Dogs

[lurganblue]

Wee bump on this one to hope for some advice.

We got a rescue dog about a year ago.  Cavalier that was basically used for a puppy farm.  She has started to settle well in our house and small things are great victories. Never been on a lead before and now walks well for example.

However, she is clearly afraid of me and I can only assume that this is because of past trauma.  She will take herself to her bed when I am around as clearly she feels safe there. Sometimes I enter the house or the kitchen and she is happily interacting with the others in the house, and my presence alone makes her go to her bed.

She wouldnt eat or drink if I am around.  She wouldnt get up on the chair beside people when I am around.

Any tips to break that barrier and build a bond?

[JimStynes]

Anyone any experience of happy tail? My boxer has cut the end of his tail and when he wags it there is blood flying everywhere ffs

[Milltown Row2]

Wee bump on this one to hope for some advice.

We got a recue dog about a year ago.  Cavalier that was basically used for a puppy farm.  She has started to settle well in our house and small things are great victories. Never been on a lead before and now walks well for example.

However, she is clearly afraid of me and I can only assume that this is because of past trauma.  She will take herself to her bed when I am around as clearly she feels safe there. Sometimes I enter the house or the kitchen and she is happily interacting with the others in the house, and my presence alone makes her go to her bed.

She wouldnt eat or drink if I am around.  She wouldnt get up on the chair beside people when I am around.

Any tips to break that barrier and build a bond?

Do the fun things, come home from work, give her the attention, make a big deal of the greeting.

Get the dog lead out and taker to her best walk, bring plenty of treats.. use those treats every day, especially when you come in from work.

It seems like bribery but it works..

Ten minutes in the garden with the ball, but do those things on your own also..

Also be the main one to get its dinner, they associate with you as their provider

God only knows what's happened in those places with neglect, you could have a similar tone of voice or even look like someone that she remembers for the wrong reason

[DaleCooper]

Id imagine you must fit same profile as the past owner/abuser, unfortunately.

Dont force things, dont make direct eye contact and keep yourself angled away. Keep calm , speak softly and toss odd treat anywhere in the room without making a big deal.

Loud noises etc are not good as its probably on edge.

Maybe move bed /food to where you watch TV, just keeping dog in your presence across room helps.

Its a job of work but can be done

[GJL]

[lurganblue]

Many thanks for the advice folks.  It can be frustrating, but as I say small wins are great victories. I think I have to up my treat game!

[Saffron_sam20]

Had a weekend in Barcelona there few months ago, it's amazing the difference in how dogs are treated compared to here, everywhere seems to allow dogs. Seen women walking round shops with their wee dogs and nearly all restaurants allowed them. We seem so far behind in this country it's unreal.

[DaleCooper]

Personally I would make dog ownership more onerous, with license and spot check ups or something. Dog in poor condition = £1000 fine.

The puppy farmers are scum but wouldn't exist without the adult who wont say no to their kids.

Then you have the rescue shelters overwhelmed, really got out of hand during pandemic.

[AustinPowers]

Personally I would make dog ownership more onerous, with license and spot check ups or something. Dog in poor condition = £1000 fine.

The puppy farmers are scum but wouldn't exist without the adult who wont say no to their kids.

Then you have the rescue shelters overwhelmed, really got out of hand during pandemic.

Yeah but adults should know a dog  has needs, and looked  after night and day. Vets bills etc. A child wouldn't. So they just need to learn  to say no to wee johnny

More on the spot fines needed for dog shitting as well. Some of the footpaths  around the place  is disgusting.

Seeing what  some dog owners are like nearby , I would  nearly go further ,  and make them do a  course or something before they own a dog.

[Milltown Row2]

Personally I would make dog ownership more onerous, with license and spot check ups or something. Dog in poor condition = £1000 fine.

The puppy farmers are scum but wouldn't exist without the adult who wont say no to their kids.

Then you have the rescue shelters overwhelmed, really got out of hand during pandemic.

Yeah but adults should know a dog  has needs, and looked  after night and day. Vets bills etc. A child wouldn't. So they just need to learn  to say no to wee johnny

More on the spot fines needed for dog shitting as well. Some of the footpaths  around the place  is disgusting.

Seeing what  some dog owners are like nearby , I would  nearly go further ,  and make them do a  course or something before they own a dog.

It's a major commitment, social media has fecked things up also people putting up all these lovely photos and the dogs are perfect all the time, feeding into this false sense of dogs are handy to look after! They aint and any bitta effort nowadays seems to end up with a dog being sent to the kennels

It's fairly difficult enough to work with at the start, but if the hard work is done then they actually become a lot easier, I prefer them to humans 

Mine are 7 and 8 years old, house dogs lol... wouldn't entertain living anywhere else but indoors, nor would I have them outside either

Vet bills and costs are still lower than having kids, so they are cheap lol.. I've pet plan insurance and just recently had to use it which save us a fortune, so best having it

The most costly thing for me though is the dog groomers! I might try this job when I retire! and the card machine never works 

Wifes a teacher so it helps and her dad lives in the same street so he's round every day we aren't so they are well looked after. So it's important to have them interacting all the time

Was talking to the dog groomer the other day and her two younger dogs attacked the older dog, he's around 13, from trying to save the older dog she was injured.. So always be wary and look for those triggers

[trueblue1234]

Buy a wee razor and decent set of scissors. You can stretch out the time between proper grooms then.

Our poor fella hasn't been in months. But it slowly starts to go a bit wayward so he'll be back to get a proper tidy up this month.

[Milltown Row2]

Buy a wee razor and decent set of scissors. You can stretch out the time between proper grooms then.

Our poor fella hasn't been in months. But it slowly starts to go a bit wayward so he'll be back to get a proper tidy up this month.

These wee angels? Ah now!

One had a we operation recently so couldn't go for its last clip, it takes so long to get an appointment she was like a proper furball! ended up with a number 1 lol!