Building Trust with Rescue Dogs: Hela’s Story

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

Rescuing dogs from the street is more or less signing up for the unexpected. The character and behavior the dog shows in the first days or weeks of meeting them may not be their genuine self, as they need some time to come out of their shell. And that’s how it was with Hela. When I reflect on her almost 2-year-long journey since I first met her, it’s clear that she’s come a long way and taught me a few things about trust in the process. And in the end, it was well worth it.

From Greece to Croatia

When I first met Hela, she was a very sad but sweet dog. Skinny and malnourished, confused, fearful, and uncertain of everything around her, being exposed to new people, environment, and experiences. She was very good at tolerating handling and would easily allow blood to be taken, as well as clinical exams and ear cleaning being performed, and similar. As she was receiving her initial treatment for Leishmania, and waited for her rabies vaccine, passport, and travel documents to be ready, she stayed in a kennel in Greece. There, she started interacting with other dogs in a supervised environment and took a few weeks to become comfortable with them. Little did she know that she would soon embark on a long journey to her new home and become family with two other dogs and now three cats, all of whom she loves.

Initial Challenges

For the first few weeks of Hela living with me and Lava, my other dog, we were all a bit on the cautious side. I didn’t know her and couldn’t predict her reactions to some everyday scenarios, as well as some more unusual ones. Soon enough I realized she feared and became very focused on any loud noise produced by various machinery and cars, and it would set her off barking. Up to that point, she’d never been inside a home, and didn’t know what cables are, or rugs, clothes, and pillows, and would often try and chew on random items until she learned about toys. Once, I caught her just in time as she started to chew on an electric cable outside. But she is a quick learner.

Initially I also tried to check her ears and give her tablets by mouth on occasion, which she tolerated well, as she needed to have her treatment for Leishmania every day. And then once during summer 2023, she had a nasty gastroenteritis, and I had to give her additional tablets directly in the mouth for a few days. The first few days, she was great, but then one day she just wouldn’t swallow the tablet. And after I tried a few times, she had enough and tried to bite me. I don’t know who was more shocked, her or me. She regretted it instantly and didn’t even break the skin, but it did put a degree of unease in our relationship.

New Challenges

Since then, I learned that there are a few things that Hela doesn’t enjoy and I respect that. One of them was also cleaning her paws when coming in, or if she had something stuck in between her pads. She would give me a warning, and I would know not to proceed unless I put a muzzle on, which she allows. However, we have come some way since then, and most days now, I am actually able to quickly wipe down her paws, sometimes with a little bit of grumble. But this unease of hers, and its unpredictability, as sometimes growling happens on the smallest things, while other times she even lets me check her mouth without a problem, has caused me to become more reluctant. Each time I know I need to do something with her, such as get her in for blood tests, it causes me stress well ahead of time. I am trying to be more composed and relaxed about it, as I know she can pick up on my worry, which helps no one.

Plans For the Future

So far, I have always walked Hela on a lead. A few times in the last two years, she got off the lead by accident, and in the beginning, she had a great urge to roam. Once, she was gone for hours and wouldn’t approach me, but luckily, we live very rurally and there is no traffic around. Eventually, she came back home on her own. In the last year, when it happened, she would come straight back to me, without any intention to roam. However, I know she has a good nose and loves picking up scents, and often shows great interest in wildlife and birds, so she may decide to chase them if she is off-lead. I am slowly getting into the mindset of feeling confident enough to start letting her off on a long lead with high-value treats to give her more exercise and freedom, which I know she craves and deserves. Despite the occasional growl and clearly moving her boundaries slowly, she has become a very gentle and kind dog, and above all, she is starting to realize that she can trust me. Now I just need to make that leap of faith in starting to trust her.