Parker was the most shut down dog I ever met…
He was pulled with over 100 dogs last summer during what can only really be described as “recue gone wrong” 💔
For 5 long days, Parker hid in a barrel, barely visible to anyone. He almost got left behind because he was very good at appearing invisible. And for the last 8 months, I’ve been on a mission to help him heal and become the dog he was meant to be. 🐾
It’s crucial to understand that helping a shut down dog requires compassion, consistency, and most importantly, patience. The smallest steps forward are monumental victories on this journey to recovery.
Training a shut down dog doesn’t look anything like training another dog - not at first. My first and only goal was to work up to him eating in front of me.
How did I get to that point? Through something called food patterns. I wanted to create a high level of predictability for Parker (so he could start to know what to expect). I would put some food on a consistent spot, and leave. Over and over again. Dozens and hundreds of times.
Until I didn’t have to leave the room anymore. Until I didn’t have to move away. Until he would take it from a spatula. Until he would take it right from my hand.
I also spent a lot of time teaching him something called agency: letting him know that he has a choice. And most importantly, that he can choose to walk away and not engage with me if that’s what he wants (versus shutting down entirely).
Once he figured out that he was safe, and that he had a voice, it was like he EXPLODED from his shell. ❤️🔥
Parker is wagging his tail, playing with toys, and getting the zoomies now! My heart is incredibly full of hope for his future as the wonderful dog that’s been inside there all along. Follow to watch Parker’s extraordinary journey as he discovers what it truly means to be a dog again. ✨
#FosterUpdate #fosterdog #rescuedogs #fearfuldogtraining #dogrescue
