Feature / Our Foster Pup, “Dusty”

Not everyone is aware that occasionally, Dave and I will be foster parents to a dog. So today, I wanted to recognize the time and energy the entire Puppy Manners staff puts into these puppies in need, because it’s definitely not all me and Dave. When we take on a foster dog, we are fully committed to creating balance and of course, good manners. But I have to remind myself that not every pup is the same and in our current foster pup’s case, I am reminded constantly…

“Dusty” came to us from Homeward Pets in Woodinville, WA, a wonderful shelter that does amazing things for homeless dogs and cats. We love networking with their organization and I always feel it’s a privilege when they trust us to foster one of their dogs. But I have to say, puppies that come here to Crystal Creek Ranch have it pretty good! There are lots of fields to run and play and tons of interaction, both with loving handlers and other friendly pups! But “Dusty” is very different… Allow me to explain:

First, I want to tell you about her name. In my years as a dog trainer, I’ve come to recognize how often the names we give our dogs are like tiny self-fulling prophecies. We meet “Barker,” and he… barks. Later, we’re introduced to “Chewy” and he… chews. And eventually, we find ourselves encountering a cuddly “Cujo” and he… terrorizes the village. I’m kidding! But you see my point! So when “Dusty” came to us, I wanted to give her a name she could grow into… That’s when I found the name “Dustin,” which can be for a male or female. It means “brave, warrior, confident,” which is everything “Dusty” isn’t!

When she came to us, she was called “Izzy,” an extremely shy and fearful puppy. Even now, after five weeks of living with us and constant socializing, if you met this uniquely beautiful dog, you’d assume we’ve made no progress at all! Believe me, we’ve made huge strides, but she’s still a bowl of quivering jelly! When people approach, she leans away and if someone reaches out to pet her, she freezes in place and waits for the petting to be over. Funny enough, she doesn’t have a mean or aggressive bone in her body, with the most amazing blue eyes we’ve ever seen! But those beautiful eyes are a blessing and a curse. Mezmerizing to look at, but staring into them is the one thing that makes “Dusty” most uncomfortable. If we humanize the situation and imagine ourselves as extremely shy, we realize how going out in public to be met with constant stares simply because we have “cool looking eyes” can be extremely intimidating!

What we know about “Dusty’s” history is that she is sadly under-socialized. I don’t believe she was abused but I think neglect is within the spectrum, as her social interactions never involved people, resulting in fear of anything or anyone to which she was never exposed. She is what my friend Sarah Wilson calls a “deficit dog.” While she may be genetically shy, most of her issues derive from never being subjected to certain environmental influences like people, cars, or even different types of floors! Slowly, she is learning to trust and we are learning patience. When it comes to “Dusty,” we are currently running on “dog time.” Even after a month of hand-feeding her every meal, she still resists social contact. But we’re pressing on, believing we will become more relavant to her and she will warm up to our touch. And she is improving, no matter how long it seems to take. We strive for better, not perfect. If you’re wondering where we have seen improvement, I’ll tell you.

In the beginning, “Dusty” would never want to leave her crate. She loved going in, like it was her own personal condo. But the “outside world” where two-legged weirdos roam and gave her unwanted attention was too much to bare. So she would remain inside as long as she could… With a bladder of steal, it seemed! On that first day, we waited for hours for her to come out, convinced she would HAVE to pee at some point! But she held her ground… Finally, I reached into her safe haven, scooped her into my arms and carried her out to the grass. Even there, she refused to move. Days went on and we knew that “Dusty” had a decision to make. Then we noticed something… “Dusty” behaved socially and interacted most when grouped with some of our doggie guests. It wasn’t long before my Barn Manager, Karen, came running into my office like she won the lottery, “‘Dusty’ came out of her crate! All on her own! And she let me put her leash on and take her to the play yard!” It was HUGE news. And in that small act, we realized what “Dusty” wanted—to be and play with other dogs.

Most recently, “Dusty” has been coming to some of our Group Training Classes. Typically accompanied by our newest Puppy Wrangler, Jamie, or my daughter, Carly. When she comes to class, I prep the rest of the students by telling them to not stare or coddle her. The worst thing you can say to a shy or scared puppy is “Aww… Poor puppy…” because this only reinforces that behavior. It’s difficult for people to understand but if you want to win over a dog like this, it is going to be on his or her terms. Like saying “If you set something free and it comes back to you, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” We are trying to set “Dusty” free to be who she is and not the dog she became due to her previous circumstances.

“Dusty” finds strength in the company of other dogs, so we’ve capitalized on this by surrounding her with our own balanced pack. When “Dusty” couldn’t walk on a leash, we hitched her to “Zoom” and suddenly, there was no “drag” in that pup’s step. Now, she walks perfectly on a leash with or without the company of another dog. And she might just be the only dog at Puppy Manners encouraged to pull ahead, as we want this dog to gain as much confidence as possible! Additionally, we’ve started keeping “Dusty” in our home, surrounded with our three furry kids, “Moose,” “Zoom,” and “Harry.” When she took her first steps into our living room, we noticed something right away. Each one of our dogs ignored her… It seemed “Dusty’s” energy spoke volumes to them and they returned with a resounding wave of silence. None of our dogs tried to greet her or say “hello” in their usually dog-way. It was interesting for us to observe, as our mature, balanced dogs seemed to know what an unbalanced dog needs. And for “Dusty”, that meant distance.

We’re continuing with this process of learning “Dusty” and allowing her to teach us what rare dogs can. In her case, it can be summarized as “two steps forward, one step back,” but I’m happy to report we’re always moving forward. Recently, someone asked me “What kind of home should ‘Dusty’ have? Who could deal with this type of dog?” And to be honest, I’m not sure what kind of home will work for her but I believe her home with us, even if only temporary, has been a win-win for all. There is a family for “Dusty”, I just know it. For now, it’s about what “Dusty” needs and that means me, Dave, our wonderful dogs, and our fantastically patient staff. Of course, we’ll keep you posted on “Dusty’s” progress while we continue to encourage her to live up to her name: brave, warrior, confident. Of course, we might settle for “normal” at this point but we’re optimistic regardless…

*Photos provided by Carly Chaney.