What I learned about Zeta

I took Zeta to a big adoption event yesterday afternoon. I learned that her fear issues trump her territorial issues. She only gets ugly once she is comfortable in a place, which is why it's such an issue at home and not other places nearly as much.

She was very excited to get in the car to go somewhere (she loves "to go", doesn't matter where) and very excited when we "got there", but once she realized she didn't know where she was, she got scared and didn't want to leave the car. Once I got her out, she walked up to the building just fine.

We walked around a little on our own and sat down somewhere out of the way to give her some time to adjust. Once she relaxed a little, she took a few treats from me. A couple people came up to her very carefully and gently pet her and spoke softly to her, and also gave her a couple treats. We moved closer to the door, where there was a table set up and another foster parent with a WCAC dog, Gretchen (who was adopted at the event!). Zeta is usually very excited to see other dogs, but she was so scared she just ran right up to Gretchen, a strange dog she'd never met, and stood right next to her, leaning on her. Didn't sniff, didn't say "hello", just stood close. Gretchen sniffed and was very interested, but Zeta did not react. Gretchen is about the same size as Honey. When I tried to get her into the building, she would get spooked by a clump of balloons and circle back around to Gretchen. We even tried going into the parking lot and she just pancaked.

With a lot of coaxing we made it into the door, onto the rug in the entrance. She made a friend who pet her and gave her some treats. She really didn't want to leave the tile, but she saw a potential friend, a Honey-shaped dog, and went right up. That dog got over excited, but again Zeta didn't react. She tried to buddy up to another dog who snapped at her and she backed off but didn't react negatively.

The whole time we were there, there was only one incidence where she snapped at a puppy, and that was on our way out. The handler was petting Zeta and then the puppy jumped all over her, and she let the puppy know she didn't appreciate it. It was the second or third puppy to do so and the only one she reacted negatively to. I was actually pretty proud of her and surprised at just how fearful she is. She's a sweet girl and wants attention badly, she just doesn't know how to express it or accept it.

She went to a cook out at our friend's house and did very well. She seems to do well in new situations; it's just at home that she thinks she has to dominate all new people and dogs. She even met our neighbor's huge 60 lb dog and was playing with him outside, but when he tried to come in the house she snapped at him and scared him away.

Zeta needs a strong leader and a family willing to work with her. The reward is great, and she such a sweet girl.