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This love story didn’t develop overnight. It wasn’t love at first sight. One party not only was suspicious of a new relationship, but also was seriously shy.

“I wondered if I would be wasting my time in trying to become his friend,” said Bill Ellis of Greensboro.

Patience by Ellis, a retired marketing executive, professional photographer, adjunct chaplain and expert in many things,
eventually helped him establish a friendship with the handsome guy he had seen on a Web site. It was an uneasy relationship at first.
Whitman allowed Ellis into his life in ministeps. Ellis preferred it that way.

Whitman is a Doberman, 97 pounds of dog that loves to gallop like a horse around Bill and Nancy Ellis’ rural four acres. “He has a gait to the way he runs,” Ellis said.

But that’s getting ahead of the story and why Ellis wants to share the story not only here, but also in the October edition of Dog World magazine. The magazine article isn’t being repeated here, but the bottom line is the same: Ellis wants dog lovers to know that a shy dog, even one that isn’t socialized, can be won over and become an excellent companion.

Time, patience and love are the key ingredients to bringing a fine dog back from the brink of oblivion, Ellis said.

“Don’t overlook a dog because he is shy,” he said.

“I took a chance on a Doberman that wouldn’t even approach me at first, now look at the gem I have.

“I think there are dogs that show signs of extreme timidity because of behavior of people (owners). The dogs suffer from a lack of petting, grooming, feeding, walking and other factors.”

Ellis had an elegant Doberman named Buddy, a 10-year-old that died a couple of years ago. Buddy’s death left a void for his friend, Delilah, and for Bill and Nancy Ellis.

Checking dog rescue Web sites became a regular interest for Ellis, even when Buddy was still around. After Buddy’s demise, this dog lover looked at the Web more often.

Looking at one site, Ellis was a bit puzzled by a dog by the name of Whitman, a tan and black Doberman that had been with a Triad area rescue group for more than a year and had not been adopted.
Ellis looked at Whitman time after time on that site.

“I would keep going back to the Web site and look at this guy, reading all of the stuff again and again. I did this for four months until I decided to call the rescue group,” Ellis said.

He decided he must visit this dog. And after making arrangements with the rescue group, he made the visit — a cautious one because he did not want to alarm the dog.

Ellis found out that Whitman not only was shy but also was a fence climber.

“Most people don’t have yards with real high fencing,” he was told.

Whitman had been passed up for adoption time after time because of his shyness, Ellis said. “Most people don’t have the time or want to take time to help him work out of those problems, and the rest just didn’t want him. They’d pick another Doberman, and Whitman was always passed by,” he said.

“There’s no telling what Whitman thought when he saw me the first time. I was impressed by him but figured it was going to take some time for us to become friends.”

Several more visits with Whitman netted some connection, but the battle for his trust had not been won. Meanwhile, Ellis read a book about how to deal with a shy dog. “It almost scared me off,” he said.

“Week after week I visited Whitman and slowly he warmed to me a little bit. I actually got to pet him once or twice and even gave him a tummy rub (a quick one),” Ellis said.

He wondered if he should take Delilah to meet Whitman. Delilah, 9, warms to about everybody. She’s a charmer, and her charm wasn’t lost on Whitman.

“At first she just threw herself at him shamelessly, and Whitman was just smiling from ear to ear and running all over the place playing with Delilah. It was really neat to see them next to each other resting in the grass. Love at first sight for sure!” Ellis said. “I decided then I wanted Whitman and told the rescue person, and the adoption process was begun.”

Whitman visited Delilah’s four-acre yard several times to gradually get accustomed to the place before it finally became his new home.
Whitman still had much to learn about his new environs, and Ellis still had much to teach him. Ellis was patient in teaching Whitman commands and faithful in earning Whitman’s trust.

Ellis has recorded details about how the once-shy Whitman has made progress in overcoming his inhibitions and has become a proud part of the Ellis family.

“Whit is still learning, but he likes being around people now and usually isn’t shy with humans anymore,” he said.

“Whitman has come a long way, and it took a lot of work to get him out of most of his shyness. It has been worth it because I now have a companion who is loving and loyal.”

A magazine article — “My Story: WARY Whitman, by Bill Ellis, Greensboro, N.C.” — is a synopsis of how Ellis helped this Doberman overcome his shyness and find a happy home.

The story started with 16 months of give-and-take between a man and a dog — a man who envisioned something good in an unwanted creature.

And the story continues each day.

Contact Bob Burchette at bburchette@triad.rr.com