An Observation

[CountryEscape]

Yep. He was going to stay in the dog house all day, but I got him out and locked him out of the pen, and he has been wandering around with Smokey the beagle and Denali the Boston, even got a little playful with them. In the end, though, he's not laying with them, he's laying under the tractor, closer to me. That tells me he wants to be my friend, just having a hard time learning that I'm the good guy. I laid down on the ground, put hat on my face, and he actually walked all the way around me. I sat up slowly, with hat on (he's never seen me with a hat on, and it's one of those Farmer Joe type silly ones) and he acted a little bit playful, and barked at me. When I talked, though, he backed off again, laid down under the tractor. He got within 6' of me coming toward me on his own, and that was a first!
OK, back to digging. Had to take a break, though! Geesh! LOL

 

[j.w]

You're gonna run me outta LIKES pretty soon CE the way you are making such good progress w/ that pup,lol! That's cute about the hat and reminds me of when I had our dog Zeke. I used to go into the closet and come out with different hats on and he would start barking and jumping around like he didn't know me. It was so funny! I'd wrap a scarf around my face, put a different coat on and come out w/ a different look each time and send him into the crazy barking,jumping mode! Animals love to play games just as much as we do,lol!
Glad you are making such good progress w/ him!

 

[CountryEscape]

While I was outside working on my goldfish pond dig, Yukon was allowed to go wherever he wanted to. He put himself in the pen, which leads me to believe he was raised in a pen, never messed with, and it's his "safe zone".

Another time I saw him laying on a pile of dirt. He was within eyesight of me working, but not too close at this point.

But for most of the time I was digging, he was laying under or near the tractor.

At one point, I had a loaded bucket, and he was laying underneath the tractor. So, instead of disturbing him, I took a break. I laid down on the ground, put that straw hat over my face, but watched to see what he would do. I was on the other end of the pond from him, so about 20' away. He didn't waste much time, he came to investigate, see why I was laying down. When I sat up, he actually was walking toward me, which is a first. (always moves away when he sees me looking at him.) But, then he bounced backwards, like he wanted to play, and barked a playful bark. I think it was the hat. But, then I wondered if someone in his past wore a hat. It was a beautiful sunny day, enjoyed every minute outside, even though I'm wore out now. LOL

 

[j.w]

So much better w/ pictures CE!

 

[blessedfamily]

Oh my look what found you lol..he is very handsome and I hope he is yours to keep

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, he's a cutie, Blessed. How come cute dogs and cats always get dumped by where I live? Same thing happened when I was married .... wait, maybe it's because I think ALL dogs and cats are cute?! I think it's pretty neat that when he's in the house all night, he potties in the utility room, on the linoleum floor ... smart Yukon. He's laying next to my chair, half under, half in front of the end table. He likes to keep an eye on me. Will be an all outside day again today, as long as it doesn't rain. Would like to see some more advances, but if not, then at least he knows he's welcome to hang around here, play with my dogs, be a puppy for goodness sake. And, when he gets tired, knows he's safe to come lay down close to where I am. Does a heart good! It may take a long time to get him to come around, but I'm a patient person. I don't require him to love me right away, the longer it takes, the more special it becomes!

 

[j.w]

CE he kinda reminds me of the dog in this Petco commercial:

 

[CountryEscape]

Haha, he does look very similar, JW!
Here are the "accomplishments" for little Yukon today! He came out of his pen all by himself, I left the door open all day. He is comfortable to go in there to rest, though.
Denali got his playing, and once they started, they did it all afternoon! She would pick at him, then he would bark and go after her, which is her game ... "chase me!".
But, this was my most exciting moment today. I like to "wrestle" with Smokey, which involves me trying to get his feet, while he tries to get my glove on my hand. He's VERY gentle, and tries really hard to get just the glove, so never bites me, but he was growling a little as we were playing, and Yukon was in his pen! He heard that and came out, not only to check it out, but to get in on the fun. Now, my question is this: Was he coming to save me, or was he coming to save Smokey? He would bit at Smokey's butt, but not hard enough for Smokey to stop, he backed up and barked at us, then came back and tried to figure out what it was that Smokey was trying to get. I never made any movement toward him to pet him or grab him, as I was so excited that he felt comfortable to come that close. I could have petted him, he was that close ... on his own!
Since he's so comfortable in the pen, I think I will start putting him in the pen at night. That way, too, he won't be going potty in the house. But, more importantly, he's most comfortable out there, and maybe the house is too warm for him. I will have him in the house with me when we are all inside, though, as he is now, sleeping under the end table.
As I said, baby steps. If I see these kind of improvements every day I will be surprised, but each new thing he does makes me very happy. It will take time, but time I have plenty of!

 

[j.w]

That's more good news CE and hope he keeps it up learning not to fear you and having fun in life instead of wherever he came from and how they treated him. He doesn't know how lucky he is either finding your home or your home being where they dumped him. Somebody was looking out for that little fellow that day!

 

[pondlover]

CE sounds like you are making great progress with Yukon. Seeing the pictures of him and hearing you describe how far he has come in just a few days is very heart warming.

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks, ladies. It warms my heart, too, that he is coming around, albeit very slowly. And, whoever dumped him will not recognize him if they drive by in another 6 months or so. Yes, Someone was definitely watching out for him that day!
Just seeing him play back with Denali today was a first. She has been trying to get him to play ever since the first day, but he would not come out to play. Maybe because he was outside he had less fear. He is doing his best to learn to like me, and I've learned to not intimidate him and look at him too much just yet. In the beginning, if I simply looked at him, he would look away. If I said any words, to the other dogs or on the phone, he slinked nose first into a corner. Now he will lay next to my chair, with his head out from under the table, so he can see me.
All the dogs are sleeping very soundly right now. LOL Guess they had a big day outside, too!

 

[rebelangel_3733]

lol he's a cutie alright...give him a month and he'll be your new buddy followin you all around wanting your attention. The interaction with your other dogs is showing him that you are not whoever he had before in his life. Like I said give him a month (if no one claims him) and you'll see a new happy adventurous puppy

 

[CountryEscape]

At this point, and knowing it was in the local paper for 3 days, tomorrow is the last day, and on the radio all day on Thurs or Fri., if no one claims him by tomorrow, he's mine. Period. If he were my pup, and went missing, I would not leave any rock unturned until I found him, dead or alive. This pup was either abused, or simply never played with. He will learn that the best place to be is near me, getting petted, but until then, he is welcome to find his space on his own, and learn in his own time frame. He's going to be one special pup, that's for sure. I like challenges like this, though. Like Blessed and her pup she rescued, this pup has no medical issues (as far as I know so far anyhow), and she went through far more with that pup than I will. My issues are all mental, her pup's were physical. I'm much luckier, monetarily, but the time frame will be probably as long. I'm just happy to see progress every day.
I know with horses, when you are teaching them something, the pattern is they learn, they learn, they learn, and then they seem to go backwards 3 steps. If you keep teaching the same way, they will learn it again, and then keep it in their brain forever. So, that being said, I fully expect him to go backwards at some point, but I'll be ready for it if he does, and not worry, just keep pushing forward again.

 

[addy1]

My pup with a lot of patience has trained me well, to respond to her sniffs (food sniff, pee sniff, walk sniff) If I ignore the sniff, then she stares at me, if I move where I can't see her eyes she moves until she can stare at me again, Then if all that fails she barks, like hey you I want attention!

 

[CountryEscape]

That's funny, Addy! It's amazing what we can learn by just observing our animals! They give off signs all the time, most people never learn to read the signs. I've never heard of anyone reading "sniffs", but I can sure picture what you are talking about. Funny, how your pup has taught you! But, you had to be receptive for her to have taught you, too. Dog, horses, cats, even goats and everything else, they are amazing creatures. Most people never know how amazing they are, because they want the "package", but fail to learn the brain. I think that anyone who can read animals can also read humans as well. It doesn't take being a rocket scientist, just having a big heart and listening to it.