She continues to live in one of my outdoor kennels. (She has it to herself.) We still cannot put a leash on her as she flips out. Even if we just simply clip it to her collar, and let go, she can't handle it. Tried leaving the leash in the run for her to get familiar with it and she ate it.
She is the only one of our dogs who is not spayed. I don't know how to get her to the vet. I haven't asked about tranqs or herbal remedies but I think that must be the only way. I am not as concerned about her spaying as I am about her dewclaws as they are needing to be trimmed or they're going to become a problem for her. She used to let my (late) mom trim them but I have not tried it myself. Lizzie seems happy enough; I mean *I'M* not happy iwith her situation but she does not seem angry or sad. This is the only way of life she knows. She loves bones and chewies but shows no interest in toys so far so I worry about boredom. I am able to pet her on top of the head and around the head and under her chin. If I try to pet her back or anything past her head, she will back away from me and try to become one with the corner. If I approach her in the corner, she will leave the kennel to avoid me. Yet when I go out there, she acts like the other foster dogs and seems excited to see me, and when I open her kennel, she comes up to the door, tail wags, and lets me pet her head only.
So I don't know what to do. She is totally unadoptable at this point. A trainer is out as we only have a freaky militant monster in town who I would never use and a reward system type trainer but I am afraid of frightening Lizzie more or having the trainer get bitten. I feel as if I am being cruel to her because I can't even take her out for a walk! I can't even get her into the big play yard for exercise! Her kennel is not too small for her comfort but dogs need to move around and run and play and I feel I'm depriving her. I've even wondered if putting her down is what I should do and I've had people hint at that but it's anathama to what we stand for! She's not sick or suffering and isn't "cage crazed" so I will not have her life ended.
Lizzie is all black and appears to be a Lab mix but I don't know with what. She has short hair and some black pigmentation on her tongue if that helps. I know the tongue isn't a guarantee of a blacktongued breed but I do wonder if she might have some Chow in her.
What can I do to get her to allow herself to be handled and to tolerate a leash (she wears a collar) and become adoptable? I don't think I will ever be able to get her into a home.
