schultzlc Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 When I first met Luna at her foster parents' house, she wasn't interested in coming near me. She was such a shy girl, who preferred to hang back in her crate and watch the world go by from a distance. It didn't matter to me, I knew that I would love her, and I wanted nothing more than to help her come out of her shell. Over the past seven and a half months, I have continued to introduce her to new situations and people. I knew I was putting her out of her comfort zone (but if she had her way, it would be just me and her at home, forever and ever!). Sometimes my efforts were successful, and other times she had a little meltdown, and we left the situation. Fast forward to the present, and sometimes I am amazed at where we are now! Though she is still shy, and has major issues entering unfamiliar houses and buildings, she is leaps and bounds from where she was. My family and friends have been wonderful, as everyone has been so patient and gentle with her. Last night, we went to a small gathering at my friend's house. Since all of my friends are dog owners, our hounds are always invited, and I decided to bring Luna along. Worst case scenario, we could always go home. But, we didn't have to! She was so great, and I am so proud of her!! She was social with the other dogs (all of different breeds) and made a point to go and say hi to all of the people! She even eventually stole someone's pillow and settled in for a nap. My friends and I couldn't believe how well the evening went, and this morning, I am still glowing with pride at my shy girl who's coming into her own!! Quote Laura, mom to Luna (Boc's Duchess) and Nova (Atascocita Venus).Forever in my heart, Phantom (Tequila Nights) and Zippy (Iruska Monte). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverhound Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 :yay Good girl Luna! Quote Masterful Joe and Naughty N Nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cendrine Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Isn't it rewarding to see them develop and grow? Way to go, sweet Luna! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 and to your sweet, brave girl. Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyers Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 How wonderful!!!! Cherish those days that mark improvement! Sometimes they are few and far between but there is no greater reward with a grey IMO than watching a spook come out of their shell and act "normal" and see them feel happy and content! Congrats to you both and nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 (edited) Yay Luna! You should be proud of yourself, too. What wonders love, patience and gentleness work! Edited October 22, 2011 by SusanP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jbbuzby Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 How greyt is that?!! Sometimes it's hard to know how far to push when trying to help shy or fearful dogs but if you don't take them a bit out of their comfort zone you'll rarely make progress. Luna is lucky to have someone with the patience & perseverance to help her. Her life will be so much richer for your efforts. Congrats to all of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philospher77 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 From the owner of another shy girl: Yay! It feels great to see them get more normal, doesn't it? I'm taking Katie to a Halloween party next weekend with the same thought: If things go bad, we can always leave. But she does seem to settle down with food, so I am hoping for a similar outcome. Reading about yours gives me courage. to Luna! Rebecca Quote My blog about helping Katie learn to be a more normal dog: http://katies-journey-philospher77.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Your Love , Patience and work pays off in small Leeps and Bounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 And that is the magic of having a shy hound. I can never wait to see what Sunshine will do next. Just imagine what next year might bring and give het extra cookies! Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 When I first met Luna at her foster parents' house, she wasn't interested in coming near me. She was such a shy girl, who preferred to hang back in her crate and watch the world go by from a distance. It didn't matter to me, I knew that I would love her, and I wanted nothing more than to help her come out of her shell. What a great update! Luna is so lucky to have found you. I hope someone like you comes along for my spooky foster. Chances are slim that he'll approach anyone interested in adopting him. When it's just me and my dogs at home, he's doing great, and acts like a 'normal' dog. But when my parents visited last week (and they're not dog people, so pretty much ignored him completely), he was totally freaked out by the new people in the house. I've had him less than 3 weeks, though, so he should improve with time and gradual exposure. I love working with the shy ones, which is why I'm fostering this boy. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourofem Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Baby steps...aren't they awesome?!?!? It sounds like your hard work is paying off big time. What seems like nothing to some is huge to others!!! Whatever you're doing, keep it up. Good girl Luna!!!! Quote Blair, Stella (DND Heather), Lizzie (M's Deadra), Hitch (Hallo Dominant) and House (Mac's Dr. House) Missing my handsome men Lewis (Vs Lowrider) - 11/11/01 - 3/11/09, Kevin (Dakota's Hi Five) - 1/1/06 - 4/18/11 and my cat, Sparkle Baby - ??/??/96 - 4/23/11 "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is, in fact, the most precious and valuable possession of mankind." (Theodorus Gaza) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schultzlc Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 Thank you all so much for your kind words! Yes, watching Luna come out of her shell has been such a rewarding experience! jjng: Good luck with your shy foster! I am sure the perfect family will come around. The shy hounds always manage to steal away someone's heart Quote Laura, mom to Luna (Boc's Duchess) and Nova (Atascocita Venus).Forever in my heart, Phantom (Tequila Nights) and Zippy (Iruska Monte). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenbo Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 What a wonderful update! Good girl, Luna Did you know Luna had her own winery? Click Quote Camp Broodie with tuxedo Summer 12 and tuxedo Dio 6 Missing KC Kitty 2000-2016, Myka and part of my heart 2006-2020, and Saint YellBoy 2014-2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schultzlc Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 Did you know Luna had her own winery? Click Well, no, I did not. Uh oh, this may inspire a cross-country roadtrip!! Quote Laura, mom to Luna (Boc's Duchess) and Nova (Atascocita Venus).Forever in my heart, Phantom (Tequila Nights) and Zippy (Iruska Monte). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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