GINGER! Waggy Graduate, 2011

Ginger was adopted by her family after their beloved Sweet Pea, a hurrican Katrina rescue Shih Tzu, passed away. Her family had room in their heart for a new dog, and after a little bit of back and forth adopted Ginger!

From Ginger's mom, Carolyn:

"Ginger was a work in progress for about a solid year. She had severe fear aggression when we first brought her home. She found a "safe place" in the corner of the bathroom and did not move from it nor eat or drink for days. She growled and charged if we came near her. Food did not motivate her at all. We could not get a leash on her for days. I hired a trainer to help me work with her fear aggression and we slowly made progress. From the bathroom she went to her bed and that became her new safe place. We got a harness on her with the help of the trainer and kept that on her for a long time because the only way she would come out of her bed was if we said lets go for a walk and gave a little tug on her leash.

Getting her to eat was a huge undertaking. She would smell the bowl and go to a corner. I can only assume she was badly abused. It took a year for her to allow me to pick her up without trying to bite. Certain actions caused flashbacks for her and her response was always to bite. She was slow to trust but now after almost 4 years she is stuck to me like glue. She doesn't like strangers, and is slow to warm up to them but she does eventually make their acquaintance. She is a leash and mommy guarder, but even with that we think she is 1000% better. She is a typical terrier feisty and bossy but no more aggression. She loves to eat now, who would have thought we would see that!? She loves belly rubs, walks and rides in the car and sitting on the front porch. But most of all she loves to be right up against her mommy."

We are so THANKFUL that Ginger found a family that was able to work with her to help her become the wonderful little dog she is today. Their patience and hard work has really paid off!

We are always thrilled to hear how our Waggytail Graduates are doing in their new homes. Send us your Waggy Graduate story and cute pictures of your furry family member to waggymedia@gmail.com!

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http://www.waggytailrescue.org/#!donate/c83m