One Month Later, Olive Is Learning To Trust & Love

How can we forget Olive, the pitty that lived for 11 years in a shelter before finally finding a home?

The Yonkers Animal Shelter never gave up hope that Olive would find that special family, and she did, just one month ago!

Olive was not just forgotten in a shelter. She had some issues that made adopting her hard. Aside from her color (brindle), she is not great with new people, did not like kids and preferred woman to men. She also had to be an only dog.

Yet, her perfect home ended up having a man as well as an older dog. But the couple were over-the-top patient and knew that positive training and time were all Olive needed. In fact, the woman has extensive experience with dogs, specifically pit bulls, seniors, and ex-fighters. Her belief that, “what can’t be counter conditioned or desensitized can be managed,” is exactly what Olive needed.

Still, the road ahead is long with ups and downs.

They brought her home on September 28, 2015.

She was unsure about her new brother, but her owners did not push it, letting her smell him but not touch him.

Olive was, of course, having a hard time with the husband.

“We haven’t seen Dad all day so we were startled just now when he appeared behind the gate. So far every time he sees me he throws me a treat but I still don’t trust him,” Olive’s mom wrote on her Facebook page, September 29.

And with those ups and downs, it’s important to celebrate the little things. Here, Olive is in the same room as both her new brother and her dad.

And just 2 days later…

“On a happier note …Olive and brother same side walk tonight for just a few minutes. It gets too intense second picture so we switch to opposite sides. Third pic we prepare Dad for a weekend of success. We also left the house again and switched Olive to a Great Dane sized crate and happy to report we came home to a non-barking Olive!”

October 16, however, she is lying next to him!

And then, on October 19:

And October 24, we see again, you celebrate the little things. There will be ups and downs – but it’s progress! She is licking a man’s hand and hanging out with her brother…

“So today I sat in the backseat with my brother and had Mom as a buffer in case I was fresh. I was a very good girl for the car ride and only tried to bite my brother one time as he flew by me on the trail. That’s down by about six times from last weekend so go me!  Next pic is me getting excited for Dad grilling then me doing a food check and a hand lick.”

The amazing thing about her owners, is how frank and open they are about her journey. There are going to be times when Olive fails. She may get scared and bark or try to bite. She is not always going to want her new Dad around. But her owners are sharing that openly and also showing how dedicated they are to using positive methods to help her overcome these fears.

And now, just one month later, change is already obvious.

“She has grown to trust him (Dad),” Olive’s mom told iHeartDogs.com. “It took time, patience and a lot of treats, but we got there!”

While she still has trouble giving up toys (but Boar treats are working great to teach her to let go of them!), her Dad can now take her out himself (in just one month!) and can walk next to her brother thought an issue.

Dad AND brother!

And the biggest surprise they found about Olive?

“She loves frozen broccoli,” Olive’s mom told us.

We are so happy Olive is doing well and we are sure under her excellent care she will continue to blossom and flourish. Be sure to follow Olive Yonkers on Facebook to get more updates!