Shelter Puppy

DogCollie

Last week we took in a feral pup of about 4/6 months old. She is absolutely petrified of everything – bonding well with our eight year old dog.

I have started to hand feed her and making some progress there. She is scared of anything new, loud, etc so trying to create a nice environment for her.

I know it’s all about patience and gaining her trust. We would love to get her on lead so we can bring her for walks but understand that will some time yet.

I suppose I just wanted advice from people who have been through this before – what worked for you, any tips, stories/success stories, suggestions.

aonb

well done for adopting this little one.
What breed?
I'll just jump in and say that LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE is everything. TRUST will come based on the love that she is shown from day one.
As soon as she starts to get used to you and her new world - it will take weeks - you should start to introduce her to new environments and experiences - but all VERY slowly. You need to be the rock that she knows is always there, always safe, and never fails her. If she has a toilet accident, just for now, clean it up, and get into the habit of taking her outside to pee/poo more often, and heaps of praise when she does the job. Leave a ticking clock, or a radio on so shes got some noise for company. Make her bed a safe place, and extra cosy and comfy. Leave water nearby so she doesnt have to go anyplace 'far' to get it. A crate with the door always open, and a blanket over it might be a safe nest that she would like - or just a large box filled with bed and one end open. If shes food-centric, lots of yummy little treats about your person at all times - carry a little plastic bag of chicken morsels or something - and give with lots of praise anything she does something that is scary (to her) I would leave off on the walks until shes a lot more settled and less scared. Just to get her comfortable in her surroundings is the first job, after that play will start. Get a tennis ball and roll it on the ground in front of her, see if she has any interest yet. Wrap a treat in a bit of newspaper, and roll it on the ground to her. Lots of stroking and "good girl". Hopefully her natural puppy playfulness will kick in soon, and she'll be driving you nuts with naughtiness and fun. I assume you've had her physically checked out - and also deflea'd/ wormed etc. Maybe she will need a vet visit when shes settled just for a thorough check.


Good luck, post a photo when you can

Glass fused light

Don't forget to use the older dog to set an example and lead the way onto new areas or experiences.
If she is eating from your hand and got a collar on introduce the lead visually then just clip it on and off untill she ignores it. Having the other dog go around the garden on the lead and encourage her to follow along with a reward for each will ease her into the idea of walking beside you, a tug on her collar now and then to get her attention and get them both to sit.
But you can teach her the general commands of sit, come and stay without a lead eg when putting out her food. The other dog should be setting an example and sitting waiting too. Or both are lead to the food by a lead, it's likely she will object to the lead a little bit and jump around and try to get it off when she realises that it stops her from doing what she wants.
If the other dog obeys and gets a treat she will figure out the connection and copy for the reward.
As for rough play if you get down on the ground to play and tussle don't allow her to do anything an adult dog should not do so its a balance between a puppy play and avoiding stuff you wont want her to do later. Don't know what breed she is but if scratching a tummy or messing, most dogs if they roll will kick out with their feet as they prepare to get up if it's a big dog she will send a child flying or scratch a face. If you are playing ball have one for each. if playing ball don't get in a tug of war just make her drop the ball in the floor or into your hand with the command word give or drop etc. This is important that she will do this so you can quickly get her to drop something she may pick up on a walk.
Mouth play is very important and although she is a little old make sure that she understands that her teeth can hurt by pulling back and making a yelp if she uses her teeth too hard while being fed or if playing. Loosely held treats that she has to nose out of the palm of a clasped hand is a way of making her understand that hands and fingers need a soft mouth to gain a reward.