We went to see a dog that is up for adoption (she has been abused for a long time)

[Omaha Steve]

It was on our way home from visiting Wall Cemetery yesterday: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027929723

I couldn't even go in to see her because she is terrified of MEN! Her only friend in the world was a Rat Terrier. It was adopted out, she is even more in the dumps from that. She is used to the attendant. But seeing Marta she started to shake uncontrollably in fear. She needs a lot of love. It is a no kill shelter that will keep her forever if need be.

The story doesn't go into her past. How somebody could do things that put so much fear in her...

OS

http://www.nonpareilonline.com/news/local/pottawattamie-county-animal-shelter-down-to-one-adoptable-dog/article_0b9fee08-168e-55e6-bb91-a7b6d6eb029b.html

Pottawattamie County Animal Shelter down to one adoptable dog



Posted: Saturday, June 18, 2016 12:00 am
By Sheila McKern
Pottawattamie County Animal Shelter | 0 comments

Little McKenzie has been adopted! She will have a pet sibling, too, which she is thrilled about. We are so happy that she is getting a second chance to have a loving family.

The name Bella means “beautiful” in Italian. The name couldn’t be more perfect for her. To look at this mastiff’s angelic face will make you fall in love with her. To spend time with her only makes one love her even more.

While she is a large dog, she is as gentle as can be. She is quiet, watchful. She enjoys the company of other dogs and children. A treat of peanut butter is her favorite thing, but, as you can see from her picture, she also likes toys.

It is such a wonderful thing to just sit with her and pet her. She enjoys being touched, and if you are really lucky, you might get a little kiss from her. Staff and volunteers continue to leave her kennel door open as much as possible, so she knows it is safe for her to come out on her own. She will venture out to see what the humans are doing, so we know she isn’t afraid of people, just unsure about what she should do.

FULL story at link.

[renate]

1. thank goodness she's in safe hands now

I cannot understand how anybody could be cruel to an animal. I just can't.

A mastiff isn't a dog to take on lightly, but she sounds so sweet that I'm sure she'll find a loving home soon.

[ailsagirl]

7. Nor I

But I think it's the same mentality as child abusers. Utterly despicable.

[gwheezie]

2. Oh my, she looks like my Stella Bella

Who I adopted from a shelter years ago. I went looking for a smaller lap dog and wound up with Bella. Her pound name was Stella but Bella fit her better.
She turned out to be nothing like the dog I met at the pound. At the pound she was terrified and depressed. She was also very ill and they were going to put her down. The shelter volunteer convinced me to bring g her home so her last days would be more comfortable. So I did. And I took her to my vet and had her tumors removed and she lived 4 more years.
It took a few days at home to find out she was a happy goofball. I've had many dogs in my life but this 125lb dog turned into my lap dog.
I hope someone gives this Bella a chance.

[TexasProgresive]

3. Evidently you and Stella Bella deserved each other.

Thanks for sharing a great story of love.

[QED]

4. It's heartbreaking. Poor girl needs more time and TLC.

Another story about an abused dog that became a lap dog.

Our rescue group adopted out a little chiweenie. The people returned her a few months later saying she bit the man. She was growling and showing teeth as we put her into a viewing kennel. When it was time to leave, I needed to move her into a pet carrier but every time I reached for her, she lunged at me. I used a pair of bite gloves to get her into the carrier and since no one else would take her, I did. She had changed so much from when she was first adopted.

At home I set up an ex-pen, plopped the carrier in, put down a water bowl, food dish, and pee pad then opened the carrier door and walked away. I ignored her the rest of the evening. The next morning, she was wagging her tail. I tentatively let her out and went to read the paper, still ignoring her. She hopped up into my lap and started giving me kisses. After she was with me a month or so I took her to two adoption events and she charged the kennel, growled, barked, and was a real little b*^&h. So, she's still here, 3 years later, still giving me kisses. She likes two other people - the groomer who trims her nails (she won't let me) and a neighbor. Otherwise, she cowers or growls.

[LiberalFighter]

9. That has been my experience with dogs that are leery of others.

I remember one where I was suppose to visit a couple of times a day for a few days. She would run away. I just sat down to take care of other business and in about 15 minutes she was interested in me. I've fostered dogs that didn't like men but only took a bit for them to adjust to me. I had another one that wasn't quite there with me but was tolerable but preferred laying down on the floor near me. She bit me after picking her up when she came back from her spay. When she was finally adopted by a couple she got real close to the retired man.

I have a male dog that was leery about me when I picked him up to find a home for him. I never did get around to it. He pretty much has to be around me all the time. He does not like being outside if the thinks there are others around. It was just until recently that anytime I had the audio on for my computer he would scatter to his crate. I finally got him settled enough that he just comes down to me and lays next to me.

[Major Nikon]

5. We adopted a dog like that

It took several years before I could walk up to her without her cowering in fear. She lived to be 17 years old.

[Stonepounder]

6. I have said it over and over,

there are no bad dogs, just bad owners.

We got a call last summer (we volunteer for a rescue organization). Our rescue had just been contacted by a shelter that they had an owner who wanted to surrender their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel because he had bit her. The problem was that the dog was also diabetic and the shelter didn't have the staff to take care of a diabetic dog. Now, if you know anything about cavaliers you know they are the sweetest, most loving breed imaginable. And, since we already have a diabetic dog, rescue wondered if we would be willing to foster another.

So Cooper came to us. Cooper guarded paper of all things. He would get hold of a piece of paper and if you came close to him he would snarl, growl, and lunge at you. To make a long story short, with lots of love, patience, and consistency we now a big old cuddle-bug.
We ended up adopting him and he is the sweetest guy you could imagine. He now follows us around and just wants to be loved on. Every now and the he has a little flashback, but we deal with it and it passes quickly.

No bad dogs, just bad owners.

[link:http://imgur.com/DMlnhO4|]

[JGug1]

8. Abused dog?

I am a veterinarian. I have been for over 44 years. I do a ton of work for rescue groups. I also see plenty of dogs that are afraid and are fear biters. EVERYONE believes that such dogs were abused. Believe me, most were NOT abused. They are what they are because of something else. Certainly, they are a combination of their genetics and their early environment but mostly the environmental impact cannot be understood. If you visit a bitch who has recently whelped a fairly large litter, it is very possible to find immensely different personalities among the puppies. You may also get a hint of what the puppies will be like when they are grown. Yes, it IS possible to help these puppies grow into emotionally healthy dogs but it is tough.
A dog being more comfortable with women than men is very common. The reason usually is because of the harshness and loudness of male voices relative to female voices. Even when I am celebrating something, my Berger Picard, who is in dismay and sits at the door waiting when I have to go without him, leaves the room. He just doesn't like the loudness.
There ARE true tales of dog abuse but making every fearful dog into an abuse case is unwise and inaccurate.
JGDVM

[LiberalFighter]

10. Maybe that explains why I have better luck with rescue dogs.

I live alone and don't do much talking. Just have the tv on loud due to hearing loss.

[Lurks Often]

13. I agree wholeheartedly, sometimes it is just fear that causes the aggression

I certainly don't have your level of experience, but have seen a number of dogs come through the shelter/rescue I volunteer with that would growl, bare their teeth and even bite if the warnings were ignored by people.

Most would stop after a week or so when they realized we weren't going to hurt them and that we were there to feed them, walk them and pet them. A few would require the same volunteer(s) on a given day and couldn't be handled by just everybody.

[pnwmom]

11. That second title -- the shelter is "down to one adoptable dog."

Does that mean what it seems to say?

We have very few local dogs, too. We get a number of them from California, and California imports some from Mexico.

The spay/neuter campaigns are working.

[Lurks Often]

12. Not necessarily

There are a number of reasons why a shelter/rescue can have multiple animals, but only have one up for adoption.

There are 5 dogs currently at the shelter/rescue I volunteer at: 3 are currently adoptable, 1 is pending surgery and recovery before he can be adopted out and the last one has been under weight management to get her weight down and should be going up on the website for adoption soon.

We only handle local dogs such as strays, surrenders and sometimes dogs from other shelters that require special or extra attention that the larger shelters can't really provide. We are also careful about who the dog goes to and try very hard to find the right fit.

[Omaha Steve]

14. Yes

She is currently the ONLY animal in the shelter.

Sorry for the delay. I was at the afternoon game of the College World Series.