Bear

Hey guys!

We finally got our foster dog!  This is him...

He is quite timid and will need some working with.  But I think Charlie will help with that. They seem to be ok with each other and have a future friendship ahead of them. 

His name was Morris but they said we could rename him.  I thought of the name Bear, it seemed to be the perfect fit.

He was dropped off in the night drop by someone anonymous.  They don't know anything about him except his main breed (Austalian Cattle Dog), and an educated guess on age (1-2 years). 

He is scared of everything, but doesn't growl, bite, or show teeth.  He will let you come close occasionaly, and let you pet him when he relaxes.  When we went to meet and greet he was scared of us and Charlie.  While Charlie was trying to sniff him he was shaking and cowering.  Charlie got the message and let him relax a bit before coming back to sniff again.  Once he relaxed and layed down he allowed us to pet him.  He didn't stop shaking but he did relax quite a bit. 

When we brought him home we let him explore the yard.  He did stand in the corner watching us for a bit...

Then my dad decided it would be a good idea to go up to him.  That got him very scared so he ran towards a corner of the yard.  My dad trapped him and waited for him to calm down before petting him. That is a perfect example of how NOT to welcome a new timid dog into a new home.  You let them come to you.  (Or you can try scooting closer about every 5 minutes which I was attempting to do before my dad came). Not trap them and wait for them to submit/relax.  That will usually result in biting or growling. But since Bear is such a good dog he did neither.  :)

After that incident he took a liking to me and my mom and let us sit there and pet him while he ate and slept. 

Once it got dark I clipped a leash on him and took him inside and put him in his humongous crate the shelter gave us...

He didn't bark or whine the entire night.

I showed him the rest of the house today and did some trust exercises to gain his trust...

When doing this exercise you should throw treats to them first, and gradually throw them closer to you until they are comfortable enough to eat from your hand.  Be sure to use a very tempting treat such as meat. (I used Black Forest ham)

His previous owners most likely taught him to walk on a leash because there was no pulling.  After our walk he was more trusting of us and didn't cower away when we talked to him or pet him.

He seems in bad condition now but I can see the amazing dog he will become once he comes out of his shell.  I think our home is a good fit for him because we have kids, adults, and another dog for him to socialize with.  As long as his future family keeps a daily routine with Bear consisting of: walking, running, exercising, playing, and socializing, he will stay perfect with his forever family.