Welcome Howard

The kittens all went to homes several months ago now, and after that, I needed a break. They had eaten all of my house plants and left their marks on my furniture, and I needed time to make repairs and allow for regrowth. Then there was a busy time at work which just didn't allow me the time for fostering, so I told the powers that be at the rescue I'm most involved with that I had to have a break. Of course, that didn't stop requests from coming from people and animals needing help, and those kept coming every day. Then, the time came when I could actually answer those requests, and the most immediate and demanding was for Howard the dog.

Howard is a Great Dane, and an exceptionally tall one. He might be the tallest dog that we've ever had.

Howard was abused. It would not be inaccurate to say that he was tortured. Some guy owned him and decided to "train" him with an electro shock collar. I don't know exactly what happened. Some part of that training involved dragging Howard by the collar toward a boundary and shocking him repeatedly, then dragging him back and doing it again. I've also heard that he used a leash to beat Howard. I didn't see it and I never met the guy and hopefully never will. A vet tech with diplomatic skills that should be used in the Middle East stopped Howard's first owner when he came in looking for a stronger shock collar because he thought the one he had wasn't working since the dog wouldn't "obey." She convinced him to give her the dog. She deserves an award.

The end result was a very giant, very nice dog with an extreme pathological terror of passing through doorways or being held by the leash. If you put a leash on Howard and he thinks you might lead him to a doorway, he will flop down on the ground like a 165lb dead fish and will press his neck as hard as he can into the ground to prevent a collar being put around his neck.

I went to pick him up from the vet's office earlier this week expecting a dog like the other abused dogs that I've handled. I thought that he might be spooked but that I could handle him by being gentle but assertive, and sending him plenty of calming signals. I imagined myself gently slipping a lead over his head and leading  him around.

Nope. That was not happening. He became terrified if someone touched his collar and would run away.

He is big, strong, and toothy enough that he should command plenty of respect. Fortunately he is a really nice dog, but it is prudent not to push that. Howard doesn't choose to pin me to the ground and drag me places, so I am not going to do that to him.