I unlocked this topic. I will let everyone know I won't have people telling me how rotten I am for not getting the dog immediately. It took 5 visits before her owners, the rescue shelter, agreed to let us have her.
We got her a week ago this past Thursday. She was still very scared but she showing signs of warming up ever so slightly.
I left it out of my original posts (because I don't like telling the whole internet when we are not at home.) but we were going to be gone over the weekend so it made no sense to get her and then try and board her a couple of days later. The shelter agreed that we needed to wait.
Her name is "Lady". We drove down to see her in a snowstorm and got there as they were closing. My wife was able to go back to the kennel and take a peak at her. She came back and told me she looks like a lady.
I am mainly posting this because Cheesey asked me what happened.
Here is some of my comments to him-
I have really had my hands full with her this past week. She is not like any other dog I have ever had to deal with. Including watching/working with my kids dogs, have had 6 in the past 30 years. I have cared for about 6-8 neighbor dogs during that time.
First thing last Friday morning I went to take her out for a walk and she bit me. Or almost did when I went to hook her leash to her collar. It was a warning she was scared. I mean what dog doesn't want to pee after being inside all night?
I backed down and take it real slow with her. I give her treats and pet her for about 10 minutes before I put the leash on her. For the first week I took her for a walk in the morning and evening. Maybe it is too cold or too dark but she even resisted that. She splays her legs and forces me to pull her along for about a foot before she starts to walk. I hate using force but I do it as gently as I can, talking to her the whole time.
I have talked to several people familiar with the breed and no one has heard of an Aussie Shepherd that doesn't like the cold (or at least the snow.) and doesn't like going for walks.
We are very slowly making progress. As of yesterday she has come out of the bedroom while I got ready. I am getting a few tail wags. She gave me a kiss a couple of nights ago. When I am on the floor she will sit beside me or in my lap, sort of, she's 65 pounds.
I stopped taking her on morning walks. Just out into our yard then back in the house. After work we go for a 30 min walk. Her attitude is a lot better. I will add back the morning walks when it is a little warmer and there is morning light.
She's funny she won't go from the garage to the house if the kitchen light isn't on. Or if I am not standing in the doorway holding the garage screen door open.
One last thing, tonight as we were walking her leash broke and she ran off. I was extremely blessed that she didn't run away. At least not completely. She ran and ran and ran but she always was sort of in the area. She would never get close enough to me to get a hold of her. It took an hour but I was able to keep her moving towards the house. Crossing the road from the park was tricky as she is scared of cars. As we got closer to home I was able to use a stern "Alpha" voice and tell her "NO" when she was thinking of running off so she kept following me at a distance. When she realized where she was she ran to the yard and waited for me to come chugging on home myself. I still had to coax her inside.
Tomorrow I use a different leash. A second collar with her rabies id and micro chip tag. Until now I have been trying to let her get a little more relaxed before I put more stuff on her neck. Not any more.