When Penny arrived in our care, she was terrified. Our Behavior and Training Team would sit outside of her kennel, gently tossing delicious treats underneath the door to start building her trust. She’d cower in the corner, looking back with uncertain eyes. But each day, our team showed up, sat down, and provided her with different treats to show her that she was safe.
Over time, Penny grew a bit more confident until she was finally walking out of her kennel. But while she knew and trusted our Behavior and Training Team, Penny was still very afraid of new people. Eventually, she began to take a few steps outside of her kennel before she once again froze in fear. Our team sat back down on the floor with her and provided her with encouraging words and more treats. They told Penny she was doing great and promised to keep her safe.
When we moved into our new Atlanta location, the Arthur M. Blank Family Animal Center, we were able to provide Penny with access to our special Behavior Center. Penny had a larger, quieter kennel, with free access to her own safe outdoor area if she wanted it. This area is separated from our regular kennels and is only accessible to staff, so dogs like Penny can decompress and learn to trust again.
Penny’s behavior and training plan continued and with this new space, she began to come out of her shell even more and found her forever home.
