Gracie 9

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Update 10/15/09:

Life is beginning to come together for Gracie. Her foster mom has put it best.

Gracie will be with us for a year in early November. My husband and I often joke that there is not much market for a dog who you cannot touch, who keeps her distance, and who growls when you push her buttons! But I have to admit that I really like her. It is like having a special needs dog and when she is “successful” I feel great. Seeing her trot along on the leash smiling is such a treat. Watching her calmly relax and lie down while I talk to a neighbor makes me proud. She enjoys life’s little pleasures such as lying in the grass at my son’s soccer game. The other day she even positioned herself close to our neighbor who was seated on the adjacent blanket and sniffed her foot. Everyone knows about Gracie and they don’t push her to interact but just allow her to be herself.

I think the key has been patience. I mostly ignore her and now she mostly doesn’t get up and move away when I approach. She has finally started to trust me. She has finally realized that I have “got her back” so she allows me to position myself between her and whatever is scary and she relaxes knowing I won’t let something happen to her. It has taken such a long time but it is nice to know that she trusts me and I am less of a scary thing. And she is starting to trust others. My cleaning lady comes every Tuesday with 3 treats each for Sophie and Gracie. Sophie makes a fool of herself running over to her, wiggling close and begging. This week I got to witness Gracie in action and she amazed me. She came trotting along after Sophie, tail a wiggling, and took all three treats from her hand. She was clearly happy to be doing something every dog knows is a fabulous thing – to take a treat offered from a hand! It has taken Gracie so long to enjoy this. There was no need to slink up. No need to snatch the treat and step back out of reach. Nothing. Just be a regular dog and relish another of life’s pleasures like the sunshine and the grass and a soft bed at the bedside.

This is why I like her. She brings me joy, just in a very different way.

Gracie still has a little ways to go but, when the time is right, there will be a forever family for her that appreciates how wonderful she can be. Her next news may indeed be that she is “Adopted.”

Update 05/10/09:

To assist with her training Gracie is on a new medication. With the supervision of her vet, Gracie’s family has gradually been increasing the dose to get it to the therapeutic range, and, it is still too early to know if it is working. That being said, Gracie does show glimmers of gaining trust in people. She went to MAESSR”s Langhorne picnic where she was able to relax a bit as long as everyone respected her boundaries and kept their distance. Gracie really enjoys car rides and walks on leash in the nice spring weather. To do that as part of Springerfest was a mini-milestone for her and her family.

Gracie hasn’t really figured out toys yet but will chew a rawhide with gusto. Her only remaining housetraining issue has to do with one spot on the family room carpet which must have a persistent odor that tells her it is okay to occasionally pee there, this combined with her foster family occasionally missing Gracie’ cue to go out right after eating dinner.

There is still a long way to go with this girl, but she is one nice dog with a great smile. Many people who saw Gracie at the picnic complimented her too on her head full of curls– flattery as any girl would love to hear! More on this one to come.

Update 03/27/09:

Progress is slow and measured in baby steps when working with Gracie on trust. At times, she backslides on a skill that was solid a week earlier. When this happens, her family gives pause but does not give up. They cut more hot dogs, and repeat, repeat, repeat the gentle and tiny motions designed to draw Gracie into their hands.

Here in a bit more detail are recent highlights.

Just when her foster family thought they were on a roll, there was a backslide. They thought Gracie was ready to accept an approach every time to get her leash on but, after a few days of success, Gracie decided it was just too stressful at times when hands reached for her neck with the leash. So, she is back to dragging it around the house.

Her family had been having much success with offering a treat while seated at the table. Gracie had gotten to the point where she consistently approached and then nudged them to get something. She had gotten quite good at the approach for a treat in that setting and her foster mom no longer had to toss it to her. Her foster mom could even face toward Gracie, call Gracie to her, and then Gracie would come those last few steps to get her treat. Gracie usually reaches forward, takes it and leans or steps back to chew. One recent day, after doing this several hundred times in the last weeks, her foster mom inadvertently extended her adjacent fingers while offering the treat between her thumb and forefinger. Even this slight movement was too much. Gracie bolted!

On the upside, Gracie has really made progress with getting to like her foster mom. Gracie now wags her tail sometimes when her mom talks to her– very exciting to see happening! And, when her mom comes home from work, Gracie greets her with the full bouncing, play bowing and a happy barking routine which is such a joy. This only lasts about a minute but it is a real step forward. Gracie clearly is a “Velcro dog” in that she follows her mom everywhere and always wants to be where she is. Gracie is very smart and very cautious. She just maintains a safe distance.

Gracie remains a tense girl. She will be starting new medication shortly in hopes of relaxing her a bit. The work with her foster family continues every day. Gracie is only just starting to trust. The best is yet to come!

Update 02/17/09:

A timeworn adage advises that the best things in life are worth waiting for. This comes to mind when thinking about Gracie. Her family continues to surround her with quiet patience and steadiness so she can learn to trust. What, from her past, has left her so fearful will never be known, but the chance to overcome it is a part of what MAESSR fostering can offer. Please keep Gracie and her family in your thoughts as they work toward the best for Gracie!

Update 01/15/09:

Gracie has settled into the routine at her foster home. Although not quite a Velcro Springer, Gracie does follow her foster mom around the house and, particularly, likes to settle outside of the kitchen while her foster mom prepares meals. Gracie is surely hoping for a treat to come her way, a good sign that Gracie is beginning to connect to her foster mom. Gracie even took some cheese from her foster mom’s hand this week, a very brave act for one so shy.

For an under-socialized dog, the world is a scary place and so many things are seen as threats. Recently Gracie began taking a daily medication which has been shown to help shy dogs relax so they can learn to trust. It is hoped that this, coupled with continuing love and nurturing, will allow her foster family to connect with her more fully and allow Gracie to become comfortable with people as she learns about the world around her.

Update 12/01/08:

Gracie’s original foster family could not keep her any longer because of upcoming travel. Gracie went to a second foster family for two weeks and then to her present home. As with any shy dog, such transitions are difficult and Gracie has been slow to adjust to a third new foster home. She is very fearful of people but has slowly warmed to her foster dad, taking treats from his hand and coming to him to get on her leash. Gracie really enjoys her walks and trots right beside her foster dad or shoulder to shoulder with the resident Springer, never pulling on the leash.

Gracie has been slower to warm to her foster mom who had the unenviable task of cleaning Gracie’s ears and applying ointment twice a day for two weeks for a fungal infection. Most Springers don’t enjoy having their ears done and poor Gracie who has had very little contact with people was clearly terrified every time her foster mom approached.

A bright spot for Gracie is that she enjoys the company of the resident Springer so much that they even share a bed, although it is meant to hold only one dog! One day her foster mom came in to find Gracie play bowing and trying to engage the resident Springer in play with some lively bouncing and playful barks. Unfortunately when Gracie is frightened, she “shuts down” and her playful mood quickly ended when she spotted her foster mom. This poor girl has had very little contact with people and needs to learn that her people can be fun and safe also. With time her foster family hopes to gain her trust and build her confidence in people. Socialization takes time and patience. Keep Gracie in your thoughts as she continues to grow into the fun, wonderful Springer she has mostly kept hidden from her foster family.

Update 10/11/08:

Gracie is doing amazingly well! She has begun to gain weight and really is pretty with lots of freckles on her body and legs. For a time, her foster mom felt she might have some hearing loss but with further observation, it seems that Gracie has “selective hearing!”

When around another dog, Gracie really feels more comfortable. Since her buddy, Joe, has moved to another foster home, Gracie is spending time with one resident dog who is a real sweetheart. She has not shown any aggression around treats or toys when with him and she does love playing with him. She is also good around the other resident dogs.

Gracie seems to be housebroken. When with her buddy in the house, Gracie will now come to her foster mom willingly, lick her hand, and wag her tail. And, when Gracie wags her tail, she wags her whole body. Gracie loves running in the yard with her buddy too and will now come to her foster mom when she calls her outdoors. The next step is to get her used to her foster dad. When she first arrived, Gracie would turn her head away and cringe slightly when he petted her but she allowed it. There has been some improvement and she doesn’t stiffen up when he gives her attention now.

Since her foster mom earned Gracie’s trust, Gracie has proven to be quite the little snuggler. She even gave her foster mom a little kiss on the face! Gracie has begun to show more and more affection and is content to lay on the floor beside her foster mom’s chair if she isn’t playing with her buddy.

When Gracie first arrived, she could have been a poster dog for the meek, the mild, and the misunderstood. With time to settle and patient encouragement from those around her, she is on her way to being the loving companion that she can be. Check back for more on her progress!

Original:

Gracie and her running companion Joe 5 were picked up by animal control and taken to a Virginia shelter. She was emaciated and scared to death there but this behavior was misinterpreted as aggression, so she was scheduled to be put to sleep. Once the MAESSR foster mom arrived who was there to pull Joe, the kennel help brought out Gracie by mistake. Gracie cringed when the volunteer went to pet her and when she asked if Gracie could be handled, the shelter staff picked her up. She was like a limp dishrag and she showed no aggression at all. So, in addition to getting Joe V from the shelter, the MAESSR foster mom took Gracie as well.

Gracie was so filthy that she needed a bath immediately upon arriving at home. She was wonderfully cooperative and gentle as she was scrubbed all over, including her face and ears. Gracie’s spa treatment continued a few days later when her foster mom and a friend groomed her. Although she was not an easy dog to groom, she never showed any aggression.

Gracie is still afraid of people, but her foster mother sees improvement. After two weeks in foster care, Gracie will finally take a treat from her foster mom’s hands. She takes it and runs away, but then comes back for more, giving little kisses on her benefactor’s fingers. Then, Gracie will bow down in front with her back end up and tail wagging, but, just as quickly, she runs away as if she had been beaten. And when anyone tries to pet her, she throws herself to the ground and just lays there. But not once has she ever tried to bite or growl.

On her car ride to the vet, Gracie rode nicely in a crate. Once there, she lay down on the floor near Joe V or near her foster mom. She allowed the staff to pet her and she actually took treats from one of them. She also allowed the assistants and the vet to check her over, draw blood, give the Bordatella vaccine in her nose, take a fecal sample, and give her vaccinations without so much as a struggle. At only thirty-five pounds, Gracie is very bony and thin. Eating lots of quality food, she is beginning to gain a little weight. Other than these issues, Gracie is in good health– good teeth, normal heart, clear eyes, healthy ears, no allergies or skin problems. All she needs is to be spayed and that is scheduled.

This little girl will need lots of TLC and understanding, but she really does seem to want to be loved. Her foster mom is working closely with MAESSR dog behaviorists to help Gracie gain trust in people. Obedience training will come down the line since she knows no commands and will not walk willingly on a leash. Gracie will need a forever home where family members have a real knowledge of dogs and dog behavior.

Please watch for updates on Gracie as she grows to trust and love people.