The little Shetland Sheepdog would not eat, drink or move. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, with none of the sparkle usually seen in Shelties. Her bowed head and bent body radiated abject fear. Her apprehensive expression and suspicious demeanor reflected a lifetime of deprivation and abuse. Her odds of finding a forever home were nil unless someone could help her emerge from this traumatized state. But who would be willing to try rehabilitating such a troubled dog? Certainly not Janice Mitchell — or so Mitchell thought.

Four weeks after the Sheltie had been rescued by Second Chance Sheltie Rescue of St. Louis, Mitchell, a Second Chance volunteer, began to have second thoughts. Although the little Sheltie had begun to eat and drink, she remained extremely fearful and withdrawn. Without direct, one-on-one help from a loving caregiver, the dog would remain traumatized and unadoptable – and if she were unadoptable, Second Chance would have no choice but to put her to sleep.

“I changed my mind and decided to foster her,” Mitchell says. “I knew that she would be euthanized otherwise, and that I was her last chance.”

Surviving a Puppy Mill
The Sheltie, whom Mitchell named “Lucy,” had come from a puppy mill in Missouri. Her traumatized state resulted from three years of living in a canine hell.

Unlike responsible breeders who generally have only a few dogs of one or two breeds and raise only a few litters per year, puppy mills mass-produce scores of litters of multiple breeds under horrendous conditions. Responsible breeders aim to produce the healthiest possible puppies and to improve the breeds in which they specialize. By contrast, puppy mill operators have a single objective: monetary profit.

In the name of such profit, puppy mill dogs often are kept in tiny wire cages that frequently are stacked one on top of the other. The dogs receive little or no affection, petting or grooming, and are given just enough food to keep them alive. Many dogs from puppy mills have toes that are splayed from standing on the wire bottoms of the cages. Females like Lucy are used as breeding machines, forced to produce as many litters as possible — and when the females stop producing, they usually are killed. Puppies from such litters may be separated from their mothers prematurely and may develop behavioral problems as a result.

Lucy came to Second Chance — and got her second chance — when the group received her along with three other Shelties from a puppy mill auction. A local breeder went to the auction to get back a Sheltie from her bloodline when she discovered it had ended up at the auction. Her dog was in a group of three Shelties; Lucy was separate. No one bid on Lucy, but when the woman won the bid, the puppy mill owner threw Lucy in just to get rid of her. The woman turned the Shelties over to Second Chance Sheltie Rescue for much needed medical attention and rehabilitation.

Although Second Chance had liberated Lucy from the puppy mill, she remained imprisoned in her past. Freeing her from that past would require dedication and patience. Mitchell knew she had her work cut out for her.

The Hot Dog Cure
Rehabilitating a puppy mill dog is a long, slow process, and success is by no means certain. “Normally a puppy mill dog takes six to eight months to begin to recover,” Mitchell explains. “I was willing to give Lucy this chance.”

But although Lucy was severely traumatized, she also had some factors in her favor. For one thing, she was only 3 years old. That relatively young age meant that she had a better chance of recovering from her ordeal than an older puppy mill survivor. In addition, Mitchell had retired on disability, which meant that she could be home all day with Lucy and spend lots of time working with her.

Mitchell also was willing to learn exactly how to reach Lucy’s damaged psyche. With the encouragement of Second Chance, she’d begun reading such dog training classics as Turgid Rugaas’s “On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals” and Jean Donaldson’s “The Culture Clash” to help her better understand Lucy and communicate with her.

Even so, working with Lucy was slow going at first. For three days after she came to Mitchell’s home the little Sheltie refused to eat; for four days she would not defecate. Moreover, she refused to make eye contact with Mitchell or her husband, Gary. However, Mitchell was undaunted. She decided to let Lucy determine how quickly to come out of her shell, but also to offer her an incentive for quickening that pace.

The incentive was hot dogs. Seventeen days after Lucy arrived, Mitchell discovered that the little dog loved them. Lucy, who originally didn’t know what treats were, learned about hot dogs by watching Mitchell’s other dogs eat them. This discovery proved advantageous for two reasons: using hot dogs could help Lucy view people in a more favorable light, and also could serve as a potent reward for any progress she made.

Within another week, Lucy had done just that. She began making considerable eye contact with Mitchell, eating in the presence of other people, and playing with Mitchell’s other dogs. At that point, Mitchell and her husband decided Lucy had found her forever home: with them.

Many months would pass before Lucy would seem like a reasonably normal dog. Mitchell used hot dogs, clicker training and plenty of patience to help the little Sheltie emerge from her shell.

Lucy Today
That was six years ago. Today, Lucy — who recently celebrated her 10th birthday — is light years away from the severely troubled animal that had crossed Mitchell’s threshold.

Today, the Sheltie who couldn’t make eye contact with anyone greets Mitchell and other people with enthusiasm. “When I come home, Lucy spins and bounces around me, her tail and her butt swishing,” Mitchell reports. “And when the doorbell rings, she charges at it. After all, it might be people with treats!”

Lucy has ventured beyond the Mitchells’ doorway, too — and racked up some impressive accomplishments. Mitchell has shown Lucy twice in competitive obedience, and also has piloted the little Sheltie to a Rally Novice title. She also is a certified therapy dog with Love on a Leash.

Lucy’s greatest accomplishment may well be her ability to bond with another person. “After I come home, she won’t settle down until we touch foreheads, like a Sheltie mind meld,” Mitchell says in wonder. “I love her joy in living. I can’t believe this dog has come as far as she has.” 

Working With Puppy Mill Survivors

As Janice Mitchell can attest, rehabilitating a puppy mill survivor is not for the faint-hearted. “It takes time and patience,” she says.

It also takes understanding of how such a dog is likely to behave and how to help him or her. Here’s what Mitchell and other experienced rescuers say one should expect.

Fear of Handling: Handling by human hands terrifies most puppy mill survivors. Such terror is understandable. At the puppy mill, dogs are usually handled roughly. Experienced rescuers suggest that initially you should avoid picking the dog up except when absolutely necessary. In the meantime, let the dog approach you. He or she will be more likely to approach if you are in a submissive position, such as sitting or lying on the floor with your eyes averted.

Housetraining Problems: Although dogs instinctively try not to soil their living areas, puppy mill dogs cannot avoid doing so. Because they were confined to small cages, they were forced to urinate and defecate in the same place where they ate and slept. A consistent schedule of eating and eliminating, constant vigilance, compassionate crate training, and plenty of patience will help the puppy mill survivor to overcome such conditioning and develop acceptable bathroom manners.

Marking: Many puppy mill survivors, both male and female, urinate on certain areas to establish territory. Cleaning urine-marked surfaces with an enzymatic cleaner to remove the scent, and using doggie diapers or belly bands, a cloth wrap that goes around male dogs and covers the urethra, will protect furniture and carpets. If you catch a puppy mill survivor in the act of marking, tell the dog “no” and take him or her outside to a place where other dogs have been to teach that marking outdoors is acceptable, while marking indoors is not. At the same time, be sure to maintain consistency in housetraining.

Fear of Eating: Many puppy mill survivors like Lucy refuse to eat for several days after entering rescue or being adopted into a forever home — and for many weeks thereafter, may choose to eat only at night. Many experts suggest going along with this preference initially, and then gradually switching to feeding during the day. Let the dog eat alone and undisturbed until he or she becomes accustomed to your presence at other times throughout the day.

Lack of Trust: The survivor of a puppy mill has no reason to trust human beings. Until he is rescued, a puppy mill dog’s experiences with humans have consisted of pain and deprivation. To overcome the mistrust that results from such experiences, a rescuer or adopter needs to exercise considerable patience and self-restraint. For example, a puppy mill survivor will not appreciate enthusiastic hugs and cuddling. A tasty treat, such as the hot dogs Janice Mitchell offered to Lucy, can go a long way toward boosting the dog’s willingness to take a chance on people. Treats also are great rewards to give the dog for doing what you’ve asked him to do.

Coprophagia: Many puppy mill survivors develop the unfortunate habit of eating stool while they are in the puppy mill. The reasons for this habit are not clear, but many rescuers believe the behavior is learned rather than instinctive. In any case, overcoming the behavior requires both vigilance and a willingness to employ diversionary tactics. For example, you should pick up the yard frequently to ensure that it is stool free. If the dog comes upon a stool that escaped your attention, whip out that tasty treat to divert the dog away from the stool.