Tinkerbell

Maltese · Female · Adult · 5 years

Tinkerbell has come to us from a breeder and has never lived in a home before, so she is understandably unsure and very sensitive to touch. She can go into panic mode if handled too quickly and may try to nip out of fear, as she is simply terrified and trying to protect herself. The initial handling is what scares her most, so patience and slow, gentle introductions are essential. Recently, Tinkerbell has made wonderful progress and is beginning to show us just how much potential she has. While she is still worried by touch and may move away if approached, she is becoming much more comfortable around the people she knows. She will now approach her kennel mummy to sniff fingers, gently take treats, offer little kisses, and happily relax nearby. Recently, she has even started jumping up onto the bench beside her favourite carer at lunchtime, eagerly hoping for a tasty treat. It has become their own little routine and is a lovely sign of the trust she is beginning to build. Tinkerbell has also made fantastic progress with handling. Although being picked up can still worry her initially, once she feels secure she settles well. One particularly special moment came when she chose to stay sitting on her kennel mummy's lap for several minutes while being gently stroked, despite not being held in place. For a dog who once found human touch so frightening, this was a huge milestone and shows just how far she has come. She has also continued her harness training and is now happy wearing a harness with a lead trailing behind her, which many worried dogs find frightening. She is still nervous when gentle lead pressure is introduced, so this will need to continue at her own pace with patient, positive training. With dogs as frightened as Tinkerbell, building confidence is far more important than rushing the end result. Tinkerbell will need a very experienced, adult-only home with people who understand extremely worried ex-breeding dogs. She will also need a kind and confident resident dog to guide her and help her feel safe. Her adopters will need to appreciate that she may never be a dog who constantly seeks cuddles, but with time, patience and kindness, she can form an incredibly special bond. As she has never experienced home life, Tinkerbell will need support with house training and all the usual household routines. Calm garden time and gentle introductions to the world will help her confidence continue to grow. Tinkerbell will also need regular grooming to keep her coat comfortable. She initially found grooming very stressful, but she is making lovely progress through gentle, positive handling and regular visits to our grooming room. Her adopters should be prepared to continue this patiently and work with an experienced, understanding groomer. Tinkerbell is a truly special little girl who has already overcome so much. The progress she has made since arriving with us is incredible, and we truly believe she is ready for someone to take a chance on her. In the right home, with patience, understanding and love, she has every opportunity to continue blossoming into a wonderful companion. Tinkerbell has a travel document. This dog can be homed with a resident dog.

Listed 4 months ago