Day 3 - Progress?

Day 3:  This morning, Pippa was ready to come out of her crate.  She actually started creeping out as soon as I opened the door.  Unfortunately, I knew that as soon as she was fully out, she'd run to her corner in the hallway, and I'd have to carry her outside.  I had to snag her by the collar once she was fully out of the crate, and lead/drag her to the back door so she could go potty outside.  I'm hoping that didn't set back her trust in me.  Next time, I'll plan better and either just move the crate to the back door before opening it, lasso her with a slip lead, or let her go to her corner and then carry her outside.  On the plus side, when I grabbed her, she only let a tiny dribble of urine out, rather than the full flood plus poop that she used to do.  We made it outside, she pottied, and then I slipped inside and let her wander around the yard for a bit.  Once I let her back in, she ran to her hallway corner and is didn't move from her spot.  I let Pippa hang out in her spot while I worked, and she would occasionally lift her head up to look at me and then put her head back down.

I ran out for lunch, and carried Pippa to her crate before I left.  When I got home, I decided to lasso her with a slip lead as she was coming out of the crate.  Yeah - that didn't work so well.  Apparently, slip leads are terrifying, and she urinated on the floor.  Then, she dove back in to her crate before I could shut the crate door.  Back to removing the top of the crate and carrying her outside.  Inside, she was right back to her corner in the hallway.  She kept an eye on my while I worked.  I fed her dinner in her corner again, putting up the baby gate so the other dogs would leave her alone.  As long as she can't see me, she'll eat her food.  If she catches sight of me, she stops eating.  She will drink water when I'm watching, though!!!

I decided to try another approach to getting Pippa outside, since she's a fat little thing and really heavy for me to be carrying constantly.  Since the slip lead freaked her out, I decided to try a step-in harness.  I took an old harness, made it big enough for her, and them managed to manhandle her in to it while she was laying in the hallway.  I half walked and half dragged her towards the back door...and then she saw her crate and launched herself in to it.  As I was trying to get her out, she somehow managed to wiggle out of the harness.  Once more...took the crate apart and carried her outside.  Lesson learned...SHUT THE CRATE DOOR so she can't go in there when I don't want her to.  After all that adventure, Pippa is tired out, and sleeping in her spot in the hallway with me sitting just two feet from her.  I touch her periodically, and talk to her.  She flinches every time, but she's no longer trying to stuff her head in to the wall, and will actually look at me.

Pippa being brave outside