need help! Very Weird!

[Saje]

I agree he should have a safe place where no one can bug him - in the house.

Also, if you buy some raw meat he will probably respond really well just make sure it's been frozen first. He'll probably appreciate the hand that feeds him even more. You know who would be a good person to help - Love4Pits. She's just taken in a stray who was afraid of her and they've quickly become friends.

 

[Valkie]

I have suspisions that my dobie was abused before we got him. Crouching at any yelling, running away from too much noise, ect. It's been 2 years since we adopted him and he still shows signs that he was previously abused. It took a year and a half before he would even play with us.

We spent a lot of time on the floor with him and I mean a lot. There was a good 3 months that I watched TV on the floor just so I could be next to him. Gave him his own bed where he could get away from people. I've got 3 kids so there was no way that we could get him away from the yelling, but if he was in the room and the yelling started, we made sure to pet him and tell him that he was a good boy so that he knew the yelling wasn't at him.

Spend as much time as possible with him, even if it's in the same room. Just so he knows that you are there and you won't hurt him. Let everyone that comes into the house know that you have your suspisions about the dog's beginnings and how they should behave around the dog.

As far as the eating goes, just leave the food out for him. He'll eat when he's hungry and at this point I really don't think it matters if you are in the room with him or not.

Next question, (sorry, I didn't catch if you were a guy or girl) is he calmer with one sex more than the other? My dobie was more afraid of men than women, so I took the lead role in his rehab because he was more comfortable with me. See how he is with your opposite sex, you might get a beginning of a break through.

 

[bubbatd]

I don't know how I missed this.! I'm so sorry for you both. Was he walking when you picked him up ?? Where did the "breeder" keep him ?? Were there other goldens you saw ?? If this was a female , I would suspect she was caged and used only for breeding. Have you talked to the breeder since for any input ?? This may be an issue for the Humane Soc. Please keep up posted. This is a very "un-golden" attitude. As posted before, keep him near you and soft loving words and pats.

 

[sautan]

Hi All

I have tried everything, sing song, talk to him, give hot dog, ham, treats, freshly cooked meat, sleep beside him on the mud, carry him in the house, try to walk him, last night i was under the rain with him (not all hight but good 1 hour), and ...

When i tried to carry him, he will shake me off. When i have the leash on him, he just lying there and not move. I did try to pull him a bit and still not walking, he will just let you pull and like a dead body with no reaction.

He will not do anything when anyone was there. I tried to introduce my female. My female got excited but he got no reaction! He wasn't afraid of my female but just no reaction. I will try to leave my female with him after i have him cleean up this saturday because i found few fleas on him.

Anyway, i already report the case to AKC and Animal Cruelty Agent.

I cannot afford to pay those people who claims themselves as professional dog rehab specialist. They charge few month of my salary!!!! I guess i will have to work on my own and try to search for more Free information from internet!

If you guys have any information about rehab, kindly advise.

Thanks
Jack

 

[smkie]

He sounds like he has just given up...i am so sorry and it sounds like u have tried so hard..i will hold you in my prayers and hope that time will help..have u taken him to the vet? Maybe they have something that would temporarily lift his spirits..prozac for dogs is a real treatment i believe...but am not sure. We had one dog at the kennels that was like that after his owner dumped him on us and never showed back up (u would not believe how often the cowards take that way out) anyway he did eventually rejoin the doggy world, but it took him a long time..can u touch him? one thing i have done with very sick dogs..to try to comfort them as their mother would..i would take a warm bowl of water and a washcloth and would gently wash their face..stroking the same way a mother's tongue would stroke a puppy.especially the ears inside and out and between the eyes, avoiding the whiskers because most dogs do not like them touched...it seems to trigger a deep contentment in them.i wanted to give them the will to live.especially puppies with parvo that are so dreadfully ill..there is a massage technique called t-touch..i will go find the site and come back and post..the woman that developed it has helped animals all over the world that have not responded to anything else. I am trying to practice this on my Mary dog each night to alleviate her arthritis..if you can touch him..this might be worth a try...http://tteam-ttouch.com/
when i first brought Victor home he was so skinny and yet he would not eat...i have noticed a few other people have posted that their newly rescued dogs too turned away from any food no matter how good it was. I tried everything and ended up for the first week putting nutrical on the roof of his mouth to help him gain weight... now he is still not a big food fan, but he does eat twice a day his dry kibble. I wish there was something i could do to help..if i think of anything else i will come back and post.

 

[EliNHunter]

Jack -
This just breaks my heart. Have you gotten him in the house yet? Any good news yet from this heartbreaking situation? Where' the baby now and what's he acting like?

 

[EliNHunter]

Omigosh... it just dawned on me that he could be very sick and ready to die. I don't mean to be dramatic here, but what he's doing is also how a dying dog acts most of the time. They just want left alone... have you been able to get him to a vet?

 

[Saje]

Amy he said in his first post that he took him to the vet first thing. I agree with you and Smkie it does sound like he's given up.

 

[mrose_s]

when we first got sophie, we brought her home, sat her in the backyard, and we had to move her incase she got sunburnt
then she sat there untill we carried her inside, she wasnt so scared but definetley not as a puppy should be. now she is the most stubborn dog in the house, i think there is hope for your golden.

after all, i think sophie was bred as a hunting dog, but definetly not that nature. Her thumbs had been cut off when we got her,

 

[Martine]

Hang on in there Sautan.....you sound like you've got a lot of love to give that dog. That kind of dead body act is something Misha did all the time when we first got her, although no where near to the extent you are experiencing...it was like she just wanted to shut the world out.... She has only been with us for 4 months but it is happening less and less, unless a loud male comes into the room or we pick something up quickly....then she goes all stiff. One thing which seems to have really helped is the Bach Flower 'Rescue Remedy', I don't know if it is available near you? She was having a bad phase because we had builders in and was withdrawing again, but I think it has helped a lot. I gave it her for two weeks and I could see the difference in her. You can just spray into the mouth so don't have to worry about getting it into food or water. If you can get hold of some, may be worth a try. Keeping fingers and toes crossed for you both.

 

[Barb04]

My heart goes out to you Sautan. I pray he will be okay. I agree that maybe there is more going on here. Please keep us updated.

 

[Valkie]

Please, give him time. He's not going to forget what has happened so quickly. What he needs to know right now is that no matter what happens, so will behave the same way toward him. Once he realizes that you won't change into a monster on him, he should start to relax.

 

[Doberluv]

What he needs to know right now is that no matter what happens, so will behave the same way toward him. Once he realizes that you won't change into a monster on him, he should start to relax.

I think so too Valkie. (((hugs to that poor dog and to this wonderful person who cares so much)))

 

[Love4Pits]

I am not sure this is the right place to post my question but i will do it anyway.

Last Sunday (April 24th), i got a golden retriever (1.5 yrs old) from a breeder. He is very weird and i never see a dog like him in my entire life. He makes me wonder what he had suffered before...something must have happened to him!!!

I brought him home around 1pm and took to the vet immediately for check up and shots. He won't move and i have carry him, since the vet only next to my house. On the way home, i try to put him down and walk, he will not walk.

He got home, he quickly ran to the corner and stayed there since until today. He hasn't move a bit. He pee while lying down!!!!!!!!!!! all over his body!!!!!!!!!!! He will not eat if i was there watching! When i walked close to him, he seems very very very scare and trying to hide and very nervous!!!!!!! He gives me a sign that he was abused!!!!!!!

Can anyone advise what should i do with him? Is he still able to be recover to be a normal happy golden retriever? One thing i am sure is; i will not return him to the breeder. I am thinking if i should report this to the proper authority for investigation for animal abuse?

Any information of how to make this poor golden back to a normal happy golden would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Jack

First off i want to say its great that your working with this dog and trying with him. We need more people like you in the world .

Anyways my 4 year old Pitbull Zeus is a rescue and had gone through three abusive homes before he came to me through the shelter. It took me around 2 years to completely gain his trust and let him come out of that shell that held the loving goofball we all know and love. I spent alot of time just sitting with him I did'nt touch him or stare at him I just would sit and usually just talk to him or sing. He unlike your dog was in the house from the begining he knew i fed him. He would not eat if I was in the room though he would just look up at me ears back and whine. But once I left the room he would eat. I don't have exact instructions other then to be consistant, slow, kind, and patient. Let him come to you. In time he will learn he is safe and will come to form a great bond with you.

Right now I am working with a formal feral stray dog named Maxis using the same methods I did with Zeus. I can finally put my hands on him but only when he comes to me and last week he gave me my first kiss (from Maxis that is ). In time he will be a well adjusted pet of my friend Jamie but it will take a long time.

Good Luck My heart goes out to you

 

[Purr]

Do you guys think D.A.P. might be worth a try? I've never used it, so I don't know if it really works? The Bach Flower Rescue Rememdy works really, really well. If you can get any (you should be able to), definatly try it.

)))HUGS to the puppy, and to you(((

 

[CreatureTeacher]

Do you have an update, Sautan?

Doberluv, doesn't this sound to you like "learned helplessness"? (PS - I LOVE having another trainer here!!! I want to be sure we diagnose properly before we treat!)

 

[Renee750il]

What would be the best way to get this dog in out of the weather, Emma? I wondered about trying to get a chest halter on him to make it easier to move him. I also wondered if using a halter might bypass some memory of abuse involving being held by a collar or pulled along by the neck on a leash and make being led less traumatic.

 

[CreatureTeacher]

A chest halter would work well, I think, but I wonder if it's necessary. The best thing I can think of is to call a friend and make a human stretcher. Stand on either side of him, then hold each others' arms around the dog's chest and under his belly, lift, and move. But I would do whatever I had to to get him inside. You can put him on an old blanket on top of so wee pads if you want.

 

[sautan]

Hi All

Update on Bobby.

I am not sure what i was doing but i just do it.

Yesterday, i took him out of that corner and block the corner from preventing him going back in.

Next, i tied him up next to the hose. I used the fleas and ticks treament shampoo and get him all clean up. His hair was terribly damage, all stick together like glue was in there. I don't think he ever got cleaned or groom before. Aanyway, at first, he was just a bit scare but a while he just sit there and let me clean. (question, should i just cut away the bad hair?)

After the bath, i tied him in the middle of the backyard and let him sit and dry. In the evening, i start to comb his hair...OMG...FULL BIG BAG!!!! TOOK me good 75mins just to comb his hair and still not complete, on the thigh and back, need extra work and grooming. I will do it this weekend. He smells and looks much better now!!!! Good Work to Myself

Next, i brought in my female (Bonnie) and just let her run around. I still sit beside Bobby and talked to him. I prepare the food for them and then i unleash Bobby. He still stay there, not running anywhere but keep on observing my moves. After that, i went into the house and observe from inside.

It tooks about 5 minutes, Bobby started to move and go for the meal with Bonnie. After the meal, Bobby was kind of exploring the backyard for a while. Probably marking his territorry by peeing (but action like the female, instead of back leg up). Bonnie kept on playing with him, but he got no reaction. Approx 20 mins went by, i finally see him wiggle his tail and walk side by side with Bonnie and both play a bit. However, he is still not that active compare to Bonnie. Anyway, good start.

But i find that he has no problem with ANIMAL but to human. At one point, i stand in front of the door and he noticed me and in the ready position to run. Once i open the door, he run and look for place to hide, but finally he went into the dog house!!

Alright, that's all for today...i think it's good start. As long as he is happy with Bonnie...but hope he will get well with me.

I also consulted a professional and he told me he is not neccessary physically abused. I went home and gave him few test and he seems ok. Tests like trying to hit him, trying to kick him, he wasn't trying to turn away when i was pretending hitting him. He said, Bobby might just never interact with other human being beside the breeder. But one thing we both agreed is he probably underfed. He is 19 months and is way smaller than Bonnie 15 months, yet he is male, normally bigger than the female.

Anyway, will post more updates.

THANKS

 

[Purr]

YAY! Sautan, I'm sooo happy for you and Bobby!!! Sounds like he's coming along nicely....Good work!