Ellie’s Journey

We first met Ellie when she came to our Grand Opening party in July 2011.  She arrived wearing a Thundershirt, and her owners, Jen and Matt, had to carry her inside because she was too scared to walk in on her own.  They had adopted her in April from the Wisconsin Humane Society when she was about a year old and she came with a lot of baggage.

Ellie was terrified of the world and everyone in it.  People, objects, noises, and simply being outside scared her.  Literally everything scared her except other dogs.  Fortunately she found a wonderful home with Matt and Jen, who are some of the kindest, loveliest people we have had the pleasure to meet.  They started working with her immediately to help her overcome her fears, and they brought her to the party to experience some safe socialization.

Jen and Matt brought Ellie back to the Zoom Room for a few visits and then enrolled her in our first Shy Dog class.  They had already made great progress with her, but Ellie still had phobias that kept her from enjoying life.  She learned quickly that only good things happen at Zoom Room and Ellie soon became the social butterfly of the class, going from person to person to see if she could wangle a treat out of them.  Matt and Jen worked diligently and patiently with her and over time, Ellie started to enjoy being in the park (only one corner of the park, but it was a start!).

Since then, she has continued to progress and is now enrolled in agility class, which she clearly loves!  The difference in her is astonishing and incredibly rewarding to see.  Her mom said recently that Zoom Room has become her second favorite place in the world (right after her own home).  The feeling is mutual, as Ellie has easily become one of our most favorite dogs!  She is amazingly endearing with her slightly-crossed eyes, happy spirit, and ever-hopeful quest for treats.  It is a joy to see how far she has come in just few months under the loving care of Jen and Matt and we can’t wait to see what else is ahead for Ellie!

Have a shy dog of your own?  Enroll in our Shy Dog class to connect with other shy dog owners and learn methods to help them conquer their fears!