Awww, I love good news like this. She is really starting to trust you, despite all the bad humans from her past. Now if you’ll excuse me, it would appear that someone is cutting onions…
Wonderful!
I’ll toss in advice to take her out in public to meet strangers as soon as you think she can handle it – maybe a little sooner than you’re comfortable. You don’t want her to bond only to you and fear everyone else. Don’t let her become a shut-in.
The strangers don’t have to pet her; it’s probably best if they ignore her , but she gets to see them going about their lives without threatening her.
Great story. There’s nothing like a good computer dog to guard your feet while you’re online. Dogs can recover from a lot and before long Charlie’s memories will be of the kindness you’ve shown and not the past abuse.
Sailboat gave some good advice, let Charlie get used to other people. Carry a few treats with you for other people to give her, but not strangers, people you know and she can see are your friends.
That is an awesome feeling. Congratulations that’s a huge step 
Hey all, thanks for all the good wishes and kind words. It’s been a two way street here with Charlie and me. I hope I’m helping her, and she is helping me too. My wife and I have been separated for a year now, and she just moved into a place where she could have a dog. We agreed that she would take Lucy, the dog we had together. Lucy had been staying with me for the past year, so I learned what a great comfort a dog can be when living alone. So Charlie is filling a big hole for me, so I think it might be a win-win here.
As for socializing her, she’s been going out in public on long walks everyday. She has met a few of my neighbors, but I always alert them to her story before they approach. I’ll usually ask them to just stand and talk to me for a few minutes before even looking at Charlie. Hopefully she sees them as less of a threat if they are friendly towards me. She still absolutely shies away and hunkers down, but the trembling is mostly non-evident now. I also coach people on how to approach her (squat down, hand extended palm up, approach from under chin,not down on head, etc.), so far so good.
And, yes, it IS a safe secure feeling knowing that my feet and ankles are well guarded as I sit here supposedly working at my home office desk.
Stoopit allergies …
Congratulations. Abused dogs can be a challenge. I took in an abused/starved little guy a few years ago. I worked with him a lot, but it was so fun watching him bloom and become an adventurous little doggie. He had become quite a good helper for my mom, so when I moved he stayed behind. My stepdad is mostly deaf, but he could hear the dog bark. My mom taught the dog to run and bark at “Grandpa” when she needed him.
Congratulations and thank you for giving of yourself. My daughter and I take in dogs that have been abused/neglected and are deemed unplacable due to behavior issues. Most of them have flunked out of numerous adoptive and foster homes. It is amazing to watch an animal that is shut down learn to live again, to play, and to enjoy life. If there is anything I can help you with feel free to ask. I wish you and your new best friend joy, love and much happiness! 
Thank you, thank you!
It is people like you who give me hope. I work with dogs at my local shelter. We need more people like you.
Charlie is gorgeous. May the two of you have many happy years together.
Hey all!
It’s been a couple of weeks, so thought I’d give an update on Charley. It’s a slow process, but there are good signs.
Let’s get the health stuff out of the way first. Took her to the vet this AM for a check-in, and her pneumonia is taken care of. Lungs sound good, and everything else checks out good as well. That means she is now officially healthy enough to start the heartworm treatment. It is a very regimented series of oral medicines and deep muscle injections that in total covers about 60 days. She starts tomorrow with Prednisone and Doxycycline. Next week she goes in for the first injection, and apparently, it’s going to knock her on her ass for a few days. Glad she is healthy enough for it, but in a way dreading the injections. I’ve done this process before with a pair of rescued Schipperkes, and I know it’s hard on the dog. But those damn heartworms must go!!
Otherwise, she is lowly coming around. She is still timid and would sometimes rather be behind a piece of furniture hiding, but there are positive moments as well. She will sometimes follow me around the house now, and while I won’t say I’ve gotten a full-on tail wag, there are occasional tail waves at a slow pace.
I’ve been getting her used to going for rides. Initially getting her in the car was an ordeal. No kidding, first time I had to pick her up and place her in the car. She didn’t like that. So she promptly, and with volume, shit on me. Literally. Shit on me. :o But we have progressed. She now hops in the car with a little encouragement. And no more shitting on me. So that’s good.
The dog not shitting on you when you go for a car ride really is good, I’m in total agreement with you there.
My cat was from the local Humane Society, and I still remember the first day I took her home - it was like she wanted to crawl inside my skin - she could not get close enough to me. As I type, she’s sleeping about 18 inches away from me. There is no doubt in my mind that you are Charley’s hero, and it won’t be too long until she feels confident enough to show you.
I’m sure you also take her for a bit of a walk and make sure she does her elimination prior to the car rides now, too, eh? As a vet tech, I’ve had my share of picking up big dogs (that aren’t used to being picked up in general, anyway, much less ones that are terrified or used to being the boss), and my share of anal gland expulsions, shitting, and pissing all over the place. Dogs. Whatchagonnado?
Sounds like you’re doing great with her, that’s really quite a bit of progress in not that much time! Hope she powers through the heartworm treatment.
That is definitely big! And great news on the health issues, too. Wishing you both the best getting her through it.
She will come around. We adopted a cat that had been tormented by the other cats and a dog with her previous owners, to the point when we got her home she was petrified of her reflection in the sliding glass door. She howled as if she were being tortured and hid under the bed constantly. We had to agree never to get another animal as long as we had her because of her bad experiences or they wouldn’t let us adopt her.
Yeah, right.
This (the not-black one) is her now. We even rescued two pit bulls and she’s fine with them.
So keep up the great work and the rewards will be there. You’ve done a wonderful thing!
Wonderful work, leftfield6! I’ve seen some truly amazing recoveries from formerly mistreated dogs and it sounds like Charley is going to be a success story!
Small steps, make sure every experience with people is neutral if not good (maybe ask those neighbors to toss her yummy treats when you stop to chat, but avoid eye contact. I’m also a big fan of teaching Hand Targeting to shy dogs, so contact is at their option, not the person’s.