At the beginning of our walk, he seemed very uneasy. He kept walking here and there, smelling things and then randomly pulling ahead with a burst of energy (he's an older dog, so he wasn't super powerful, but still a little strong). He also kept whining and barking, even though there was nothing ahead of us. After I corrected him a few times, he seemed to calm down, and walked a little better (even though he still needed reminding not to pull on his leash). After going around the trail a few times, I rewarded him with a treat and some cuddles, and he seemed to calm down even more.
That is, until the other dogs started being brought out. Then I realized that poor Hendrix was afraid of them.
Actually, it would seem like he became more shy and insecure around other dogs; when another one was nearby, he would start whining, which would escalate into barking and lunging, combined with whining. He would also try to hide behind me, which sounds kind of cute, but really, it's not good for the dogs' emotional and mental well being. I'm sure there's a little fear there, maybe something stemming from puppyhood (might've been very submissive, picked on a little by other dogs, etc).
Anyways, it was my goal to try to help him get used to other dogs as much as I could. Whenever another dog would pass by and he started getting antsy, I would stop and say "hush!" until he calmed down. As soon as he didn't show any signs of anxiousness/fear, I would immediately say "good dog!" and give him a quick hug. It kind of worked and kind of didn't...towards the end of our time together he could ignore certain dogs, but other dogs (mainly big, male dogs) still got him worked up.
I have to say, I fell in love with this dog. He's so smart and cuddly! He already knew sit, and (give your) paw. Once he associated an open hand with cuddles, he would duck under and lean against you. Whenever I left him alone in the pens while I went to get him some more water or treats, upon returning he was always waiting for me at the gate with his tail wagging, and wouldn't even try to get out (unlike some of the other dogs) when I opened the door to get in. He knows fetch, but when I throw the ball he sloooowly trots after it, picks it up, and drops it near you. I think he gets tired of it easily.
Of course, it's my hope that he gets adopted soon, as it's always sad when older dogs are at the shelter. Until then, I'm going to stick with him and try teaching him new things, because he is a smarty pants! He's got quite the nose (he was able to sniff out a treat buried in gravel in a pen when we were walking by on the outside) and I plan on letting him use it!
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