Mango

This is not Mango. But this is the face she made upon meeting me. Evil? Going to bite my hand off? You might think so. I mean, look at all those teeth! But I know better. Submissive grin? Fearful? Shy? Stressed? All the above. Poor pup.

So how do I interact with a dog who is all but shut down and unapproachable? Show submissive behaviors right back! Mango had little interest in coming near me initially but with some yawns, eye glances, squatting down and ignoring her, I made a new friend who was asking to be petted in about fifteen minutes. This is not typical of shy dogs, but patience and finding just the right spot to scratch paid off.

The highlight of my visit was trying to get Mango outdoors. How do you get an 80 pound dog to move who doesn't want to? In this case, I left a trail of treats heading to the door, walked outside, left the door open behind me and got comfortable. I sat on the porch in hopes that my new friend would follow me like Hansel and Gretel, but expected nothing. I was elated when after a few minutes, the furry fruit-named dog was next to me! I even got a "paw". 

After a few treats, I even captured this last pic of what I consider a relaxed dog enjoying the sunshine and breeze. Happy smiles Mango! What a great lesson in patience and allowing things to come to you in their own way and time.