OLINA

A shy, timid soul. She'll need someone who knows how to work with her mind.

Olina is a roughly six-year-old Shar Pei × Dachshund cross. She's a smaller dog, around 12 kg.

At first she's terrified of new people and new places — she'll try to run off, hide, and avoid all contact. Settling into a new environment takes her longer; don't expect progress in days — based on our experience, think 3–4 weeks. Olina isn't aggressive by nature: given the chance she'd rather slip away or freeze, though new stimuli can send her into a panic. She's simply a little dog carrying some trauma from her past. She won't be a sports or obedience champion, but she will be the kind of companion who walks with you (and she can clock up quite a distance! :) and then rests on the couch by the TV.

Once you get to know her and a little trust builds up, she has no problem being handled (even at the vet's). What she still can't handle are direct invitations to contact — calling her over, luring her, reaching out towards her mid-movement.

She can't cope with being left alone indoors — she hyperventilates and screams. With another (steady) dog around she's much calmer. Out in a small yard she'll happily potter about on her own. She generally loves being outside. We don't recommend pairing her with an unstable dog, nor placing her in larger households. Her ideal home would have one, at most two people.

OLINA IS CURRENTLY IN FOSTER CARE IN ROŽDALOVICE (Nymburk district), not at the shelter itself.