1. Settling in. The first few weeks.

We decided to make Sadie a suitable safe cave as she was so scared of everything. Dusting off a large crate ( well cobwebbing and washing) and taking off the door, I filled it with cozy, comfy bedding and placed a blanket over the top, leaving the tiny house there with Sadie in it for now. Sadie moved between both places for a few days before we removed the tiny house; it, at times, moved with her, so tight it was around her (which although a funny site was also quite sad) Sadie was constantly withdrawn, trembling, panting, and often unresponsive to the world around her. Her fear was so intense that she would flinch at the slightest noise or movement.

Initially, Sadie was reluctant to engage, and food had to be left out for her. She would only come out to eat once we were out of sight. Sadie did start to the leave the pen after a few days and come out to play a little with Missy (who by now was sleeping on my bed (oops)),if we sat still and didn’t try touch her, she then started to take (well snatch) treats from us, then would hide to eat them.

Missy, who had been in another notorious shelter, Bretz, was so skinny when she arrived that every bone stuck out.  Fortunately, Missy was much less traumatised and was reserved by the wonderful couple Craig and Sharon and went to her new home within the week, where she is happy, gaining weight, much loved and now called Mia.

Understanding Fear in Dogs

This above behaviour is typical in dogs that have experienced trauma, neglect or abuse. They learn to protect themselves by trying to become invisible, hoping to avoid further pain or trauma, so whilst I understood and acted accordingly it was a very different dog (quite apart from her size) to the dog we thought was coming to us.

Fear in dogs is a survival mechanism. When a dog like Sadie shuts down, it is a way to cope with overwhelming stress. This state is sometimes called "freeze" in the fight-flight-freeze response. Unlike fight or flight, freezing means the dog becomes still and quiet, hoping to avoid detection. (Sadie’s go to now is flight and hide ,she still does freeze if she feels cornered) to Sadie that means dropping to the floor and playing dead.

Recognizing this behaviour is the first step in helping a fearful dog. It requires patience and a gentle approach. For Sadie, the journey to healing began with creating a safe environment where she could start to feel secure.

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Sadie hiding in the lounge. We had to fence them out Friends snuggled up

whilst eating, or be dive bombed. together

Creating a Safe place for Sadie

When Missy left after a week, we started to leave the gate to the pen open at times and Sadie did start to come out very cautiously and even enter the lounge after a few days. She obviously missed Missy and feared, but wanted to engage with me. Hubby Jim was very scary, (just ask the grandkids he's known as grumpy grampy) and she would scoot around the room to avoid going near him, and would watch him, fearfully.

I knew that forcing interaction would only make Sadie retreat further. Instead, I focused on building trust slowly, so I concentrated on:

• Quiet environment: Keeping her area calm and hers only, never going near her 'cave' when she's in it, or trying to entice her out.

• Consistent routine: Feeding and resting happening at the same times each day.

• Gentle presence, avoiding eye contact: Initially, I spent time sitting quietly near her, allowing Sadie to approach on her own terms.

• Soft voice: Speaking softly helped reduce her anxiety, armed with treats of course.

These few small steps have helped to Sadie realise that not all humans are a threat. Over time, she began to show signs of curiosity, allowed me eye contact and a little touch and stroking, interest in the other household dogs, but she remained fearful of hubby Jim, who continued with no eye contact and just gently talking to her.

I also realised about this time that Sadie's coat, which was very harsh and being quite long in places hid the fact that she too was very thin, I also spotted a few bald (scars?) patches around her neck and upper chest. We weighed her, and she was over 6 kilos, but wouldn’t keep still. My thoughts were she should be around nine kilos or more, so I fed her accordingly. She is about 35cm in height, a bit different to her description (are centimetres different in Romania?)

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Not sure about a squeaky duck. Sadie sitting on floor . Brave girl, on the settee (opposite end to me)