Lucille is one of three little dogs we affectionately called the "Banjos" when they came into rescue. They had been living outside in a pretty RUFF situation with at least one of them being attached to a chain. None of them had known the comfort of a soft place inside a house, much less the kind of love and security a dog should grow up knowing.
Cletus, who is Lucille's sibling and the same age, has already been adopted and you met Betty Jo last week. We aren't sure exactly how the three are related, but there is no doubt they are family. They look remarkably alike.
Lucille is now 16 months old, and she is one of the most fearful dogs we've encountered in quite a while. She is not the kind of fearful dog who needs a few days to warm up. If you walk toward her, she may cower or run away. The best way to interact with Lucille is to simply let her come to you. And when she does, those tiny moments feel pretty significant.
She has recently started taking treats from foster mama's hand. She stretches her little neck as far as she possibly can to get them and takes them very, very slowly. She will sniff your hand and sometimes give it a little kiss, but if you try to pet her, she still backs away just out of reach. And yet, she is changing.
She has discovered that the couch is pretty nice. She is completely housetrained, although she does not yet know how to tell you that she needs to go outside. In fact, she would probably hold it all day if you let her. She is very quiet and doesn't demand much of anything.
She has some very particular ideas about food and water. She will only eat from her own bowl in an isolated spot in the house, and she will only drink from that bowl rather than the communal water bowl the other dogs use. These aren't things we are trying to "correct." Right now, they are part of understanding Lucille and making her feel safe.
Other dogs are where Lucille really shines. She absolutely LOVES dogs. They give her confidence and comfort in a way people currently cannot. She sleeps curled up with a canine friend in her dog bed at night, and she is beginning to follow the other dogs outside in the mornings rather than needing to be carried out. And lately, we've gotten to see little glimpses of the puppy hiding underneath all that fear. She has started running full speed out back after the other dogs. She chases them, runs with them, and we've actually started seeing her smile while she does it. Those moments are everything.
Lucille is very petite, with a low-maintenance coat and an almost nonexistent little nub of a tail. She is an easy dog physically and a very quiet presence in the house. But emotionally, she needs someone who is willing to put in the work. Lucille needs a very particular home. She needs an adopter who understands that trust cannot be rushed. Someone patient and kind who will allow her to approach rather than forcing interaction, but who will also continue to gently expose her to the things she finds frightening so that her world can gradually become bigger.
She needs another confident, friendly, well-adjusted dog in the home and we are making that a requirement for her. Her canine companions are her security blanket, and a good dog who can show her how to navigate the world will be an incredibly important part of her progress. Her adopter also needs to have realistic expectations. Lucille is not currently a dog who is going to happily accompany you to the coffee shop, stroll around a busy outdoor market, or go to the dog park. Those things may or may not eventually be possible, but they are certainly not the goal right now. Right now, the goal is much simpler:
A soft bed.� A safe home.� A dog friend.�A person who doesn't give up on her.�And enough time for Lucille to discover that the world isn't such a scary place after all.
She is only 16 months old, which means that whoever adopts her needs to be prepared for the next 14-15+ years of her life. .
We love this little dog very, very much. And because we do, we're not looking for just anyone who thinks she's cute. We're looking for her person: The person who will notice when she takes three steps closer than she did yesterday. The person who will be thrilled the first time she asks to be petted. The person who will understand that a dog like Lucille doesn't need to be fixed--she needs to be given the chance to become who she was always meant to be. Somewhere underneath that scared little girl is a dog who is beginning to discover that running at full speed with her friends and feeling safe enough to smile is actually pretty wonderful.
If you're interested in adoption: our adoptions require an approved application. Already approved applicants can email us at woof@austincockerrescue.org with their interest. We only adopt to within the state of Texas.
CLETUS
Cocker Spaniel
🇺🇸
Austin, Texas
male, small, young
Cocker Spaniel
Austin, Texas
