GINGER

Ginger arrived with a terrible wound on her neck (caused by a collar that was too small) and she was so scared...she trembled and would not even walk, we had to carry her in most cases. With the help of amazing staff and volunteers, she has been improving and healing. She's still scared and getting used to a leash, she may try to flee/run when scared. But she's healing, she looks beautiful, and she's even been going on some full walks outside with no issues. She just needs some kind humans to go slowly with her and give her time/space to adjust. If you think you have the right, calm spot for her where you can work with her to help her relax and blossom even more, email [email protected]. We know she'll really benefit from being in a loving home.If you'd like to help Ginger and other pets that enter the shelter with serious medical issues, please consider making a donation to the shelter. The Community Giving Fund is an easy way to donate online. Thank you!Foster notes on Ginger:`Ginger is so sweet! She is working through a lot of fear, but is gentle and kind to both humans and dogs. We went to Johnston Mill Preserve and got lots of good exercise out on the trails. Once we were moving in the woods, she was totally relaxed and really curious about our surroundings. She is working on trusting strangers, but loves the outdoors and would be an excellent adventure buddy!``Although Ginger is very fearful, she warmed up to us in a few hours. She loves the company of other dogs and was considerably less fearful after she met our dog. She is very uninterested in food; she didn't take any of the treats that we offered her. She didn't play with any of the toys. We took her home for a few hours. At first, she was avoiding us, but at the end of her stay, she was following us and accepting pets. She greeted our dog with enthusiasm, even though our dog wanted nothing to do with her. Ginger threw up in the car on the ride back, but was very well-behaved in the car. I love Ginger's sweet and gentle temperament; despite her fear and distrust of humans, she is very kind and tolerant.``Ginger is such a sweetheart. She has been through so much in her short time on this Earth, but despite it all, you can tell she wants to love and be loved. It’s hard for Ginger to trust, but she would absolutely blossom in a home with love, time, and space. Ginger is potty trained and not destructive when left alone. She also loves other dogs! Because of her fearful nature, she can be a bit of an escape artist - so making sure all fences are tall/secure and you have a good hold on her leash is important!My favorite thing about Ginger is her gentle nature, despite all that she’s been through. I also loved watching her come out of her shell little by little every day! We hit some big milestones while we were together - Ginger slept in bed with me, licked my hand, and became more accustomed to pets. She is precious and deserves a family that is dedicated to giving her a second chance!`As of 12/28, she is on day 5 of foster care and is thriving outside of the shelter. When I picked her up she was trembling in the corner of her room and ran and pulled on the leash like a freight train. In only 5 days, she has learned to walk on the leash in a civilized manner and is starting to learn sit. In the beginning she was too frightened to be treat motivated but started making eye connection and accepting treat rewards within 2 days. Ginger thrives on interactions with other dogs and having dogs in the house definitely helped with her transition. She gains confidence by following their lead. She will be ideal as a 2nd dog- she is playful outdoors but happy to lay on the couch quietly with her canine friends inside. She may be an akita mix by her appearance but exhibits none of the aggression of that breed. She willingly shares toys and is learning to play respectfully with my small 15 lb yorkie mix and the larger pit bull. She exhibits no prey drive and was curious about horses and deer but did not seem to desire a chase. I think she would be fine with cats with a careful introduction. She has not been cat tested. Ginger is still working on crate loading - but once in the crate, she is quiet and well behaved. She rarely barks! She seemed to enjoy the car ride from the shelter and jumped right into my vehicle. Because of her anxiety, Ginger needs to have the space and time for slow patient introductions to strangers. She should not be placed in a household with very young children for this reason. Older kids who can understand she needs time to relax will do great with this dog because she is very smart and easy to train once she gets over her initial fear. There was mention that she might be a fence climber - and she is certainly athletic enough to do so, but has been good in my 4 foot fence, staying with my dogs. I would not recommend leaving her out in a fenced in yard unattended because she could be a flight risk.``Ginger has made huge progress in a few days we’ve had her. At first she would run away anytime anyone got near her. Now she comes up to us and takes treats. She absolutely loves other dogs. She loves to search for treats and toys and always is paired up with one or two dogs. Her favorite dog right now is a male golden retriever. She follows him everywhere. We haven’t heard her bark so we’re not sure if she can. She eats her breakfast and dinner all at once. She’s never skipped a meal even when she gets treats in the training yards. She is nervous around strangers at first, she will try to run away, but if you just stand still, she will eventually come up and sniff you or try to engage. We’ve tried to take her on a couple of walks, but she pulls really hard. We will work on getting her to heel nicely on leash. We love her playful demeanor with other dogs. This is when she is happiest, and you can always see her smiling.`