Meet Shika!
August 04, 2008
Shika was transferred from a rescue group along with 4 other shibas after being dumped from a puppy mill. She has known nothing in her 6 years, other than living in a kennel, and having litter after litter of puppies.
Shika is very shy, and tends to be nervous around anything new. Unlike a puppy raised in a home, "new" means something totally different to a puppy mill dog. She is nervous around cars, moving or not moving, mailboxes, shrubs, anything outside of her small world view. She has made amazing progress though in the week she has been at her foster home.
When she came to us, her tail was tightly curled under, and we seriously believed that she was unable to wag her tail, or carry it over her back in shiba style. She acted like she was in shock, which isn't surprising.
She has surprised us though. Her tail is now up most of the time, and wags on a regular basis. She goes outside, and her main goal is to get back inside into her kennel. In the last few days, though, she has started to venture out to get petted, occasionally steal toys that my other dogs have left out, and take them back into her crate. She hasn't had any accidents in the house, however we go out very often, and she does spend most of her time in her crate.
Every day she opens up a little more. She has started to learn to eat out of a dish, it was a foreign concept to her when we got her. She is overweight, but doesn't have an extreme interest in food, so I think with exercise she will be able to get down to a better weight without too much trouble. Once her weight has come down, I believe her enthusiasm and energy will come up. In spite of her weight, she can run quickly in short spurts.
She has learned that humans aren't all bad, and that pets and ear rubs feel very, very good. She doesn't show much interest in our 4 dogs, and really doesn't know how to play with them, in spite of their trying to engage her in play. She would do better with a calm dog, or as the only dog in the house. We haven't yet experienced cats, so I'm not sure what she will think of them.
She will definitely be a door bolter, although all of her bolting has been to get back in the house, rather than to get out of the house. And she's very good at bolting. She is a smart girl, and picks things up very quickly.
We've started working with her on the leash, but that will take time. Obedience classes would be wonderful, and would help to get her used to other people, sounds, and dogs.
With patience, I believe Shika will be a loving, loyal girl, who will want to be near her people. I'm not sure how she will be with smaller children, and would recommend that she be placed in a home with older children, or just adults.
Shika is truly a survivor, and a beautiful girl who deserves a wonderful forever home. If you have the time and patience to work with Shika, please email her foster family!