Rescued

Six years ago I adopted my German Shepherd, PonyBoy, from Char-Wills.  Since then I have followed them on social media and remained friendly with their president, Diane Buhl.  Yesterday, she reached out about a nearly 8-month-old female GSD in need of a stable, experienced foster home. 

She was coming from a dumpster fire of a situation.  The product of a backyard breeder, she was sold to a family and kept isolated outside the home.  She had become fearful and untrusting of humans.  She was becoming dangerous and snapping at the children.  They tried to return her to the “breeder” who had disappeared and would not return calls.  Nothing in her environment or education changed and she continued to worsen.  Finally, she made it into the Char-Wills family.

She spent a week in another foster home, with a trainer, but was unable to remain and was sent to the rescue.  That’s when I stepped in.  I drove up to Schuykill County last evening to pick her up.  In her not-quite eight months of life she had gone from a sketchy breeding operation to an ill-equipped family to a foster home to a rescue and now to me.  I promise, this is her final transitional home!  When she leaves here it will be to her forever home.

I picked her up understanding that she has generalized anxiety, is fear aggressive, lunges and snaps when cornered, has no leash manners, was riddled with worms, is malnourished and frightfully underweight.  Oh, and currently battling a nasty case of diarrhea.  I was so eager to put her in my car for an hour and a half ride home…

Here’s what I’ve learned so far.  She is terrified.  That’s an absolute.  She has little trust of humans and zero confidence.  She was not very interested in affection but did consent to being collared and leashed; she even let me lift her into the car.  The ride home was completely uneventful.  I had set up a crate for her before I left and did a soft, safe greeting with my two dogs before allowing her to decompress in her crate.  I’m not sure exactly what the conversation was that happened between the three dogs but she immediately seemed to understand that she was safe here.  She ate her dinner with gusto and took her meds with no drama.  Not long afterward she surrendered to sweet, deep slumber.

Safe at last, ready to rise from the ashes of her rough start.  Welcome to the pack, Phoenix.

Please follow along on this blog as she completes the Good Dog Board and Train program.  Your kind financial support of Char-Wills in honor of this sweet girl is most appreciated.