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need some doggy advice....
toad67
Member Posts: 13,009 ✭✭✭✭
Been w/o a dog for 4 years, and decided it was time for another one. Always had black labs, but this time we decided we wanted to get a rescue dog. Got a mix from the shelter a few days ago, and she's a good dog, but I think she was abused. Whenever we tell her to come, she cowers really bad. I'm guessing that the previous owner beat her if she didn't come when called, thus her cowering.
All my other dogs had great personalities, but this one just seems so shy, sad and scared. I can generally bond with a dog pretty quick, but this one seems to be taking a while. She has such a sad face, and I don't know if we could take her back to the shelter (feeling wise), but sometimes things just don't work out.
Help me out.
Comments
Time and love she will come around to trust you it may take some time as all dogs and how they were treated are different as you know
We have had and have rescue dogs for years
Macie our current we have had 8 yrs now she is a good dog in many ways
But She was very timid and even trying to pet her she would flinch and stifin up like she was about to be hit that took a long time for her to get over
She came around and realizes we were never going to hurt her.
She sleps in my bed room and sadly still has what I think are nightmares as she will start whimpering in her sleep
I will call her name and comfort her and she is OK but still on rare ocassions even now she will do it has I guess flashbacks
She will at random get as close to me as possible when she wakes up at night sometimes I guess just to feel secure
Good on you for taking her in and I amsure a little time she will become a good dog
They seem to realize w are the ones who "saved"" them and respond with love
Use lots of treats and praise. She will love you so much for being kind to her.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Love and lots of it and plenty of good treats...
Don't let her down.
"Independence Now, Independence Forever."
John Adams
You're doing great...keep at it...she'll come to trust (and love) you.
Keep that doggie. She will come to love you.
All the above. You didn't pick the dog, the dog picked you.
As everyone else is saying, take your time and love that dog. She's had a rough start but is now in good hands. You're gonna make a sad dog very happy. I know it. Glad you shared this story, @toad67 .
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
toad67, please don't give up on your new friend. You will both grow to love each other. ----------------Ray
Hang in there she will have you trained in no time.
It sounds like whoever had her before would call her to them and then punish her for some perceived transgression.
Have lots of treats and lovin' for her when she comes to you. Never call her to you for a punishment.
When you think she's ready to learn to eat cow/horse/chicken poop bring her on up and Loki will edumacate her!
Don't take her back, be patient, love will fix her if you stick with her.
Remember, trust doesn't come over night and love always works.
As already said. Congrats on your new freind.
My rescue, A little Chihuahua Lilly, has been like that for 8 years now. If I lay down, she will come right to me and snuggle and play. If we are standing up, she cowers and pees on the floor. If you take a step or make any motion to walk to her, she runs and hides under the bed. Even when I got her, I refused to give her back. She is so sweet and not a vicious bone in her body. The funny thing is, she will only come to one person and jump up on them, and her tail is going a mile a minute. That is my mom. We haven't figured that one out, but she choose my mom, who only sees her once a years, when they come from Texas to stay with us.
Yes, keep your dog and love her. She will turn out to be one of the best dogs you ever had. She needs you now more than ever. She's scared, show her she has no need to be sacred. Spoil her rotten!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't take her back to the pound. If you don't want her, I will come get her.
BTW we need pictures .................. you knew that. 😉
She will most likely be a great dog, give her time, you may never know until she tells you what happened before you met but she will show you her love when she is sure.
I've have always bonded with my dogs immediately, but this one seems so different, far away at times. She has more problems than I think I'm capable of dealing with, it's almost like she has multiple personalities. She's not really a good fit, but bringing her back is really tough.
Well that is your decision to make Todd, I am dealing with a similar situation and felt like we should take our newest rescue back because even after sending him to behavior training for a week he still can't be trusted around our smaller pets, he just goes crazy on them for no reason, but I just can't give up on him because he can also be a big dumb lover at times, I gave up on one many years ago and it haunts me still to this day so I will just keep an eye on this guy and hope for him to get better at being social to the littler ones, but it is hard choice and I just tell myself give him the best life I can and that is better than him having to try again with someone else.
Maybe giving her back is the best thing to do, someone else may have more patience with her.
When we adopted a rescue dog, Milo (big ole yellow lab) he was aggressive towards other dogs and people, thought for a minute that we may have to give him up but kindness and love turned him into the best, sweetest and most gentle dog I have ever owned or even knew. We don't know what these dogs have gone through or endured before they get to a loving and understanding forever home, It takes extraordinary patience to win over a dog that has a bad or questionable history and a few days most certainly isn't enough time to make any difference in her or your ability to settle into a new life with each other.
It is of course your decision to make.
We lost Milo last year, he passed at 12 years. My heart is still broken as this pain in the butt dog that was so much trouble in the beginning was the love of my life and I know I'll never have that again. And to think, had we not given him the chance, I'd never have known the ten years of unconditional love he gave us.
Your mileage may vary
We have had many dogs... Lot's of small ones... We had a Boston Terrier who would go crazy if you were making the bed and sweeping it out with your hand... We figured she had been hit. So many stories... Even little Turnip has her rescue flaws.... Just keep up the praise and love and whatever is wonderful in the fridge ❤️🤪
"Independence Now, Independence Forever."
John Adams
Got one over two years ago and it was found in East St. Louis. Same as yours, vet said been treated very harshly. Well she took up with me and like I have a shadow now. She still won't let people pet her which is fine. Took a lot of work to get where we are but once housebroke correctly she is a trooper with that and now plays with me with her barking and running. Stay with it Todd!! I certainly hope you give it time.
One thing you can try is a new command.
Instead of 'come' you could teach her 'with me'. It accomplishes the same thing, it's an easy command for a dog to understand, she gets love and snacks for learning it, and the bond is established.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
Years ago........my wife brought home our Ginger........a mix of Rottweiler and Australian Shepherd. Ginger had been abused, and used.......to the tune of at least two litters at a puppy mill.
In those days I had "Big B Dog" syndrome. Well.......within a month Ginger, and my daughter's dog Gretchen (Rot), had me cured. Although, at first, she would cower when I tried to pet her.........after about a month she would lie across my feet for belly rubs.
When we lost Ginger to cancer.........it was one of our toughest days. Still hurts.
Todd.......give it your best effort........it will be well worth it.👍
When we first looked at her, last week, they said she was just sad from being in the shelter, and other than that, she was a great dog. The wife took her for a walk this morning, she pulls hard on a leash, lunged at two other dogs and made a funny move towards a younger kid. None of this was mentioned to us when we got her.
So today, we called the shelter for some more info, sure enough, once the dog was gone, we got the "rest of the story". It's like she had multiple personalities. She wanted attention, but when you went to her she left. Was only happy when she was fetching, or sleeping. Had no real expression on her face, and just acted like she wasn't there. Kinda like a dog with no personality.
Anyway, when we called today, they said there was someone in line as a backup for us. We brought her back, and paid for the new person's adoption fee.
I didn't see any reason to waste time when I didn't feel any connection/bond, and didn't perceive one on her end either. I felt like it was going to be a marriage to someone I didn't love. When I bond with a dog, there's nothing I wouldn't do for it.
I'm sure taking the dog back wasn't an easy thing to do.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
No, it wasn't Kevin, both the wife and I cried. The craziest part was how excited she was to be back at the shelter, whimpering, pulling on the leash and frantic tail wagging.
Well it looks like it's a good thing with another owner to take a chance. KUDOS to you for paying the fees.
Good advise already. Try sharing some ice cream with her. Just a little bit.
HPD, If it comes to that (and I hope it doesn't) let me know and I'll help w/ your fuel cost.
Well you tried
Sadly there is way more dogs looking for a forever home shelters are over running
I know you will find a companion with less issues to love
Impossible I know but if people took responsibility for their animals there would not be as big of an issue as it is.
Hell taxpayers have to feed half of these humans.
Glad that it worked out this way (having a backup adopter). Don't give up, there is a rescue dog out there that will fit in like a missing puzzle piece. I think it was stand up for you to take care of the new adopter"s fees.
Good luck with the search