Then gravity pulls her back.
She tries another time.
From outside the kennel, it can look as though Ruby genuinely expects the wall to eventually provide an escape.
But no one knows what outcome she anticipates.
What matters is that fear is producing repetitive movement that cannot succeed.
Her Paws Keep Searching Upward
Ruby places both front feet against the wall.
Scratch.
Her claws slide.
She drops several inches.
Then pushes upward again.
Her hind legs drive against the floor.
Her chest nearly touches the wall.
Sometimes she turns her head sideways as she climbs, as though searching for another direction.
There isn't one.
The kennel ends there.
Footsteps Don't Even Need to Reach Her Door
That is what makes routine shelter life difficult.
The person may be walking past.
Food may be going to another dog.
Someone may be cleaning farther down the row.
Ruby cannot know that.
She hears the approach.
Her body prepares before anyone reaches her kennel.
Sometimes the footsteps simply continue past.
Ruby has already hit the wall.
The Trigger Lasts Seconds
Her recovery takes much longer.
The person disappears down the hallway.
The footsteps fade.
Ruby stops scratching.
But she does not immediately stand normally.
She slides down.
Her chest reaches the floor.
Her hind legs fold beneath her.
Her chin stays low.
Sometimes her entire belly remains pressed against the concrete.
The danger Ruby reacted to is already gone.
Her body has not caught up.
Exhaustion Ends the Climbing Before Calm Does
Eventually, Ruby cannot keep pushing upward.
Her breathing becomes faster.
Her movements lose force.
She reaches slightly lower with each attempt.
Then her paws come down for the last time.
Ruby collapses.
That distinction matters.
A dog stopping a behavior because she is physically exhausted is not necessarily a dog who has become comfortable.
The goal should not be to wait until Ruby tires herself out.
It should be to prevent her from reaching that level of panic.
Her Nails and Paws Are at Risk
A wall does not respond like soil or another climbable surface.