Hi all, I adopted a 1 1/2 yr old rescue a little over two months ago and 90% of the time she is a really sweet and loving dog (especially in the house which makes sense). She's never had any obedience training and we start a basic class this week which I think is a great first step. While I know the transition period for a rescue can be lengthy and that training is a long process, lately I've been feeling overwhelmed as she's had some really rough days....a lot of leash aggression, barking/growling at other dogs, and this morning we ran into another tenant in my condo building which caused her to bark and growl like crazy. She is not remotely aggressive so I'm guessing she is scared and overwhelmed...and am sure it doesn't help that I'm a first time dog owner that is pretty clueless. A bit like the blind leading the blind Please tell me that this all gets better! I truly want her to be a happy dog that I can take places w/o feeling overly stressed and worried that she react. Thank you!
Hi and welcome to the forum! We adopted a have adopted a rescue...well he adopted us really! Casper was 5 and a half years old, and in most ways he was as good as gold although absolutely no training on board! A wonderful characterful dog though who we adore. 2 months in as we started to experience some pretty serious reactivity, to such an extent we would get abuse from other dog walkers, cyclists. It was quite a difficult time, as you imagine those lovely idyllic walks with your new best friend are not quite what you expected! We have come such a long way, and things have got much easier! It takes time (months and months) and a lot of patience. I also think that you have, got quite a lot sussed already, so don't put yourself down! You are absolutely right, and she is probably feeling a little overwhelmed. 2 months is really early days, and actually, you can find more undesirable behaviours coming out at the 6 week mark. Don't worry. There are some really good techniques you can start using right away. LAT training or "Look at That" really helps change your dogs association of the trigger, eg: your neighbour, cyclists etc...from negative and scary to something more positive. Finding a good trainer, and maybe a behaviourist to help with her fear/anxiety issues. Make sure though you thoroughly check out their credentials, and look for a positive trainer only, who is up to date with the latest evidence base around training techniques especially when considering changing behaviours. The sooner that you get a good behaviourist on board the better really, to prevent some of these emerging issues becoming more learned, thus a bit harder to resolve.
We have a great 20 month border collie that we got as a rescue when she as one year old. She is/was reactive to ther dogs and we wondered if we would ever get her calmed. However with a behaviourist explaining what was going on it was possible to develop a training regime that gave her confidence when in the company of other dogs. Practising , basics sit stand and stay in all types of environments, pausing when entring a new environment, look at that etc.. Plus lots of play in a safer environment. All these have helped. My back up is a strong down, stay and reliable recall. It has taken time but we are in a much better place now. The best thing is we have a great relationship with her now. My previous experience is that it can take time for a rescue to show all their fears and traits. I once read that you should see a rescue dog as a puppy who needs to learn and xperience things from scratch.The best thing you can do is have patience and enjoy the company of the dog and the joint training. Sorry for the length of the post, I am onlybtrying to encourage you to stick with it
Hello, nothing more to add to the good advice already given, just wanted you welcome you to the forum. What is the name of your dog?
I have just remembered that when we first got Pip she used to react to the strangest of things such as a shed in a field, a standing stone, a mole hill. We learned to laugh this off as the second time we visited the objects she would either examine them happily or walk straight past! Having a reactive dog can be great when they settle down, how else would I find hedehogs and slow worms, not forgetting the dropped toys.
Hi, I too am a first-time dog owner and know exactly how you feel. Mine is a puppy, not a rescue, but we still have challenging days! Sometimes, I get very overwhelmed and frustrated thinking she is never going to learn, but then we will have a good day. One-on-one with a trainer may be a good idea. I am thinking of doing that for my lab, because I need the training and confidence more than the dog!!! Hang in there!
