The majority of the humans in dog rescue are women. Dunno why that is, but I am sure Freud followers could explain it to us intellectually. I just know that is it, and not why. And I believe most of us rescuers 'drag' our hubbies into our passion (some totally unwilling to be a part of the experience).
So when we find our husbands, partners, BFFs, etc. willing, it is like icing on the cake of life for us. I 'assign' certain saves to my husband, Paul, from the moment I get the dog out of the shelter. I will bathe them, feed them, take care of them --- but I don't cuddle, work with them, give them treats or goodies, etc. Everything GOOD to GREAT in their lives will come from Paul, and that is the only way I have found we can begin the process of overcoming a fear of men.
I myself am blessed (and I know it) - once Paul realized only HE could do what WE were attempting, he jumped into it head first and has done some very good saves. Dogs that would hide in a corner or slink away from the very sight of him eventually ended up spending their evenings in his lap watching TV until they found their furever home.
It doesn't happen overnight, and I wonder if that is why some male counterparts of rescue families get irritated over the passion. There is no instant gratification to be had, for it takes time to establish that trust and a dog to overcome the fear.
Maybe part of this generation's downfall is that we all grew up watching Lassie on TV. She was ALWAYS the best of the best, and we all wanted a dog like Timmy had, ya know? At least what we saw on TV as we laid on our bellies in front of it, engrossed in the weekly adventures of Lassie and her family. So in our heads now, we see "dog" and 'think' Lassie. Sadly, it does not always work out that way.
TLC is very lucky in that most of our husbands support what we do, and many actively engage in rehabilitating hard cases, or adding 'added value' with extra socialization of dogs... some even work as hard as we women do to create an adoptable dog from one that was destined to be euthanized because they were not perfect - or a Lassie.
One such great guy is Rob, DeAnna's husband. Rob, like Paul, goes out of his way to work harder on the dogs that have men-fear based issues. I can't say if Rob got to the realization like Paul did --- that only HE can affect this change, but Rob certainly has had some major success stories already.
As you can see from a recent photo, football watching does have its perks - lots of belly warmers, lap warmers, companions to pick from, huh?
And rescue is not just for women, guys. In TLC, we have three men that come every weekend, foster dogs and work just as hard as we women do! Joe Sr. and Joseph (father and son team) along with Gherry (who is currently fostering our two blind puppies - Peanut and Butter) are all valued members of the TLC volunteer team.
We could not do this without all of the volunteers and fosters in TLC - men and women alike - so allow me to say thank you to those who support what we do!
As always,
Linda
P.S. For more on the topic of rescue dogs and the fear of men:
- Conquering your dog's fear of men
- Why dogs are more afraid of men - there's a study involving points of light in the gait of men versus women (could be why sitting down is a critical aspect of the rehabilitation being done by men in TLC also)
- Adopting a shelter dog
- Puppy socialization tips - briefly discusses this fear and how to overcome it (pdf file)
This free book guides you through the first seven days of Adopting a Shelter Dog. With seven simple lessons, the book helps you ease the transition from shelter life to home life for you and your pup. You can download your copy here.
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