Sniffaris for Scaredy Shibes

Leelee is scared of many things. For good reason. She was loose in a Fort Nelson neighbourhood from about six months old until she came to us at a bit more than a year old. That is a very long time for a puppy to fend for herself.

She wasn't starving because neighbours fed her, and she wasn't lonely, because she had an elderly dog friend in the neighbourhood, but she was on high alert for months. Being anxious for that long does terrible things to a dog's nervous system. Even when her brain is sure that I am only wanting to help, her body is telling her that nothing is safe. Ever.

So, how on earth do you help a dog when her body is fighting against her rehabilitation? Patience. A lot of patience. And time. And nature.

A long, slow, sniffari in the woods helps Leelee's system to take a break. The smells, textures, and sounds sooth her and she can just be a dog. Especially if we see a squirrel. She is 100% dog when there's a squirrel nearby.

She is also learning new things. She's starting to realize that humans mostly ignore her. It's important to remember that 99% of Leelee's experience with humans has been of them trying to trick her. She doesn't know that they were just trying to catch her so that they could keep her safe. All she knows is that every human she came into contact with was trying to catch her. It took her three months to stop reacting with fear to every human we met on the trail. She didn't realize that because she was on leash nobody would try to catch her. It seems obvious to us, but she had to puzzle out the dramatic change in human behaviour. She is still careful, but not terrified. She's learning that most people will just pass by and that those who stop to chat with us aren't trying to catch her.

Leelee is never forced to wear her harness. She is given the option to either wear the harness and come out with us or to stay home. She almost always chooses to come. This ability to choose is also increasing her confidence that humans can be trusted. This girl has a long way to go in her recovery, but she's determined to get there. One sniffari at a time.