if preferred I could go home and bring up my own dog and cat but I'm comfortable not doing it with my own pets. I waited in the office while staff lady went to talk to medical. Other staff lady I was waiting with looked the dog up.. she was the one who found husky girl.
Her story: Husky girl was tied up with a Basset hound to the fence at the shelter, and they were found around 9pm having just chewed through their leads. Staff lady caught Basset easily as he is very people friendly and came right up. The husky girl was not so easily caught and she enlisted the help of another person to herd husky girl into the parking lot, shut the gate, and get her cornered and leashed. There were foxtails in her ears, she was infested with fleas.
Staff lady selected a dog that is good with other dogs and we had them meet. It was uneventful. She stood still as he sniffed her, she showed mild interest but not much and did fine. We put the other dog back and then headed over to the farm animal area to have her meet the dog-savvy barn cat. We were interrupted when another person was having trouble with a dog spinning and fighting against the leash. I hung out with the husky girl so staff lady could help with the other dog. Then people were adopting a horse that had to be walked by, so I stood out of the way as staff lady went to open the gate for them. She was then called away so I went to find the barn cat, Jersey, on my own. I walked over and didn't know where to look for her. Ok, we can cat test later, let's just take her to medical I thought so she can have a check before I take her home- that was the plan anyway. As I'm walking the short distance I intercept another lady who has a moment to show me where Jersey is. The shed-like building behind the one remaining horse, which has fine welded wire mesh-type "walls" at the front which confine Jersey to the building. Jersey is called over. Husky doesn't seem to notice. Jersey rubs against the mesh, husky sniffs and ignores, I encourage her to check out the kitty again, another sniff and ignore. Great!
I take her to medical where staff lady meets me. Husky girl had foxtails in her ears but they seem fine now, so no further medication is needed. Her rump looks better, and they give he a bottle of shampoo that will help with the itching. It's "use as needed" and I'm advised to use it about once a week, every 3-4 days is fine too if she needs it. I can put it on tonight.
As I walked out the door, one of the ladies at the front desk said "Sucker!" and grinned at me. Oh yes, I sure am! Big sucker for huskies!
I am set to go. I put husky girl in my car, drive a short way to pick up an order of raw meat I'd placed a few weeks ago before taking her home. She did fine in the car, no panting or drooling, even laid down a few times. When I got home I left her for a moment so I could put my dogs outside and the cats in the bathroom. I brought her in on leash and let her explore the downstairs, following her, and when she wandered upstairs I opened our bedroom door where husband was sleeping so he could meet her. She sweetly nuzzled his hand.
Once downstairs I let Denali in, they met each other, husky girl wanted to go outside so I opened the door and let her out, still on leash, to meet Kaytu. They did fine and after several minutes I took her leash off. After she'd settled I got Zebulon out and had her meet him, she did fine, and then the same for Everest. Mild interest to sniff them but didn't care about them much..
She warmed up and after several attempts of my girls inviting her to play she gave in a little.
After all the exploring and meet and greets she had a nap. Denali came up and laid next to her.
When she woke up it was bath time. Dirt poured off of her, she was filthy. She is not used to baths and was not having a good time, and was trying to get out of the tub so I kept it as short as I could I washed her legs, back, and sides, using the medicated shampoo on her lower back which has to sit for 5-10 minutes before rinsing. After her bath she had a blast rolling around the dog bed.
I dried her as best I could with a towel. She was scared of my hair drier so I did some counter conditioning with it but not enough to be able to really dry her with it. Zebulon helped some, but then she got a little nervous of the cat playing with her head.
Definitely passes the cat test, and husband and I were discussing names. He said something bright, because of her eyes. I said yes, bright, something equally sweet. We landed on Phoebe which means bright, shining, and radiant in Greek.
The rest of the evening has been uneventful. She ate, I gave her little bitty scraps of the raw food while cutting it up, and she's been sleeping a lot. It must be nice for her to sleep. The kennel row she's in has been exceptionally loud with a lot of barkers recently. That, combined with the stress and a concrete floor, does not lend itself to restful sleep. I suspect she'll be sleeping a lot the next couple days.
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