Lucy is a old female, black Shiba Inu. View her Facebook Album.

Lucy is the last of our recent intake and the mother of the six puppies.

You haven't seen much of her in our photos and videos because she has been housed separately, and honestly, we weren't quite sure what to expect. We were told she was "friendly" but reactive to people and dogs when around her puppies. If longtime followers remember sweet Peony, that description may sound familiar—Peony was an absolute angel except when she was protecting her babies.

Because of those concerns, Lucy was set up in our Boarding Building, separate from the main house. We noticed the breeder could barely handle her, so we prepared for a challenging transition. Upon arrival, we carried her crate directly into the fenced yard attached to the boarding building while we focused on integrating the puppies and Mimi. We left her in the smallest harness we had available on the last-minute drive, though we later realized even that was far too large. Lucy wouldn't allow anyone near her. That first night, with the help of a friend, a flashlight, and a couple of blankets, we carefully moved her into the boarding building for the night.

What followed was a lot of boiled chicken, patience, and time.

At first, Lucy barked and growled whenever foster mom approached. Slowly, day by day, she began to accept treats. Then she allowed touch. Before long, she was enjoying gentle massages and seeking out attention. The barking and growling faded as trust began to grow.

Then came a moment we'll never forget.

On the sixth day, foster mom was working in the garden away from the main house dogs when she heard pounding at an outside gate. During the recent heavy rains, the latch on Lucy's yard had shifted, allowing her to escape.

Lucy could have run into the mountains.

Instead, she came looking for foster mom.

Foster mom opened the gate to let her in the fenced area of the yard and let Aureus help with the situation. Lucy still wouldn't allow herself to be picked up, and everyone wondered how they were going to get her safely back inside. Aureus kept her entertained while they tried to corral her. Eventually, Lucy became tired, walked over to drink water beside foster mom, and then did something remarkable.

She crawled into foster mom's lap.

For the first time ever, Lucy allowed herself to be picked up.

She was carried back to safety, and since that day she has become even more affectionate. She now allows foster mom to pick her up, cuddle her, and even cover her face with kisses.

We don't know much about Lucy's past.

But we know her future is going to be amazing.

Once the puppies are adopted, Lucy will move into the main house for more intensive handling, socialization, and assessment. She will need additional time before she is ready for adoption, but we hope you'll follow her journey, share her story, and consider supporting her care.

This long, uncut video compilation captures Lucy's first week in rescue. We didn't record much of the early barking and growling, but trust us—it took a few days for her to believe that people could be kind. Time and time again, we see fearful dogs begin to blossom once they learn they will never be yelled at, hurt, or abandoned again.

Please join us in welcoming Lucy to the DC SIR family!

Location: Extended
Dogs: No
Cats: No
Kids: No

Consideration: Fenced yard required

Follow Lucy’s progress on her Facebook Album.