Rusty’s Full Story
From Shutdown to Stepping Forward

Meet Rusty

Rusty is a nine-month-old rescue Border Collie who came into the care of her new guardians, John and Ruth, after a difficult and uncertain start in life. When we first met her, Rusty was completely shut down. She avoided eye contact, flattened to the floor when approached, and showed no interest in toys or food. She simply did not feel safe in the world around her.

 

John and Ruth were deeply committed to helping Rusty, but they knew she needed more than just obedience training. She needed trust, time and a chance to find her confidence.

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The Training Approach

Rather than jumping straight into structured behaviour training, we focused entirely on relationship-building and emotional safety. The first few sessions involved gentle observation, non-invasive interactions and encouraging Rusty to explore her environment without pressure.

 

We worked with John and Ruth to build predictable routines, introduce choice-based exercises, and create calm, low-stress interactions that would allow Rusty to approach rather than retreat. We paired this with online support and video guidance through our behavioural consultation package, helping her guardians support progress between sessions.

 

Across six one-to-one sessions, we introduced confidence games, body language awareness and simple activities that empowered Rusty to take the lead at her own pace.

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Rusty’s Progress

✅ Rusty now makes eye contact and will approach for gentle interaction

✅ She explores new environments with curiosity instead of fear

✅ She responds to her name and is beginning early recall and focus work

✅ John and Ruth feel more connected and confident in how to support her

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Ongoing Work

Rusty is still early in her journey, but the changes so far have been life-changing. With patience, safety and clear communication, she has gone from hiding in corners to greeting her guardians at the door with a gentle wag. Traditional training will come later, but for now, she is building the emotional resilience needed to grow and thrive.