Rescue Dogs - Clues To Their Lives Before You.

[Little Gifts]

I never used to wonder about foster or foster failures backgrounds but have always had this thing where I try and tally up how many 'homes'(inc temp care, pounds and shelters) a dog has already endured since it's birth and the number is always astounding. Dogs are so resilient but even they must have a limit?

What we do end up finding out about rescues is often so very sad and sometimes unnessecary. My current foster was given up with 2 other pups and supposedly her very elderly mum. But she got her adult teeth a couple of months before the other 2 pups so obviously she wasn't from that litter or mother. Why do those who surrender have to lie about this stuff and make it harder for the dogs?

A previous adult foster was surrendered by an owner who had clearly adored him but found themselves in difficult circumstances. That boy looked like he'd lost his spirit and will to live when he lost his person. He was malnourished (not original owner's fault) and I really thought he wasn't going to make it. Based on his behaviours I don't think he had ever had much contact with other dogs, never had much access to grass and had never played with toys - I think he was just all about his person and being with them. So not only did he get to experience, and in some cases enjoy, new things but he chose a family with children as his new forever home and has blossomed. He holds a special place in my heart still, but equally as precious to me is the memory of my heart girl teaching this foster boy how to play tug and trash a stuffed toy.

That naughty girl of mine is one in a million! She was also a failed foster and I know she was flown to Brisbane from Mackay as the people who bred her couldn't get rid of her up there. She doesn't like crates at all and I think she may have been very stressed during confinement and flight as all her whiskers were broken off and her snout was scabby when I got her. Now almost 5 years later they still haven't grown back properly. She was such a naughty dog for the first three years that the friend who introduced us still apologises for doing so but I adore my chunky monkey and the life she brings to this house!

[Gertrude139]

This has become a very interesting thread, although slightly off topic at points.

PS - you bring up an interesting point that even thought we might think we know a history a previous owner has given there is nothing to say they are telling the truth.

[HazyWal]

Dealing with the psychological instability as well as the physical manifestations of the issue/s will lead to a fuller recovery imho. A 'head in the sand' approach is never a good idea if you can avoid it. I want to understand my dog as well as I can. Not so I can jump in the sinking sand of her past with her, but so I can understand how she got there and the best way to pull her out so she never goes back again.

Given that for many dogs, their pasts will never be known, I think its better to deal with the animal as you observe it and not to wonder or worry about what may have happened. Two dogs with the same genetic make up and the same history can still be quite different in many ways so I think its best to base any behaviour modification on what you see.

I guess you have a point. I have always been one to want to know and analyse every situation. It's the same with rescue dogs. I make an educated guess judging on where she was found, the type of vehicle and people she was attracted to, her working style, the way she responded to contact and stimulation and the type of gear she was found wearing. With all this information I was able to deduce with a good degree of certainty, her history and how she was raised. This has helped me personally to help her through some of her less desirable behaviours and she's a beautiful dog because of it. I understand that there is always going to be the dogs whose lineage and past remains a mystery but for me I prefer the approach of educated guessing as it's proven helpful in the past. Of course dogs are very "here and now" creatures, whereas humans tend to be "dwellers", so I acknowledge that either way could work.

Interesting post MUP. So you make an educated guess on ALL your rescue dogs do you?

[mixeduppup]

Dealing with the psychological instability as well as the physical manifestations of the issue/s will lead to a fuller recovery imho. A 'head in the sand' approach is never a good idea if you can avoid it. I want to understand my dog as well as I can. Not so I can jump in the sinking sand of her past with her, but so I can understand how she got there and the best way to pull her out so she never goes back again.

Given that for many dogs, their pasts will never be known, I think its better to deal with the animal as you observe it and not to wonder or worry about what may have happened. Two dogs with the same genetic make up and the same history can still be quite different in many ways so I think its best to base any behaviour modification on what you see.

I guess you have a point. I have always been one to want to know and analyse every situation. It's the same with rescue dogs. I make an educated guess judging on where she was found, the type of vehicle and people she was attracted to, her working style, the way she responded to contact and stimulation and the type of gear she was found wearing. With all this information I was able to deduce with a good degree of certainty, her history and how she was raised. This has helped me personally to help her through some of her less desirable behaviours and she's a beautiful dog because of it. I understand that there is always going to be the dogs whose lineage and past remains a mystery but for me I prefer the approach of educated guessing as it's proven helpful in the past. Of course dogs are very "here and now" creatures, whereas humans tend to be "dwellers", so I acknowledge that either way could work.

Interesting post MUP. So you make an educated guess on ALL your rescue dogs do you?

No, I was just talking about Maybe. As made clear in my post below that one. :)

[HazyWal]

Dealing with the psychological instability as well as the physical manifestations of the issue/s will lead to a fuller recovery imho. A 'head in the sand' approach is never a good idea if you can avoid it. I want to understand my dog as well as I can. Not so I can jump in the sinking sand of her past with her, but so I can understand how she got there and the best way to pull her out so she never goes back again.

Given that for many dogs, their pasts will never be known, I think its better to deal with the animal as you observe it and not to wonder or worry about what may have happened. Two dogs with the same genetic make up and the same history can still be quite different in many ways so I think its best to base any behaviour modification on what you see.

I guess you have a point. I have always been one to want to know and analyse every situation. It's the same with rescue dogs. I make an educated guess judging on where she was found, the type of vehicle and people she was attracted to, her working style, the way she responded to contact and stimulation and the type of gear she was found wearing. With all this information I was able to deduce with a good degree of certainty, her history and how she was raised. This has helped me personally to help her through some of her less desirable behaviours and she's a beautiful dog because of it. I understand that there is always going to be the dogs whose lineage and past remains a mystery but for me I prefer the approach of educated guessing as it's proven helpful in the past. Of course dogs are very "here and now" creatures, whereas humans tend to be "dwellers", so I acknowledge that either way could work.

Interesting post MUP. So you make an educated guess on ALL your rescue dogs do you?

No, I was just talking about Maybe. As made clear in my post below that one. :)

Oh good I thought you were talking about dogs rescued by you! My bad :)

[hankdog]

Mine was separated in the pound from his friend, yes I feel sad for him I believe he misses her. I think his family had a white car, for the first few months he'd always stop and go to the back door of any white car. He stops at the primary school up the road and appears to search through the kids through the fence, so I think kids were around. No leash manners and shockingly dog aggressive so I'm guessing not walked a lot. Yep I am one if those owners who took on a lot more dog than I knew I was getting. A huge learning curve but that's life!! I don't regret it and am learning so much about dogs and myself. I even know maremmas are not giant hairy labs!!!

Edited November 18, 2012 by hankdog

[mixeduppup]

Dealing with the psychological instability as well as the physical manifestations of the issue/s will lead to a fuller recovery imho. A 'head in the sand' approach is never a good idea if you can avoid it. I want to understand my dog as well as I can. Not so I can jump in the sinking sand of her past with her, but so I can understand how she got there and the best way to pull her out so she never goes back again.

Given that for many dogs, their pasts will never be known, I think its better to deal with the animal as you observe it and not to wonder or worry about what may have happened. Two dogs with the same genetic make up and the same history can still be quite different in many ways so I think its best to base any behaviour modification on what you see.

I guess you have a point. I have always been one to want to know and analyse every situation. It's the same with rescue dogs. I make an educated guess judging on where she was found, the type of vehicle and people she was attracted to, her working style, the way she responded to contact and stimulation and the type of gear she was found wearing. With all this information I was able to deduce with a good degree of certainty, her history and how she was raised. This has helped me personally to help her through some of her less desirable behaviours and she's a beautiful dog because of it. I understand that there is always going to be the dogs whose lineage and past remains a mystery but for me I prefer the approach of educated guessing as it's proven helpful in the past. Of course dogs are very "here and now" creatures, whereas humans tend to be "dwellers", so I acknowledge that either way could work.

Interesting post MUP. So you make an educated guess on ALL your rescue dogs do you?

No, I was just talking about Maybe. As made clear in my post below that one. :)

Oh good I thought you were talking about dogs rescued by you! My bad :)

No, no. Just Maybe lol

[tdierikx]

All of my dogs were adopted as pups - 2 are failed fosters. All of them have been (or are being) raised the same, yet they are all totally different in their own way.

Zeddy likes to attack things like the mower, but runs a mile from the vacuum cleaner - is terrified of thunderstorms, but doesn't mind rain (without the thunder part) - loves biting water coming out of the hose, but hates having a bath, etc... she was 5 weeks old when I got her from a FTGH ad in the Trading post 13 years ago.

Trouble is a crazy Labrador - too smart for her own good, yet acts dumb when it suits her to be silly. She was 10 weeks old when purchased through an internet ad nearly 7 years ago.

Pickles is disabled in the physical sense, but that doesn't stop her keeping up with the others, or stealing all the foster pups' toys or treats - she is a pushy and headstrong little turd at times, but is also the most loving and faithful dog. She came into foster care 2 years ago as a 9 week old puppy... and stayed... *grin*

Harper is 11 weeks old today - I've known her all of her short life since her mum gave birth in care. She has been house trained since the day after she came to me for fostering, and I think she's my new heart dog. She is a smooch of the first order for me, but can be aloof with strangers - she isn't fazed by other dogs, large or small, and knows when to be cheeky or not...

What I'm trying to point out here is that even when raised the same way - with love, respect, and dignity - dogs can still be very different in nature or personality.

T.

[Weasels]

It's not just behavioural issues that can get you wondering. Chess was not much more than a year old when we adopted her but she has completely flat canines. They've all eroded back below where the tooth would normally start to taper My best guess is having constant access to a tennis ball possibly in combination to a sandy area has caused it but it was something that made me curious when we first got her.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Weasels

[flame ryder]

I would love to know what happened in my rescue dogs past life that makes her hate and fear other dogs. We got her from the pound, who got her from the council from a property from where she was seized. She was approx 1 year old and had just finished rearing a litter of puppies, she still had saggy boobs and was very underweight when we bought her home. At first we didn't notice anything different about her. During the settling in process she was supervised around the other dogs and was never left alone with them, but although a little growly, wasn't aggressive. They soon bonded and became a pack. She seemed very happy although a little wary of men. Then we began to walk her and this is when we noticed her problem. She fears other dogs, both big and small to the point where she is dangerous. She is like the stealth and shows no obvious signs of attack. No growling, hackles or barking. We have tried everything to rectify the problem but these days she rarely leaves our property. This disappoints me as I wanted to do obedience with her...but it is not to be. She also rarely barks, so is a hopeless watch dog and she is still afraid of sudden moves...and shovels.

I would never get another rescue dog as I can't (and don't want to) deal with these deep, dark mental problems. It's easy to fix the body to bring a dog up to good weight, fitness and make it's fur shine with health...but the mental scars sometimes never heal no matter what you try or how much you want it to be right.

[juice]

We overthink things too much instead of dealing in the now.

My rescue cattle is terrified of the hose, but nothing bad has ever happened to him with one, and i have had him since he was 7weeks old.

If he went to a new home it may be assumed he was beaten with one.

[pepe001]

double post

Edited November 18, 2012 by pepe001

[pepe001]

I like to think about their history but don't dwell on it. Just like people that go through trauma - they need to look forward to recover.

My dogs stories are.

Larry (looks like ACD*kelpie) was adopted from a rescue shelter at a few months old. He lived for a few years with his owner who adore hiom but let him be a total loony. He is scared of water out of hoses, hair brushes and sticks - I guess these were methods of punishment. If he sees any of these he drops to the ground and wimpers. His owner died (a brother to a friend) and he came to me for fostering. He seemed like he had been trained - sit, drop, heel, not jumping up etc but his previous owner didn't do it so must have been when very young. Wonderful dog when calmed down. He went off to a new home a few weeks later but the resident dog didn't like him. So he came back to stay. Still scared of water and sticks so we just don't wash him often, don't approach him with sticks and don't brush him. Seems like a perfectly normal dog otherwise and is one of those ogs who knows what you want and wants to do it.

Lily was also a rescue (looks like a ACD*BC). She came from the RSPCA at 8 months. Was found wandering in the city at about 2 months - did her time at the pound and then two different RSPCAs. Not scared of anything and loves all people. BUT her funny behaviour is whatever you point at she will jump on and then high-5. Chairs, tables, wheely bins, backs of utes and even the roof of a car (not very funny that one) if she sees you point at it. She can climb ladders and scale a 6ft run-fence. She can clear a 5 ft fence from a standstill and jump onto the roof of a car without touching the sides. I guess the RSPCA had a agility course and taught her to jump up on stuff and then high-5 as a reward. She is not interested in leaving her new people - which is lucky as our fences wouldn't hold her in at all. The day she came home it was like she was here all along. We even changed her name and she didn't act any different.

For the first few days she did have another weird behaviour (this has now extinct itself). Before you put her food bowl down she would back away until she hit something solid. For example, she ran backwards 50 metres to out gate up the driveway. I had to walk up, put her on a lead and hold her so she would eat. I rang the RSPCA and we worked it out. They kenneled two dogs together and before feeding one dog would come forward and one back-up before the bowls were put down. She was a back-up dog so was just doing what she was told - back-up unitl you are at the back of the cage. Then you get fed.

[Loving my Oldies]

We overthink things too much instead of dealing in the now.

My rescue cattle is terrified of the hose, but nothing bad has ever happened to him with one, and i have had him since he was 7weeks old.

If he went to a new home it may be assumed he was beaten with one.

Yep. If two of my dogs ended up in a pound, god knows what people would think of the sort of lives they'd lived. Although I've had Tamar since she was six months old, since mid-2004, she still drops to the ground when I walk towards her as though she is going to be beaten. Yet she sleeps draped around my head at night - LOL.

[spanky]

We traced our rescue French Bulldog back to where he came from originally.

It explained everything to do with his resource guarding issues, dog aggression and fear of anything hard that could be used to strike him.

I like to think that we have made the last 4 years of his life much better than the first 8.

[disintegratus]

I would love to know what happened in my rescue dogs past life that makes her hate and fear other dogs. We got her from the pound, who got her from the council from a property from where she was seized. She was approx 1 year old and had just finished rearing a litter of puppies, she still had saggy boobs and was very underweight when we bought her home. At first we didn't notice anything different about her. During the settling in process she was supervised around the other dogs and was never left alone with them, but although a little growly, wasn't aggressive. They soon bonded and became a pack. She seemed very happy although a little wary of men. Then we began to walk her and this is when we noticed her problem. She fears other dogs, both big and small to the point where she is dangerous. She is like the stealth and shows no obvious signs of attack. No growling, hackles or barking. We have tried everything to rectify the problem but these days she rarely leaves our property. This disappoints me as I wanted to do obedience with her...but it is not to be. She also rarely barks, so is a hopeless watch dog and she is still afraid of sudden moves...and shovels.

I would never get another rescue dog as I can't (and don't want to) deal with these deep, dark mental problems. It's easy to fix the body to bring a dog up to good weight, fitness and make it's fur shine with health...but the mental scars sometimes never heal no matter what you try or how much you want it to be right.

My parents dog is like that. Jack is a BC x Lab pet shop puppy, and he was mine. When we got him I was just out of school and lazily looking for a job (read: playing playstation all day instead of looking for a job ) so he was with me 24/7. I trained him, and he was AMAZING. I didn't even need to give him a command half the time, I'd say his name to get his attention, and (probably through observing my body language) he would know exactly what I wanted him to do, and he'd do it. I have never had that kind of bond with a dog and I probably won't again, and it upsets me that I had to leave him behind and have now lost it. He never had any issues at all, but he's always been intolerant of rude dogs. Then when I moved out and my parents wouldn't let me take him, they have been systematically ruining him. Because my Mum stresses out when a dog approaches them on walks, Jack's learned to be defensive on lead. She reprimands him for growling or displaying other warning signs when interacting with other dogs, so he's learnt to go from calm and relaxed to full defensive attack without warning when a dog approaches him. The worst part is, he's starting to learn this kind of behaviour towards people too, because Mum does the same thing when people approach, or when people come over, he just gets shoved outside "to avoid issues".

[tarope]

Our Rottie Opal was a cruelty case, she'd been kept on a chain starved and bashed. We weren't told this but the look and the way she reacted to sticks and hand movements also the marks around her neck told the story. She had never been in a house either, and it took a long time to rehabilitate her.

My new Rescue GSD girl Chloe although not abused,well that depends on how you look at it. At 8 mths has never been in a house - brushed - walked on a lead - had any basic training or shown any love. I don't think she's been with other dogs by the way she reacts when given a treatie.

I believe it's most important that we have some idea of how these poor dogs have been treated so we can undue the damage, but it's most unlikely we will ever know so we just do our best as every dog deserves a second chance.

[tarope]

I think people read too much into their rescues behaviours. They attribute certain behaviours to neglect, abuse, poor dog ownership by the previous owners or whatever fits their theory on why the rescue acts the way they do.

Why not just deal with the behaviour and get on with life, rather than dwelling on the past and what could have and might have happened to the dog

:mad :mad

[SkySoaringMagpie]

I was given some advice years ago - once a dog is rescued he is no longer a "rescue dog".

I rescue, but I have to say that rescue is a vehicle for a lot of human issues that are worrisome, particularly the need to feel more superior than others.

[WreckitWhippet]

Our Rottie Opal was a cruelty case, she'd been kept on a chain starved and bashed. We weren't told this but the look and the way she reacted to sticks and hand movements also the marks around her neck told the story. She had never been in a house either, and it took a long time to rehabilitate her.

My new Rescue GSD girl Chloe although not abused,well that depends on how you look at it. At 8 mths has never been in a house - brushed - walked on a lead - had any basic training or shown any love. I don't think she's been with other dogs by the way she reacts when given a treatie.

I believe it's most important that we have some idea of how these poor dogs have been treated so we can undue the damage, but it's most unlikely we will ever know so we just do our best as every dog deserves a second chance.

Why ?

For the most part it's guess work.

You need to address the dogs current behaviours not the dogs past

ETA: I also rescue. I assume nothing about the dogs past and take what is passed on from former owners, pounds etc with a grain of salt. It's more important to be able to pick up on the dogs behaviour and signals and to be able to understand and manage the issues, then it is to speculate about the past and why you think a dog might act the way it does.

Edited November 29, 2012 by Pav Lova