Gibson 3

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Update 07/22/2024: “Watermelon chunks are Gibson’s favorite summertime treat.”

Gibson’s progress inside the house has surpassed his progress when outside.  He definitely is more comfortable inside:  he responds readily to his name and bounces over for pets and attention; he easily comes into the kitchen when meals are prepared, but is ready to dart to his dog bed if he is nervous; he definitely likes to be in the bedroom at night with the other dogs and will choose his spot on the bed or on the floor/dog bed.  Gibson is more willing to pass right by his foster mom on his way out the door.  Previously, his foster mom had to stand far away from the door before he would go outside.  His foster mom still cannot pass him in the hallway or when he is at a doorway.  Gibson retreats and seeks out one of his safe spots on a dog bed.

When Gibson is outside, he is still very guarded yet aware of what is going on.  He will respond to a command to come inside, but he has to see that the other dogs are going inside.  He will not come inside if he thinks there is still fun to be had outside.  Certain spots of the yard are his favorites, and he still gravitates towards those areas.  Gibson will not respond to offered treats outside.  If he sees that the other dogs are offered treats inside, he will run to his safe dog bed and wait for the treat to be placed in front of him.  He will not take any food or treat from a person’s hand.  This must be an ingrained behavior from his kennel days. 

Visitors are a welcome experience for Gibson.  He will seek them out immediately for pets and attention.  Gibson will stay in the area where the visitors are present and simply watch everyone, patiently awaiting attention and pets. 

The extremely hot weather has limited a lot of the leash walks.  Since the evenings are starting to cool off, Gibson goes on a nighttime walk with the resident male.  This is a huge accomplishment for Gibson to leave the yard in the dark.  He did very well, and his tail was wagging the entire walk. Instead of clinging to his foster mom’s side, he was out front with the resident male.  He seems confused when meeting people on leash walks and is unsure how to respond.  At these junctures, Gibson will act a bit nervous and cling to his foster mom’s side.  Gibson waits to return to his yard before he does his bathroom duty.

Watermelon chunks are Gibson’s favorite summertime treat.  At first, he was very skeptical about this item.  Now, Gibson relishes this cold refreshing treat, but will not take the chunk from his foster mom’s hand.  While he lines up for the watermelon chunk, he then runs to his dog bed and waits for the piece to be placed in front of him.  Again, this must be ingrained behavior from his kennel days.

Gibson grudgingly cooperates with nail trims, including his front dew claws.  Once the process is started, he will be very quiet and not try to run away.  He cooperated with a recent grooming and bathing session and seemed to enjoy his bath time.

Gibson definitely benefits from a multi dog household.  He does not like to be left home unattended for long periods of time.  This is the only time that Gibson “gets into trouble” which may be instigated by one of the other dogs.  His foster mom has caught some inappropriate chewing after four or five hour absences.

Gibson’s anxiety level is loosening up, and his foster mom is confident that his nonthreatening environment will push him forward. The resident dogs are encouraging him at every opportunity.  What a joy it is to watch this boy bloom!

Update 06/03/2024: “Walks are becoming a fun event for Gibson.” 

Gibson continues to enjoy his current foster home and dog buddies.  His foster mom is breaking him out of the backyard bubble, and he is slowly adapting to this change.

He continues to be submissive to the other dogs.  When food or treats are in play, Gibson hangs back and allows the other dogs to be dominant in the food chain.  As a result, he continues to be fed his meals on the porch where he has quiet time.  If the other dogs approach his meal bowl, Gibson will retreat and allow the other dogs to have his meal.  He never challenges another dog or person over food or treats.  In the backyard, Gibson stays close to the other dogs and runs with the younger dogs when they all charge out the back door.  Gibson needs access to a large, fenced yard.  This helps him run off his energy or anxiety. He still is very wary and guarded around new people in his backyard.  Gibson will retreat to his backyard safe spot or run back inside the house. 

Walks are becoming a fun event for Gibson.  Recently, his route was changed up.  He has been going on one to two mile walks with one or another dog.  His tail was half mast, but he had a nice bounce to his gait.  He definitely knows his way back home.  Gibson still will not relieve himself on walks; he waits until he returns to his backyard.  He does not retreat from people who approach during the walk, but he seems nervous and will stand close to his foster mom.  Fortunately, he does not try to charge after squirrels that are encountered during the walk.  He shows interest, but quickly responds to his foster mom to stay close.  Pulling and tugging on leash walks never occurs with Gibson.

Gibson is slow to adapt to anything new.  Bully stick treats usually are a cause for celebration with any dog.  Gibson had never seen one and did not know what to do with this.  His foster mom had to trade his stick with one started by another dog before Gibson would start chewing.  Once started, he finished it off.  The next half a dozen times he was offered a bully stick, he still did not know what to do with it and had to trade with another dog.  Recently, Gibson lined up and quickly took his bully stick to his safe spot and enjoyed the treat. 

Everything with Gibson must be approached slowly and deliberately.  He is still very sensitive to change and will retreat if things are not to his satisfaction.  His foster mom can reach out and almost touch him when he is wandering around the yard.  Gibson has improved on the amount of time it takes him to come back inside.  He responds to requests for “inside” and will trot over to his safe space dog bed or sofa.  His foster mom still must be standing away from the door before he comes inside.  Going outside is now a breeze for Gibson. 

Gibson is still warming up to his new life outside of the kennel.  All who visit him comment on his pleasant demeanor.  Building trust continues to present a challenge for Gibson, but he is making forward progress.  Patience is his motto for the summer.

Update 04/25/2024: “Slowly and at his own speed, Gibson seems to be accepting of household life and is forgetting the ingrained kennel routines.” 

Gibson is inching forward to his goal of achieving confidence.  His curiosity continues to overtake his hesitant and cautious manner.

The door to the outside is still a bit of an invisible barrier for Gibson.  Apparently, this is not unusual for long term kennel dogs.  For the longest time, he would not go in or out of this main access to the backyard unless his foster person would back up to the sofa in the living room.  Of course, all of the resident dogs charge in and out of this sliding door uninhibited.  Recently, Gibson started trotting outside even though his foster person was standing at the threshold.  Coming back inside still gives Gibson second thoughts.  He comes inside readily if there is unusual activity in the backyard, like visitors.  He does run over to the visitors to check everything out, but then retreats to his safe spots inside.  Gibson enjoys lounging on the porch in the fresh air and will park himself outside for hours simply enjoying the activity all around him. 

Leash walks are still a work in process, but Gibson seems to get excited and run to the backyard gate once he is leashed up.  He does not pull on the leash, but still darts side to side.  A recent walk provided him the opportunity to meet a new neighbor.  She was able to pet him and walk alongside Gibson with another resident dog.  He did not retreat or dart away at any time.  Good boy, Gibson.

When loose in the backyard, Gibson will charge all over the yard with the other dogs and then find his safe shady spot to observe activity.  A person cannot approach him with the leash while he is “loose.”  If a person reaches out to him, he will immediately dart away, but then turn around and make sure someone is close by.  He will come up to a person once the person is sitting down, and he will enjoy a big petting session.  The young male Springer still engages Gibson in “chase,” but both seemed to have a more relaxed attitude to each other.

Gibson had a vet visit the other day.  He relaxed with his Springer buddy for the long car ride.  He was the perfect patient during his vet visit.  Once he arrived home, he trotted through the backyard and checked out his safe spots inside before he went back outside to relieve himself.  Gibson would not relieve himself while he was walked around the vet’s field.  He seemed nervous that he was not in familiar territory. 

Gibson has gained about five pounds since his last weigh-in.  He seems more muscled from all of the back yard sprints and frequent walks.  Of course, Gibson has developed quite an appetite and relishes any treats. 

Slowly and at his own speed, Gibson seems to be accepting of household life and is forgetting the ingrained kennel routines.  Inside, he still darts away if one approaches him in the hallway or a doorway.  If he is on his safe dog bed, sofa area or big bed, he is an entirely confident and obedient dog.  As the summer warms up, Gibson will be encouraged to warm up more readily to his current world.

Update 03/04/2024: “Gibson continues to be an agreeable buddy who still needs some time to overcome some overly cautious behavior.”

Gibson continues to be a treasure in his foster home. His foster mom sees signs of a softening in his response to new situations or people, but he still has a way to go.

A recent visitor brought along her Collie who had been in a breeding kennel. Immediately, Gibson was enamored with the Collie and followed her around during the entire visit. His foster mom wishes that he would be as interested in human visitors. Gibson continues to retreat to his safe places when a human visitor arrives. Eventually, his curiosity will overtake his cautious behavior, and Gibson will dart around the new arrival. Safe spots are imperative in Gibson’s world. He has shown a preference for the big bed, his dog beds in the living room, and the sofa with the picture window/sliding door views. When Gibson is at rest in a safe spot, he is an adorable, loving dog who will respond to his foster mom immediately. Gibson has a couple of preferred spots in the backyard that he treats as safe places. If anyone enters through the gate, Gibson will dart away to those spots or run inside for his safe spot.  While Gibson is very curious and animated when people come in the backyard, he still retreats and stays out of reach. Once someone is sitting down (inside or outside) he will wander over for a few pets before he takes off again.

Leash walks still bother Gibson. He readily leashes up and does not have to be encouraged to go through the gate. Initially, his tail will be wagging but then it goes half-mast and he starts up with a little panting.  When he returns from the walk, he will park himself on the porch and will not come inside for a while.  This is Gibson’s way of expressing dissatisfaction with an event. Doorways to the outside are still a challenge. Gibson requires his foster mom to stand clear of the opening before he darts outside or comes back inside. He does come inside much more readily than months ago. 

Gibson enjoys romping around the backyard and sees his job as master squirrel clearer. He definitely enjoys having outdoor access throughout the day. Gibson continues to be an agreeable buddy who still needs some time to overcome some overly cautious behavior. His canine companions and the neighborhood kids are devoted to helping him gain more confidence.

Original: “Gibson continues to enjoy his backyard chase sessions with the two young Springers.  This helps him run off his anxiety.” 

Gibson spent his life in a Virginia breeding kennel with Springer Spaniels and other dogs. His breeder needed to re-home several dogs and reached out to MAESSR for help.  Gibson first spent a couple of months in a busy foster home with many canine companions.  Then, he moved to a quieter suburban home with several Springer Spaniels and a large fenced backyard to help him make the transition from a frightened kennel dog to confident family dog. 

Gibson’s arrival at his second foster home was unique.  Prior foster dogs were brought to the fenced backyard for big barking and jumping greetings from the resident dogs.  Controlled chaos would ensue for a brief period and the dogs would run up and down the backyard hill until everyone was tired out.  As Gibson approached the fence, all of the resident Springers were quiet and staring.  Once he was in the backyard, the oldest female Springer approached him and gave him nose kisses.  The other dogs followed her lead and quietly went up to Gibson and nuzzled him.  They may have sensed that he was a very scared dog, but totally not aggressive. Once Gibson inspected his surroundings, he and the resident male Springer started up a long session of playing tag through the bushes.  Once inside the house, the resident cat went up to him right away with no hesitancy.  Usually, the cat hides out for a couple of weeks when a new dog arrives. 

Gibson continues to enjoy his backyard chase sessions with the two young Springers.  This helps him run off his anxiety.  He charges out to the backyard whenever the door is opened for him.  Getting him back inside is still at challenge.  For the first few weeks, his foster mom had to allow about half an hour to coax him inside.  Now, Gibson will come in the house as long as his foster mom sits on the sofa.  If she is standing near the sliding door, Gibson will not come inside, not even with treats as bribes.  When treats are in play, he runs to his dog bed and waits patiently for his foster mom to drop the treat in front of him.  This is Gibson’s version of being a good boy.

A few weeks ago, Gibson started short leash walks around the neighborhood with one of his Springer buddies.  This was a major event for Gibson.  For months, he would not go near the backyard gate and would dig his paws into the ground if his foster mom tried to walk him out of the yard.  Now, he will go with her, but he is still very, very nervous about this activity.  Gibson hovers next to her with his tail between his legs and his head bowed.  Once back home, he stays alongside his foster mom when the leash is removed and walks beside her until they get near the sliding door.  Once inside, he runs for his safe dog bed.  He is getting used to the leash routine and will continue practicing this necessary skill.

Gibson has a couple of safe spots inside the house now.  His foster mom allows him on the sofa and the bed.  Gibson would not go on the bed at all until a month ago.  He would sleep on a dog bed or an ottoman at the foot of the bed.  Once encouraged to come on the bed, he claimed it as one of his safe spots.  He has not wandered into other rooms and stays in the living room/dining room area during the day.  He is always near the other dogs. 

Gibson has perfect bathroom habits and eats his meals on the porch.  If another dog approaches his food bowl, Gibson will walk away and allow the other dog to eat his food.  Gibson never challenges the other dogs over treats or food.  Gibson waits until everyone is out of the kitchen to venture in and drink from the water bowl.  He recently started to step a few feet into the kitchen while his foster mom prepares the dog meals.  If she stops to try to pet him, he runs to his safe dog bed. 

Gibson will not allow people to stand over him and pet him.  A person needs to be sitting on the sofa or ground.  Even outside, his foster mom cannot reach out to pet him while she is standing.  If she sits on the ground, he readily comes over for pets and attention.  Every once in a while, Gibson allows her to reach out and touch his nose or his head, but then he bolts to a safe spot.  Gibson has been on a few practice car rides, but he ends up panting and looks uncomfortable, so his foster mom has limited these excursions.

Visitors are thrilled when Gibson walks over to them for attention.  He needs a long time to warm up to them, but after a few quick pets Gibson will retreat to his dog bed area safe spot.  When the neighbor kids are outside, Gibson will run to the fence to check things out along with the other dogs.  Gibson will run back inside if the kids come into the yard.  While they can pet him in the house, he is very cautious about outdoor encounters. 

Gibson has made some progress in adjusting to household activities.  He is not scared of the vacuum cleaner or the lawn mower.  His foster mom has groomed him and bathed him a few times since his arrival.  This type of activity, while endured, is not enjoyed by Gibson.  He will be very guarded and reticent for a few days after anything different is thrown his way.  After a recent bath session, Gibson parked himself on the porch and would not come back inside the house for a long time. 

Gibson has been left home alone with the other dogs for up to five hours.  He is thrilled when his foster mom returns and will greet her with deep barks. Gibson has not shown much interest in dog toys.  A few times outside, Gibson was thrilled to play with the tennis ball and would outrun the resident male in games of catch.

The recent snow was a winter wonderland for Gibson.  He loved charging up the hill and through the bushes leaving a wake of fresh powder.  Even with the snow on the ground, Gibson loves to roll down the hill on his back.  Once at the bottom of the hill, he goes back up for another round. 

Stay tuned for updates on Gibson as he continues his winter thaw.