Steps forward for a dog who once chose distance

With a toll of only a few tasty treats, Prairie Dawn will let you share the shady spot under the big tree in her yard at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. And if those tasty treats are actually frozen dog food rolled into balls, she might come over to ask for a few more.

A sweet pooch politely approaching for treats may not seem unusual, but for this floppy-eared girl, it’s a milestone worth celebrating.

Prairie Dawn came to the Sanctuary from a shelter, and upon arrival she made her boundaries clear: She preferred her friends to be furred and for people to keep their distance. Best Friends supports shelters in reaching no-kill by taking in pets who may need extra care and specialized training before going to new homes — pets like Prairie Dawn. She needed time and understanding to help her with her fear of people.

Best Friends caregiver Crysteena Tillie relies on patience and tried-and-true methods when it comes to caring for the shy pup. “I’ve been working on building trust with Prairie Dawn using a few different things,” Crysteena says. One of those is a technique called “treat-retreat.”

With treat-retreat, Crysteena tosses a treat in front of Prairie Dawn. Then, after the pup takes that treat, Crysteena tosses another one farther behind her, allowing her to create more space. This helps to reinforce that Prairie Dawn doesn’t only get to have treats when she comes out of her comfort zone, and it builds trust between the two.

As the game goes on, the treats come a little closer to Crysteena, helping Prairie Dawn realize that being near people has its perks. She has even built enough trust with Crysteena to come all the way up to her and take a treat from the top of her foot or next to her chair.

Making magic happen for a shy dog

“She’s become a little bit of a treat snob though,” Crysteena says. She’ll settle for normal treats until her favorites come out. She’ll definitely play a round of treat-retreat for a few extra frozen dog food balls.

Besides people, Prairie Dawn also was unsure about certain objects — leashes topping that list. But games of treat-retreat can help with that, too. Crysteena tosses a treat near the leash on the ground and then one farther away. When Prairie Dawn approaches the leash for her treat, she learns that the leash might not be such a scary thing. With the same patience that’s guided all of Prairie Dawn’s progress, they’re working to overcome this fear one moment, one treat, and one brave choice at a time.

Another tool in the toolbox to help build Prairie Dawn’s confidence? A spoon with tasty treats.

Kiyo Tamesue, Best Friends training and behavior senior manager, has been working with Prairie Dawn using her special extendable spoon. The spoon’s extra length offers Prairie Dawn more space and less pressure when she comes toward Kiyo to lick the treat.

At first, Kiyo had to rest the spoon on something and back away. But as time has gone on, Prairie Dawn has allowed Kiyo into her circle, taking licks of peanut butter from the spoon while Kiyo holds it and gradually shortens its length to bring Prairie Dawn comfortably closer to her.

One of Prairie Dawn’s favorite ways to learn about people though? Story time with volunteers.

There’s a nice shady spot with chairs in Prairie Dawn’s yard that she’ll share with them if they’ll read her a story. “She seems to love it,” Crysteena says. “She’ll come right over, lie down, and relax while volunteers read to her.”

This sweet girl has ensnared more than a few hearts since she arrived at the Sanctuary. “She has her own fan club,” Crysteena says. “A few volunteers send her gifts and treat boxes.”

Faces of No-Kill: A scared dog learns to trust

She hasn’t forgotten about her furred friends while learning to trust people either. She has a standing playdate with Ace, a spunky tricolor terrier mix. “The first time I ever heard Prairie Dawn vocalize was when I brought Ace over for playtime — like she was so excited she was going to get to play,” Crysteena says.

Every day, Prairie Dawn’s world continues to open up and feel a little safer (and tastier, thanks to those treats). Each small step forward is a victory, and each new interaction is a reminder of how far she’s come. For a dog who once chose distance, choosing connection is no small thing — it’s everything.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.