20/07/2025
From Feral to Fabulous
Meet Shirley!
Shirley was found living under a house of illicit substances with 2 other dogs we assume to be family members as they all looked similar.You may remember Chip who was #96 of our dogs to be adopted. We believe he is Shirley’s brother. And you’ve seen Molly who presented us with a beautiful litter of 7 puppies a few of months ago. We think she may be Shirley and Chip’s mother too.Chip and Molly came into the program with deep-seeded fears and reactivity. Although Chip quickly figured out how great life could be and found an amazing forever home. Molly’s journey was longer as she had puppies to raise before she could start the rehab program. Molly is now in a wonderful home where she is deeply loved and appreciated for who she is.
Shirley’s story was very different. Shirley was truly feral and fluxuated between being extremely fear aggressive and being catatonic with fear. Shirley spent her first 2 weeks with her mother and brother at the Pawsitive Pathways rescue facility, and then once she was spayed (thank you Peakview Vet Clinic!), she was moved to her rehabilitative foster home with Pawsitive K9 Solutions co-owner, Donna and family.
She spent her first 3 weeks at the Darnell’s in a catatonic state, only coming out to eat and drink once the house was quiet at night. After two weeks of decompression time Donna and trusty sidekick ShortRound started the rehab process. Experts in rehabilitating feral dogs all agree the time commitment is from 6 months to 1 year to completely domesticate a feral. Shirley is currently just past month 5 with the rehab program and she has made amazing progress!!
Shirley now runs in a pack of other terriers; they play together, nap together and go on back yard adventures together. Her best friend is a Patterdale Terrier named Clarence who is teaching her just how much fun life in a loving family can be.Shirley has learned to give to leash pressure, learned to crate, learned to take treats from a person’s hand (that took a lot of trust), and is allowing us to pick her up.
Now she’s ready to start learning better leash walking skills, coming when called and getting to go on adventures to meet new people and dogs!
Shirley is a very special case who needed a very special home. She needs people in her life that don’t allow her to continue to live in her past, who appreciate her for who she is while also encouraging her to continue the domestication process. She also needed to have a very high energy canine buddy who can keep up with her drive and energy.
While she’s still in the middle of her rehabilitation, she has officially found her forever and ever family. Donna and Scott can not imagine life without her. Shirley and Clarence are the very best of friends and she thinks cousin Artemis is the Queen of the Universe. There is no home in which she will be better understood or more deeply loved.
Stay tuned! Her life before was tragic, but from here on it will be magic!!
