[Riggan]

I’m reposting this here, since it originally was posted in General Members. But it really is for those of us with Second Chance Dogs!

Those of us with “Second Hand Dogs” start from a different place than those who get puppies. Our dogs are not a clean slate. They come with not only the unique personality quirks that all dogs have, but also an often unknown past. Critical skills such as socialization that need to be acquired during the early months are often lacking. Trust has always to some extent been broken. Behaviors that might have been useful for survival in their past can be counter-productive when in a loving home. Each dog and situation is different, but the common denominator is that we need to celebrate small successes that may seem trivial to someone whose dog had a solid start in life. Please share your successes, big and small, with us here so we can all share in your excitement. Your success may also give the rest of us hope for a situation we may be struggling with for our dog. Looking forward to your stories!

[Riggan]

Lance has been terrified of open spaces, especially parking lots. Tail goes tightly between his legs and all he can think about is running away. We’ve been following Roberts advice of very short exposures without feeding into his fear. We matter of factly go from the vehicle to the trailhead or field where he can explore and run (his favorite activities). I have gradually been noticing his tail coming out from between his legs, but yesterday he blew me away. We went to a new trail that is off a golf course, so it is a huge parking area with lots of cars there. He hopped out of the truck and was looking around, a bit tense and very alert, but we walked all the way across the lot to the trailhead without his tail ever dropping from its neutral position! When we returned from our hike, he was almost unconcerned about the parking lot! There is hope!