Trainer extraordinaire, Mary Tews from Eclipse Dog Training in Cincinnati has taken a traumatized, undersocialized Katrina dog from one of the many fosters Best Friends is using throughout the country.

Here's Mary's email update:
I'm so happy to have Wilma with me. She reminds me a lot of another of my dogs who was semi-feral when I got her. She is now a favorite of mine and my friends.

Wilma is doing well. Don called her Honey and said Wilma just doesn't suit her. I'd have to agree but so far a better name hasn't come to me. (Mostly I call her Honey or Sweetie) She is making progress each day.
I'll attach a sort of journal I've been keeping -hope you find it interesting.

I'll send photos soon - she likes to play with my dogs out in the yard and looks so happy!

I drive a little Escort - no room for a crate! So I did rent a car to go and get her. Had to take the car for the weekend - hope it's not a problem. I do have gas receipts also.

THANKS so much for this opportunity!!

Here is Mary's journal from this special dog's journey:
Wilma/Honey

First day – August 20, 2006

Drove home from Marion, OH – about 2 ½ - 3 hours. She was calm and quiet in the car, with very small amt of vomiting 2 to 3 blocks from my home.

Because she has an issue with leashes I dragged her (in the crate) from the car to the house and put her in the utility room just inside. I let her settle down and rest while I took care of letting my other dogs out, etc. Once everything was quiet, I opened the door to the crate and gave her the option of coming out. I hand fed her a few treats (dog food and a few bits of hamburger) through the side grate of the crate and then through the open door. She wasn’t ready to come out so I closed the door and left her for awhile.

A few hours later I cam back and tried again. This time she came out as soon as I opened the door. I tossed a few treats to her on the floor, and offered some from my hand as she became brave enough to approach. She missed some of the ones on the floor but my cats, knowing there was food involved, and being unafraid of dogs, came to help themselves. She watched with mild interest but no other reaction. When she had had enough of this (working on being brave) she went back into the crate and lay down.

One more time before bed I repeated the same. At this point she has still not had water (but was in A/C) even though it was offered. The sight of a slip lead (yellow rope) sent her right back into the crate.

Because I didn’t want to frighten her by chasing her around the yard to catch her, I determined to not let her outside without a leash. Because she wasn’t ready for that I said good night and left her in the crate till morning. (all food up to this point has been hand fed by me)

Day 2 – August 21, 2006

(Monday, my day off work) I began the same way, tossing food/treats, then hand feeding it. This morning she was reluctant to exit the crate, but determined to get her out and take her outside, I disassembled the crate. She came out and had a drink of water. I continued with the hand-feeding for a few more minutes with the yellow rope lead handing on the side of the crate bottom. She made an obvious effort to avoid going near the lead, so, thinking that if the SIGHT of a yellow rope lead was that scary, I wanted to try one that looked different. I got a flat green slip lead and tried it. This time she hung her head and tried to avoid it, but without panic. I looped the lead over her head and gradually snugged it. I then opened the door and invited to come outside with me. She was willing to follow me, but if the lead tightened too much or I pulled her she would buck. To avoid the tightness and subsequent fear, we went back inside, and now that I had physical control of her, I put a martingale style collar on her with a long leash. We went back outside and walked around the yard for awhile. She was willing to follow me around and even responded to slight tug on the leash to change direction (no choking/bucking this time) and came back inside with no trouble.

Next step: put her on the cable tie out in the back yard and introduce her to my dogs.

Had to take the crate apart to get her out again. Because I had left the collar on I thought it would be easier to leash her, but still had to put slip lead on first. Hate to do that because she dislikes the tightening. But with control, I can snap a leash on and lead her outside, then transfer to a cable tie out. (I tried this with the slip lead first, but she didn’t know what I was about to do and balked, so we went inside for regular leash)

I left her to wander around a bit and check things out, then let my dogs out 1 or 2 at a time. Each one approached her by making big circles around to her rear. If she retreated, so would they. Marty peed on the post she was hooked to – after he walked away she sniffed it. I played with the dogs for a bit and let her watch, then went inside. Rosie was most determined to get her to play and made dramatic and obvious invitations. She wasn’t pushy and didn’t force the issue, but still Wilma would occasionally retreat and lie down by the fence. Rosie and the others would give her space and do something else until she came out into the yard again. Then the invitations started over again. As this went on and she got more comfortable, she spent more time in the yard and less by the fence.

After 20 – 30 minutes I went back out with a bag of treats. Of course my dogs all gathered around, (mostly sitting) to get one. Wilma also came into the group to get hers.

Each time I took her outside was a bit easier. When she sees the leash she is more cautious, but by this afternoon when I went to bring her inside (with a leash in hand), she came in a big circle around behind me to let me switch to the leash.

Day 3 – August 22, 2006

Took her outside as before (after work); left her out with my dogs for about 2 hours. She actually played with them (she’s still on the cable tie out). Brought her into office to hang out (on leash) and had treats with the other dogs.

Day 5 – August 24, 2006

Essentially same as before, but when I let her out of her crate and went to put her leash on she watched me instead of hiding her face.

Day 6 – August 25, 2006

Watched me put her leash on AND didn’t lie down. She half crouched but remained sitting. Also, when I went to bring her in from outside she stood and let me exchange the cable for the leash without pulling back.

Day 7 – August 26, 2006

Adam stopped by and met her. Had to take the crate apart as usual and had baby gat up in the doorway. She went around Adam and came to sit in back of me. A little trust perhaps? Or just a safer choice in a small room?

Sunday, August 27, 2006

It’s been 1 full week. I’m pleased with her progress. I still have to go through the routine of taking the crate apart, putting the leash on, switching her to cable tie out, etc but each day is easier AND she seems calmer about it – not so jumpy and skittish. She’s in the office now with a baby gate up and the leash on but loose. She’s lying on the floor calmly, not panting. Bold move of the day – on the way through the house she picked up a toy and carried it with her.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Mostly a typical day, but this afternoon she cried when left outside by herself.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

For the first time she came out of her crate when I opened the door. Unfortunately, when she saw the leash she went back inside so I took it apart….
I left her in the house off leash for awhile. She played with a fleece toy briefly (shook it up and ran around with it).