Rescue attitude question

I really hope things get better so it can work out for everyone. It is so sad when an animal can't get a good chance to adjust to having a better life with decent pet parents.

Thanks all. I guess it is just that some dogs take a lot longer than others to feel comfortable around their new owners. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who won't give them the time for that. The lady asking doesn't plan to get rid of the dog, just was wondering how to get her more comfortable. I've been fortunate that I haven't had to worry about that with cat or dogs.

Holly, I don't think she knows what kind of abuse or if it actually was abuse. It is just what the rescue told her. The dog just always seems either afraid to do anything or she is starting to think she is stupid. The dog hasn't nipped at her at all. When they are young, you have to teach ACDs not to herd people or they will nip heels to try to herd.

I know about the rage syndrome, though I have never had to deal with it. One of the ACD breeders had a great male, Champion and BISS, that developed rage syndrome after getting his rabies vaccine. He had some really bad reaction to the vaccine and she ended up having to put him down.

This dog she was asking about isn't doing anything like that. Just seems like she doesn't know anything and is afraid to learn.

Every pup can be different as to how they handle things. My Pookie was a rescue and had been abused. She took alot of time to get used to the the fact that we would not try to harm her when we picked up a paper. She also had issues with being fed properly as well. It can take plenty of time and tolerance with each pet.

We still have dogs, but back in 2003 time frame, we had a black lab that we named Ice, one day right after I pulled into my garage from work, a guy in a pickup truck with meat for sale in a freezer with dry ice pulled in behind me and wanted me to invite him in to talk about his meat and wanting me to buy it. Ice was in our outside kennel on side of garage and from the moment that guy got out and started talking to me, my boy Ice came unglued and he had never been like that with anyone. I asked the guy for business card and flyer and told that i was not interested and he kept trying to get me to buy something, etc. I told him to leave or I was going to let my dog out of the kennel as he could see Ice was not having any of it and was not a happy camper and I told him he didn't accept that i was not interested I was calling the cops. He finally got the message and left and once Ice could see he was gone, he calmed back down to my normal happy dog. Dogs definitely sense things that we humans do not and although Ice is gone now, I thank him that he was there that day!

I got a rescue, good dog, but didn't bond and had a problem walking on leash. One day when we were walking a pack of loose dogs came running at us in an unfriendly way. The dog got between me and the other dogs and when they were close enough my staff met one of the dogs snoots. After that he was one of the best dogs I ever had, Great on a leash and overly protective of me. I told this to a person that worked with problem dogs. She many dogs have a trust problem and something has to happen to make them trust you. My case was a bit exstream but it showed the dog in the way dogs see things that he protects me and I protect him. Like a pack, everyone protects the leader and the leader protects them. How this lady is going to show the dog that she is a good pack leader that will care and protect him I don't know. but my guess is that is what needs to happen.

It seems to me that there are lot of unanswered questions- how old is the dog? Where was the dog prior to being at the shelter? Are there other dogs in the household? I know many of these cannot be answered but they are still important. If the dog is a "smarter" breed that is half the problem. She knows that she has had bad experiences with humans, and no matter what it was, that is in itself is abusive. If this woman is patient and willing she can just co-exist with the dog and eventually the dog will come to trust her. But to push her is not going to help. I would continue to call the dog the name the woman has chosen, speak kindly and try not to put the dog in a position of having to be disciplined too often. Also make sure the dog knows it is the woman who is feeding it. Call to her and let her see her putting down the food. I would make sure the dog has space of her own too. I would keep calm and don't demand too much from her. 10 months seems long to us, but with a dog from a shelter situation with a background that you are not aware of, it doesn't sound long at all. I have had puppies who were in a shelter for just a few days who never really recovered from the feeling of abandonment and loss. As far as nipping- our collie still nips and he has had nothing but love and comfort his entire life- we just gently tell him no herding me please! LOL that will come in time. Just my thoughts -

Different rescues have had different things happen to them. I remember very clearly a neighbor girl where i used to live. her dog got loose, she caught it in my front yard when she called it and it ran to her,,,then proceeded to whallop it. BAD DOG!! dont you ever run away again!!
I stepped between them grabbed the dog and told her to back off. i said really? he just came to you when you called,.and you beat on him??? use your brain!!!! No she hadnt hit him hard..but she sure did confuse him.
now..this poor one you are talking about..lord only knows how many times it tried to please and got hit for it. or..if it was chained out..how its humans ignored it. You said she has had the dog for 10 months. thats way OVER long for the dog to gain trust of her.
there is something very real called "rage syndrome". some dogs are the sweetest, kindest animals, then something goes off in their brain and they will attack..it will be seconds, and when the episode is over they literally seem to have no recall of the incident. its dangerous, there is no cure, and the dog really needs to be euthanized. it doesnt SOUND like that, as the dog is just nipping, but its something to watch out for.
if I were this lady, i long ago would have called in a professional. the dog needs to be evaluated, to see whats going on. i'm not talking about pet smart dog training, i'm talking about a true dog behavoirist.
I have Newfoundlands. the sweetest, kindest breed there is. sometimes due to abuse, or a screw loose, or bad breeding, you come across one that cant be rehabilitated. and the kindest thing for the animal is euthanasia. they truly dont want to be bad. they just dont know any other way. and a 150 pound dog that can snap is a huge danger.
it would be helpful to know what situation the dog came from. ..you say it was abused, but there are many kinds of abuse. was the dog beaten? used as a brood bitch left in a cage only coming out to be bred every time she came into heat? left outside on a chain, neglected?

I'd say after 10 months with no progress she really needs to get some pro help.

This isn't something I have had happen, but reading about one I started wondering about it. A lady was asking how to get through to her rescue that she has had for 10 months now. Apparently the dog was abused, but could be she was actually upset because she was dumped at the shelter because she nipped (she's a cattle dog, so nipping to herd is common and they need to learn not to). Anyway, the dog won't even come to the lady unless it's for a bite of meat. She stays at a distance watching her, doesn't recognize her name yet and hasn't learned a recall or anything. They are really smart dogs, so the lady isn't understanding what is going on. She first thought she was either blind or deaf, but says she isn't either. My thought was deaf, but maybe just partly deaf.

Has anyone had that type of response from dogs you have rescued? Even the ones I have transported were happy to be close to me or their new people. My closest to a rescue was Cassie, who was a breeder placement after she had been returned twice. She must have been told very clearly that she was coming to meet her new mommy, because when she got out of the crate when we met up with Lori, she immediately came to me and jumped up for her loving and followed me back to my truck. She never had any trouble with coming into my house and obviously knew she was home.