A terrified dog rolls over on her back the moment she realizes she’s safe with animal rescuer Donna Lochmann.
Donna, the chief life-saving officer for Stray Rescue of St. Louis, knows all about gaining the trust and confidence of scared strays. And she proved it by using these skills to win over a scared dog (later named Cutie Pie). The stray dog rolls over on her furry back for lovin’ the instant she realized she was in great hands!
Donna Lochmann received a call about a momma pitbull that had been hanging around an industrial area in North St. Louis. Donna went immediately and found that the dog had been contained in a fenced area. All she needed to do was to convince the lonely pooch to come with her.
However, with each step forward, the dog backed up, and, with no way to get out, Momma became fearful. Donna told The Dodo, “She was definitely looking for a way to get away from me, but there was no way out. She barked a couple of times, like a super-scared warning.”
At this, Donna changed her approach and provided the dog space. Kneeling down in a less threatening posture, the rescuer spoke gently to the pitbull and offered her tasty Vienna sausages. The stray scooped up a chunk of meat right away, so Donna offered more. But, after the first piece, they were no longer of interest to the abandoned dog.
Seeing this behavior shocked Donna, but it seems the pup was far more interested in the person before her than the treats all around. “I tossed some more sausages, but she just started creeping her way over to me. She passed right by the other sausages. She was more interested in me than the food,” said Donna.
Soon, the dog walked up to Donna and nuzzled her sweet head into the rescuer’s shirt. The dog then rolls over on her back and looks up-as if asking for a belly rub! How about that! The poor pooch, who has now been named Cutie Pie, wanted nothing more than love. And, perhaps just one piece of a weiner.
Cutie Pie curled up in Donna’s arms, and Donna recognized Cutie Pie’s expression as a big, sweet, sloppy look of appreciation! Donna rested there for a bit before putting a collar around Cutie Pie’s neck and slowly leading her to the Jeep. Once at the vehicle, Cutie Pie leapt into the car and was ready to hit the road!
Cutie Pie rode to the shelter in the comfort of Donna’s lap and was warmly greeted when they arrived. She received a nice bath and a medical check-proper pampering that was long overdue!
With a report of good health, Cutie Pie didn’t wait long for a foster home to take her in. She is happy with her foster family, playing and running with her foster dog brother, and doing all of the normal dog-life things!