Dog Rescued from Puppy Mill

Question:

Recently rescued from a puppy mill. Five years as a breeding dog. She is a very sweet, smart, gentle dog. We are foster "parenting" until she is ready for adoption. Unfortunately, she is terrified of humans. I work with her daily and am making some progress in getting her to relax around us. Do you have any suggestions on how to work with/train what is essentially a "feral" dog?

Thank you.

Answer:

It sounds like you are doing the right things if you are making headway with her. All you can do is give her treats and try to help her trust you. Unfortunately if she was not socialized as a puppy she may never make anyone a good pet. I would not consider the Shiba Inu a very trusting breed, as a general rule. It is possible that you could work with her extensively and she will begin to trust you and then the new owners will have to start all over. It may prove to be a difficult task to find someone willing to take the project on when they could possibly save a dog that has not been neglected for 5 years and doesn't already have socialization issues from being euthanized at a shelter. I applaud your efforts because this can be a very difficult breed to work with.

Good luck to you!
Sara F. Jennen DVM