About Us

shy dog blog is the result of a long-time dream to work with companion animals in some capacity since I was just a young pup myself. After multiple degrees, jobs from retail to art to social services; I realized that there's no better time than now to take the leap. Sometimes a once admired carer ends for the right reasons. When you're just going through the motions for the pay check it's time to dig up that dream you buried in the backyard, brush it off, and start running.
        shy dog blog is my beginning.

Why that name?
I've had many pets in my lifetime. I can't recall a time when there wasn't a squeaky hamster wheel at night or kibble scooted under the refrigerator by a playful cat. I recently came to welcome a little dachshund-chihuahua (?) mix from my local Humane Society. This occurred after the loss of one of the quirkiest and most handsome pugs I was lucky enough to share a sofa with. In hopes to fill the dog void, as I like to call it, my partner and I took a trip to the shelter 'just to see' what was there that day. Sure enough at the end of a long row of large barking dogs, there she was. Propping herself on the cage fencing to appear taller to get our attention, she struck our heartstrings. She was described to us as a  street dog picked up in LA that maxed out her time, yet was luckily saved by the Humane Society before euthanasia; she had had little to no human contact. Staff had said she was shy, almost reclusive; avoiding play or attention. We saw differently. Shy, yes, but with the right energy kneeling on the ground with her, she was a love bug waiting for a belly rub! However, we knew we'd have our work cut out for us once we tried to get into the car. Rolo, as she came to be named, was terrified of cars, being lifted, or basically anything that came into her peripheral vision.

After a pug that needed constant social outings and made more noise than most children - what do we do with a practically silent dog that is afraid of her own shadow?

Hence, the title of this blog.



- - - - - - - -
Good news - after only a few weeks of snuggles, treats, a warm stable place to sleep, and adjusting to her brother, Elliott (the world's largest tabby cat), she's settled in nicely. We get the happy doggie dance when we come home from work. She'll carry her food bowl in to let you know it's empty. And she's sharing her hoarding behavior with the family by stealing shoes and stuffed animals to nest with in her bed. She recently accompanied us on a weekend road trip that included hotels and random parks. Last weekend she met my Gramps for the first time and I think they fell in love. She jumped back out of the car in order to say good bye to him one more time when we were ready to leave. But, hey, who doesn't love a man that shares most of his sandwich with a four-legged pal? Next up is shy dog behavior class courtesy of the Humane Society's adoption package.