rescue dogs, so far too much trouble to deal with

[Stoner4Life]

wow, as far as taking in a rescue dog I couldn't be happier, a perfect match to our household, very low energy when she gets inside as mentioned in her profile which considering the condition of my back is exactly what I wanted. She's real good at doing her business in quick order when we go outside and she's really well behaved on her leash which I'll have to use until I put in the dog run I have planned.

I'm really opposed to outdoor kenneling because of the biting flies we have up north here, I'm wondering if brushing out the undergrowth between all the big pines would help. the river and lowlands that border my place are just too far from my home to produce these flies.

10 month old Precious would've been too much for me to handle and my bad back is exactly why I gave away 10 month old Scooter (middle below) which was Alice's puppy, we all loved Scootsie dearly but I just couldn't do justice to the energy level of a puppy. Scooter went to a fine family of 3; mom, 12 yr old daughter and a bird hunting dad, a guy I've known for 24 years. oddly enough was the fact they already owned a cat named Scooter, the puppy I gave them would replace their 14 yr old Springer whose passing broke their daughters heart, they kept her name.

 

[Still Invisible]

I adopted a dog two weeks ago; turned up with kennel cough so I had to spend just over a hundred dollars on vet bill.
Anyway I'm not complaining; she's a nice dog; Rhodesian Ridgeback crossed with something else; the woman from the rescue said it might be Staffordshire Terrier.

 

[SeaMaiden]

I want to see a pic! My girl is a Ridgie cross, most difficult dog I've worked with, but she's a pretty damn good dawg.

 

[jd4083]

if you are a diligent, caring, attentive, educated owner then your puppy should only have "accidents" every once in a while within the first month...these "accidents" will probably occur when you least expect it (when your hitting a bong, or grabbing some munchies). if you take the pup outside every 45 minutes while its awake, and make sure you only have food and water down when its time to eat/drink then you should be able to get the dog trained QUICK.... when you give food/water then you take dog out...... routine.... not for the lazy man, but for the man who demands an awesome, headache free companion......

hell, if you are SUPER MOTIVATED, once you get the shit/piss thing down, then you can take it to the next step and train your dog to locate drugs.... a simple walk in the park/crowd could turn out to be a VERY nice day....

Agreed. Too many people get puppies because they're so cute or they want a status symbol (not talking about S4L, by the way) and then forget immediately that they are a LOT of fucking work. Like you said, they're gonna piss every few minutes, you just need to be aware and observe the signals before they do it. It's like raising a damned kid...I always joke and say it's like raising an autistic kid in my dog's case because she's so goofy but so incredibly intelligent at the same time...Rainman style. sorry, this is a bit off topic...

Here's one vote for adopting a dog. I adopted my pit bull/lab mix at 3 months from a couple of pill heads who had her living on their deck exposed to all the elements, living in her own piss and shit. She was TOUGH to train all that bullshit out of her even at only 3 months old...when I got her she was covered in open sores and had almost zero hair from the mange. Once I got her into a routine and trained the bad crap out of her, and spent a few hundred dollars getting her healthy again, I was amazed at how awesome the dog was.

I couldn't have hoped for a better friend and companion...

here's a pic of her with another little bulldog mix I adopted and gave to a buddy...they're best friends (mine's on the left)

oh and one more pic...payback's a bitch

 

[greenmatter]

no such thing as a bad dog!!!!!!! TOO MANY that got bad starts, but that is a 100% human problem, and IME never the dogs fault.

i am not into religion, but if there are "sins" then mistreating or neglecting an animal IS ONE!

....... and the people taking the time to fix what someone else broke may be the only proof i have seen that there actually is a god somewhere.

good humans rule!

 

[SeaMaiden]

I don't know, man... I know some pretty naughty dogs. Usually the very smart ones, finding ways to entertain themselves.

 

[Stoner4Life]

Very cute pics jd4083 , I'm gonna have to break out my camera today.


My old girl Alice has been so sweet, never once baring teeth even though the interloper (her opinion of Wendy not mine) has been trying to swipe biscuit bits before Alice can finish them.

Wendy was found as a stray and so she has feeding issues based on prior experiences in the streets, she never tries growling or fighting to get @ Alices biscuit pieces but she does covet them until I break her focus on them and tell her "no." I feed them apart, Alice where she's always eaten & Wendy in her wire kennel where she absolutely inhales her 8/9oz cup of kibble, it makes me wish I had a trickle feeder of some sort to slow her pace down.


Anyway Wendy's a good little girl who's trying to fit into a new family, yesterday she found enough confidence to finally bark, barking several times for different but acceptable reasons. My mechanic Randy was over yesterday and had left for 15 minutes, I left the front door unlocked for his return, when he walked in Wendy bounced off the bed hackles up growled a few times real slow and low and then let out a couple of short barks. Driving along yesterday w/Wendy in a wire kennel & Alice next to her but loose in the back of my Explorer, I cracked the windows open and in a few seconds Wendy jumped to her feet and let out a bunch of barks in no particular direction, I think a scent swirling around entered the car that she didn't like. Anyway it's great to see her feeling like she's full of herself, she's been purposefully laid back making sure she's in a comfort zone before opening up, it was about 24 hours before she rolled over for a belly rub and even then I could tell she was nervous/cautious about exposing her belly just having built up to that trust level in her mind. Slightly sad to see but satisfying to watch her open up as I gain her trust.

I could not have imagined finding a dog this well behaved or sweet in a rescue shelter, I was certain it would be a daily training exercise to some degree, glad to be 100% wrong. even when I catch her doing bad stuff (climbing onto my desk, counter surfing w/her nose) all I do is give out a sharp "No!" and she corrects her behavior back to normal, very clever she really knows the difference but will experiment in testing my limits, I love it.


When the dogs are ready to lie down they can either opt for the multi-blanket big pad I have on the floor or the bed, no matter where they settle Alice lies down away from Wendy, Wendy then might get up and move close to Alice who accepts the closeness comfortably.

Last night they were resting on opposite sides of the bed, I looked in on them again a few minutes later to find that Alice had moved over to lie down snuggly style with Wendy which was a big step in Alice's acceptance and a first by her.

 

[greenmatter]

I don't know, man... I know some pretty naughty dogs. Usually the very smart ones, finding ways to entertain themselves.

true that! but i notice you use the word naughty ........ and that aint "bad"

 

[SeaMaiden]

They're like 4yo's to me, so you can't really fault them for being what they are. However, I used to think dogs were guileless, and after meeting a wiry-haired terrier of some sort that appeared on my parents' doorstep, subsequently aptly named Pogo, I can no longer hold that belief. This dog obfuscates! Funniest thing, and you'd better be quick on your toes. He's a love, just naughty, wants to be where we don't want him, pees on more stuff than he should, the dog just can't but be what he is. A dog on a pogo stick.

It jumps higher than our CATS! I've never seen a dog, even a big dog (he's maybe a foot tall) jump so high! Little dogs are *quick*, too, I tell you what. One more thing I prefer about big dawgs.

 

[MJBadger]

This dog obfuscates

Have you thought about some tablets from the vets to cure it ?

 

[SeaMaiden]

No tablets, I think a whack in the head might do it but I haven't got the heart.

They do have those tablets for when she leaks, though.

 

[Stoner4Life]

a little update:

Wendy's a bit bonkers now that she's gained a certain confidence level, she's done testing my limits and now she's pushing them. She was bothering me in bed and as I pushed her away she opened her mouth ever so slightly letting me catch tooth, mind you I wasn't pushing on her face, hell no, she turned her head to offer that effect. I scolded her, got up so that instead of being her size as we both were laying there I was now standing over her and I ushered her into the wire kennel for some time out.

she's rude in bed taking up a lot of real estate for a small dog and bruising my torso & legs by driving her paws into me, I've never been one to bruise, I'm unhappily surprised. today's visit to WalMart was for a Pet-Mate type of kennel where she'll sleep every night (1/2 on & 1/2 off) resting @ the foot of the bed right next to where Alice sleeps.

boom! 15 minutes later I've set it up and now Alice is resting in it

typical terrier behavior, I took her to my own vet yesterday (he's owned pitbulls) and he puts her age @ 1.5 years and gave her a clean bill of health, what a character she is when she's feeling just full of herself.......

 

[MJBadger]

Sounds like you & Wendy will get on fine when you realise she`s the boss . Only kidding , it sounds like she has got the confidence now & i would say thats because of trust . I pray that Alice is never beaten by this un coz it sounds like it could work out well .

 

[Jbonez]

Great thread, Im probably one of the few pitbull lovers here, but the breed has captured my heart..

That said, ive a blue fawn beauty, he was to be the only dog in house along with our cat until one day..... Bam... Outa nowwhere Im smokin a cig and what runs through my back yard??? A lovely rednose male, turns out was left tied up with a garden hose before the owners moved out of their house... Id like to get ahold of the fucks... But my reward was a dog who couldnt be happier to join our family... after a little money well spent and a few trips to the vet, this certainly doomed to be picked up by animal control dog is now a full fledged part of our family...

He is the most well behaved, most loving dog a man could ask for..

Id love to open a facility that caters to rescue only dogs and animals that people choose to ignore or forget exist...


Any Raw or PMR Feeders??? We get a bout 15 years outa are pits on this diet... You really love your dog???

We could all use a lesson from the 100% pure love and devotion our animals give us...

 

[Stoner4Life]

OK, so I can get some sleep w/the new kennel setup (2 nights now ), she's not thrilled by it and needs to be coaxed in w/a biscuit but once inside for the night she settles right down, I only make her stay in it while we all get some sleep.

she's a little handful but it's really just that terrier disposition and the exuberance of her youth, there's times I forget her name because I'm calling her "No!" so often catching her counter surfing @ my desk where I keep my treats and in the kitchen when she hops the little barrier I put up.


what I've forgotten to mention is that she's got these really long ears, too cute, it makes her look like a dingo, even at the vets office one gal looked up and said "is that a dingo!?" even though the coat and markings are completely different.

 

[Protea]

this is very good, i am happy to se that you have found a new familimember. that is setteling in nicely,
well done. and good luck

 

[SeaMaiden]

OK, so I can get some sleep w/the new kennel setup (2 nights now ), she's not thrilled by it and needs to be coaxed in w/a biscuit but once inside for the night she settles right down, I only make her stay in it while we all get some sleep.

She needs to be crate trained, period. That means not just when you're trying to get sleep, but at any time. She needs to learn that the crate is her safe space, not just a place to go when others don't wish to interact with her.

I've trained too many large dogs to *not* use crate training. It's an incredibly useful tool.

she's a little handful but it's really just that terrier disposition and the exuberance of her youth, there's times I forget her name because I'm calling her "No!" so often catching her counter surfing @ my desk where I keep my treats and in the kitchen when she hops the little barrier I put up.

Like a terrier of my folks'! Do you have any other way to distract her besides barking "No!" to her? I've found it loses effectiveness with a quickness, and a hand clap, a bark, a Cesar Milan-style "TSS!" or "AH AH!" like I did with my kids is better for getting attention, which then allows me to correct or redirect. NEVER yell her name to correct her, ever.

I'm tough on my dogs, but they're trained well.

 

[Stoner4Life]

Like a terrier of my folks'! Do you have any other way to distract her besides barking "No!" to her? I've found it loses effectiveness with a quickness, and a hand clap, a bark, a Cesar Milan-style "TSS!" or "AH AH!" like I did with my kids is better for getting attention, which then allows me to correct or redirect. NEVER yell her name to correct her, ever.

I'm tough on my dogs, but they're trained well.

I've done the tssss thing and given her the rib cage pinch simultaneously if I'm right there within reach, otherwise my voice is doing the trick and has to due to my bad back, I can't jump up to make corrections. I'm close by 24/7 so I see all.

As far as crate training, I feed her there because she'll finish her bowl and go after Alice's, she may have feeding issues as she competes for biscuits but is now learning who's boss. Wendy snarfs a biscuit in 10 seconds and Alice might take 2-3 minutes on a that same lg size milk-bone, I won't issue any second bones until Alice finishes her first. a choke collar is necessary to effect this but she doesn't pull much.

If I'm going to leave the house she'll definitely be crated in the lg wire kennel and Alice outside of it while I'm gone, the wire kennel is 42X27 inches & carpeted, it's inside of course.

 

[SeaMaiden]

If the sound and pinch/grab gets her attention and she stops, that's exactly what you're after and right now all you want is for her to put her attention back on you.

I hear you on the back, but I am relatively mobile. Just always hurting.

I really wish my husband would let me get another dog. And a cat. And liked patchouli, but I can live with that a lot better than fewer animals. But after my brother-in-law's Rottweiler fiasco, I doubt he's going to be enthusiastic about another 'shit factory' (hey, honey, we all shit!).

 

[MJBadger]

How about using a Clicker ?, i have seen these in use on dog training & it suprised me just how effective they are .