Oh, I love having summer's off of work! Deep breath....I am doing some really fun stuff. This is my reward for sending 9 months out of the year with teenager's!!!
First, I started an Agility class with my girl Sophie.Sophie came to us 2 years ago by a fluke.
She had been running wild for over a month in our community. One of our staff came to me and asked me to see if I could catch her. No one had been able to get near her although she took shelter at our elementary school, where she lurked and got free handouts.I was dog sitting my son's chocolate lab, Obie at the time and thought I would take the loveable guy with me to see if we could catch this dog. When I got to the school I saw a beautiful yet very thin, scruffy German Shepard. She took to Obie right away but when we would come close she would run. I decided to just sit in the grass with Obie and just be still. She would come several yards away and lay down. Then a little closer. I thought if I lay down maybe she would not be intimidated, and soon she was closer. I slowly put my arm out, careful not to make eye contact and was able to touch her briefly, but then she would run. I told her that if she would let me touch her, she would never regret it.
Finally on the second day of trying to catch her we tried a new plan. I knew dog control was coming the following day and I was so afraid she would be euthanized because of her lack of social skills. We decided to lure her into an enclosed area with Obie. It worked, now we only had to catch her. We finally cornered her. Now I knew this could be dangerous but I had a feeling it would be OK. We got her cornered and I put the leash around her neck. She just shook. It was so heartbreaking, I just cradled this poor dog on my lap and rocked her like a baby. When I felt she had calmed down I then picked her up to put her in the back of my SUV, concern that she could bite me in the face during this maneuver, but she just layed quietly, shaking with Obie. I was hoping that I could keep her long enough to get her socialized and find a good home for her.
I spent my childhood in Southern California three houses down from Rin Tin Tin's trainer, Frank Barnes and grew up with Rinney (as my sister and I called him) and Frank's other German Shepards, J.R. and Bear Heart, so I have a soft spot in my heart for these wonderful, intelligent dogs.I got home and put on a collar and leash and she had no idea how to walk on one. She circled and circled me wrapping the leash around my legs. When my husband came home I got an idea of some of the things that had happened to her. She was so deathly afraid of him when he wore his baseball hat. I know that she had been abused by someone, most likely a man in a hat. I worked with her and slowly she started to come around. I took her to obedience classes where she did very well, although she was still very scared of things around her. I could tell she just wanted to do whatever I asked of her but at times the fear took over, she wanted to be around people and trust them but was very jumpy and fearful. I was amazed with the fear that she wasn't a fear biter or aggressive at all. She would even let our other dog eat from her bowl and in fact, would not even eat when I left the room, instead she would follow me wherever I went.
I was falling in love with her and so was John although he told me "Char, we don't need another dog" and my response was "No, but she needs us". Well that did it! She is a wonderful part of our lives and a real blessing. She is kind hearted and wants to do anything to please us. She is very kind to her 14 lb. Schipperke sister April who rules the roost. I named her Sophie because when I looked up German names "Sweet" came up for it's meaning. That describes her, SWEET.
ANYWAY....She is doing great in her agility class...going through the tube (A big stretch for her) and over jumps, a ramp and weaving through the obstacles. She even has done it off leash at her second class. She is not motivated by treats like the other dogs, Sophie just wants to make me happy and will do whatever I ask.
It is wonderful watching her confidence grow!
