Now Please - Trying to coax a very fearful dog - CoBuHe

I've laid a trail of chicken at the back door, down the hall way up to the front where I am sitting.  I can hear her at the back door now.  I'm ignoring her and working.  Not sure if she will come in all the way.

It sounds like you're doing all that you can.  Fingers crossed that she's hungry enough to come inside!

I've fed her so much outside just trying to get her to eat out of my hand....I fear she's had enough.  I'm trying my very best to just ignore and work.

Earlier when I was trying to find her I gave up and started walking back to the shop....I walked about 100 feet, turned around and she was following me.  There is definately something to keeping my mind on something else.

Got all kinds of bugs in the office now....leaving the back door open.  lol

I'd try slipping  a snare loop over her head while you are feeding her with the other hand.  Try having your food hand close to the ground and as you bring the loop toward her head, move your food hand so she turns her head and body away from the hand with the loop.  Move the food hand  back toward the loop and the loop over her head.  One smooth motion.  Or you can try making a loop and moving your hand with the food above the loop and lifting the loop over her head.  I've done this but with dogs that I have been feeding for a while to get them to trust me somewhat.  You really have to be careful not to spook her by telegraphing your intentions through your body langauge.

It took me so long to finish my post I see that she may not be hungry enough to catch just now.  I hope you can get her soon before the bugs carry you off. lol  What is the mechanic planning to do if you catch her?

I tried the snare loop...first had it in my back pocket while getting her to come close to me.  Then placed the rope on the ground in front of me.  Then picked it up while I was getting her close to me.  She wouldn't come close enough to me while I had the rope in hand.  I too thought about the energy I was giving off while trying to think about both getting her close enough to eat of my hand as well as put the loop over her head.  She is so scared; and god what a smart look she has to her.

Yeah....the mechanic.  Well, the little I spoke to him....he seems like a kind soul.  He wanted to take the dog out of the abused situation so took her on.  I asked him if she has a name.....he said "I was going to let her name herself" which was kind of endearing, you know.  Sounds like a dog person....but not quite savvy enough to keep her from getting loose.  sigh.  Apparently, he has been playing the wait and see thing, hoping she would come back to him.

I just went out back and she is no where to be seen.  Continuing to work, continue to be swarmed by bugs (exxageration)...but I have little faith she is coming in on her own.  I'll try again shortly.

Mechanic has left.

You need to set up a comfort station for her. Do you have a plastic crate or something? If so unlatch it and set up just the bottom half. Fill it with straw or comfy blankets and put some really juicy fatty human food in there (bacon works well). She will be lured by the smell of fat.

You can try to sit outside reading a book or otherwise ignoring her while she checks out the food/ blankets. Let her get used to you and softly talk to her - not looking at her. Eventually she will approach and trust you. If not, once she uses the half crate, you turn it in to a full crate with the door open, then attach a string to the door and pull it shut when she goes in.

You usually can't catch a dog like this in a day.

Keep us updated.

I think someone has used a snare loop on her before with bad results.  I did try it again and I my intention was to nonchalantly loop it over her head while holding food in that hand. Just the sight of the rope kept her away from me.  And, yes, I think the sight of the rope in my hand made her take a step back in trusting me.

She is definately interested in me though.  I walked the area again and found her sitting about 200 feet down.  I cheerily called her with a kolache in my hand and turned around and starting jogging away from her.  That was interesting....she started following me in a trot.  But, when I got back to my door, thats when I attempted the loop again....she sez....nope, t'ain't gonna do it.

Mechanic is back....maybe he just went to get something to eat or something.  DH wants me to stop and come home.  He said we'll come back in the morning.  I'll definately bring the crate and try your idea.

I'll keep you posted for sure.  She isn't going anywhere...I feel she will hang by the pond and woods. here.

Poor girl.....

Good luck, Barb.  You'll get her, she just isn't ready to trust humans yet.  The comfort station is a great idea.  I've never tried it because usually the areas where I see strays, the crate would be stolen within an hour.  :(  

When I told DH I was unsuccessful, he said to me:  I just knew you would be able to get her...if anyone could, it would be you.  Ah, how sweet that he has the confidence in me.  Both he and the mechanic watched me in the beginning as I was able to coax her to me and even get her to eat out of my hand.  This was about 100 feet away from my door, though.

I went across the way to talk to the mechanic as I was leaving.  I asked how long she had been loose and he said since yesterday.  He was able to coax her over close enough to toss a honeybun to her.    He also said "If she only knew that she has a great home waiting for her."  So, that was encouraging.  I asked him if he had a crate, and he didn't know what I was talking about.  He said, no I just put her in the cab of the truck and she is fine.  He did say that he thinks he is going to open the truck door and put some chicken in there to see if she will just go in there...I told him that was a good idea.  I told him I was going to come back tomorrow morning and try again.  He said he was too.

Now, are you ready for this:  I got home and was sitting with DH and we were talking about it.  He looked at Heidi and said:  Heidi, you want a little sister?  Wow!?!  I was blown away.  Of course, you KNOW I was thinking about bringing that girl home; with reservations of course.  #1, she has an owner, #2 another female?  not so sure its a good idea.  But, he told me he was already thinking about how to house her when I brought her home.  Oh my goodness.....am I married to a sweetheart or what?!?

Yes, to all of the above including the good husband part!  

I'm wondering if a toy might help.  Play with the toy...drop it....pick it up.  If she shows interest and comes closer...throw her a small piece of wiener...good smell, good eats.  Keep it up until she is close enough (again) to eat a whole wiener (wieners are easy to feed slowly) out of your hand and go from there.   If she is wearing a collar, you may be able to safely feed her the whole wiener with one hand and hank the leash to her collar with the other. 

Another angle is to have another dog pull her in.  My neighbours adopted GSDX that occasionally escaped through a gate or the front door and would not respond to recall.  So I would take my Bullmastiff outside and she responded to him.  The first time we were able to walk around the street until we got her attention, then we walked through their back gate and she followed.  The second time...NO....she was a GSD mix and she really got the smarts part....so we did tried again and then walked in their front door and she followed.  The third and last time, we got her attention and then walked into my back gate and she followed.

Looking forward to hearing the positive ending to this story....

If she is anything like my female GSD, she will only come around on her terms and her time.  If she is still uncomfortable taking food out of your hand but is malnourished, I'd leave the food out so she can see that *you* put it there, but not require her to take it from you, if that makes sense. 

It would be interesting to see how she does with your dogs.  Kenya is definitely more at "home" and more confident around my other dogs than people.  If that works well, I would honestly completely ignore her for at least a week and see if she will initiate interactions with you and come around.

If she truly was abused by a man she might not trust the new owner, even with the best intentions.  Kenya was not abused, but had a very terrifying experience (accident) involving men and is distrustful of them (including DH) to this day.  Sometimes our GSDs are too smart and too sharp for their own good.  Depending on her temperament and how rehabilitation is done, she may get over it, she may not.

He is a sweetheart, Barb.  Even if you don't end up with her, it's good to know that you have his support when this sort of thing comes up.  Luring her in with another dog is another great idea worth trying.