I'll start with Day 8 and then work to Day 9, because Day 8 was still good!
Day 8, Annie is doing really well taking food from me, shes very gentle when she eats!
I took her outside in the evening while it was quiet, she did really well out there. She stares at the fence a lot and given the chance she would run! But, as much as she wanted to run away I could make a noise and she would come back to me and walk with me.
I think shes been on a leash before, she acts like she knows how to walk on a leash.
There is a huge difference in her attitude and behavior when shes outside, shes happier and perkier and her tail is wagging and up! Inside, she isn't like that, shes a bit more withdrawn.
I brought her into the living room to hang out and lay on the couch. She sniffs around a bit and then lays on the couch. I fed her some chicken while she was on the couch! She actually ate it, with other animals around and with the TV on, so that is a huge step!
And now to Day 9! Which is the biggest day that we've had I think.
I took her outside this evening like I've been doing. Woody went out with us. Tonight, Annie tried to engage Woody in play! She got a little bouncy while she was sniffing him, and looked like she was ready to run off and play with him!
Bringing her back into the house, I decided that I was just going to put her in the front room without being in her pen. So I put her down, took her leash off opened her pen up and locked the door. She was immediately a different dog! She was perky and tail wagging and sniffing around and very alert! It was fantastic to see! She was sitting at the french doors watching us in the house, my son was talking to her and she didn't seem bothered at all!
I think that putting her in the pen, so disconnected from us was having an affect on her. I do think that she was lonely, even though she hasn't been around people in a long time, she was still lonely!
And tonight she came into the living room and sniffed around, ate some chicken on the couch, and got down and sniffed around some more.
I put her back into the front room with no pen, with Woody, and gave them some bones. She isn't ready to chew on bones yet, but Woody started chewing, so maybe he'll teach her.
New Plan:
I'm going to start letting her into the front room during the day, so she can really get used to the house sounds and see us and hear us. Then I'll let her out in the evening for walks, with just Woody and I. Maybe, if I'm feeling confident enough, I'll bring her outside with my son (probably when my husband is home), so she can see him and get used to the outside noises he makes.
I think, after a little while of her being out in the front room during the day and in the pen at night, I'll take the pen away from her and put up a baby gate up to keep her in one side of the room at night rather than the pen. I feel like it will be less restricting with the gate, rather than the pen.
I think that putting a baby gate in the french door way too will be good, after a while of her being in the free in the front room. That way, with a gate, the door will be open and she'll be able to be in contact with us and with my son, so I can see how she does with kids through a gate. Thankfully, I have a child that respects a gate!
Then, after some time with the baby gate in the french door way, maybe I'll be able to fully integrate her into my house, if she does well with my son, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Today was a great day with her though! I feel like she came out of her shell a little more and made huge steps of progress today! I now have a better idea of what to do with her and what she can handle.
Thanks for reading!
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