My husband checked in these two dogs, Doppler and White Fang. Their owners said they have been here before. When I got down to the kennel, I would have sworn I never saw them before. It could happen, they could have come on one of the weeks I was away and the dogsitter was in charge. That must be the case, the names are familiar and they already had clothespins with their names on them, but those dogs didn't know me at all.
And they were seriously freaked out about being in the kennel. When a dog acts afraid of me and too timid or submissive for the situation, I don't let them out with the other dogs. It is the frightened and insecure dog that will bite you. These dogs wouldn't even come out for the first day. They stood in their doorways and growled at me, like a couple of wolves peeking out of a cave. (I'm thinking this is going to be a very long week and a very messy run, if they never come out)
I started by opening their gates and then going to the other side of the play yard with all the other dogs. They did finally take a chance and checked out their side of the play yard. I did this for a few playtimes and then I sat with them for a session. No pressure, I let them come up to me. Doppler is a love-bug, but still a little too submissive for my taste. I think the current owners must have rescued these two from someone who was really mean to them. Sometimes you can never cure the abuse a dog received as a puppy.
And it turns out that White Fang is a leaner and a big, heavy leaner at that. Leaners like to lean into whoever is petting them. The better the petting, the bigger the lean. My man Fang is about 130 pounds of leaning power. I thought I was going to end up squashed like a bug under him.
I still don't let them mix with the other dogs. They might never de able to socialize with any dogs, but they do have a good time together. And instead of them being afraid of me, and me of them; I get kisses and leans.
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