 Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
#282178 - 06/30/2010 06:25 PM |
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My wife and I just got our half shephred/half lab rescue dog from Puerto Rico and he is really scared. He went into his crate voluntarily, isn't interested in food at all even though he hasn't eaten all day and is very malnourished, and is just laying there in the crate. I imagine it's been a hard day for him being on the plane for 6 hours and being in a totally new environment (outdoor/wild/nature vs cars/urban city). Does anybody here have experience these types of dogs and can offer any advice on dealing with them? Ed didn't quite explain this situation in his groundworks dvd.  Thanks in advance.
Louie!
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 Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Simon Tai ]
#282179 - 06/30/2010 06:34 PM |
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My wife and I just got our half shephred/half lab rescue dog from Puerto Rico and he is really scared. He went into his crate voluntarily, isn't interested in food at all even though he hasn't eaten all day and is very malnourished, and is just laying there in the crate. I imagine it's been a hard day for him being on the plane for 6 hours and being in a totally new environment (outdoor/wild/nature vs cars/urban city). Does anybody here have experience these types of dogs and can offer any advice on dealing with them? Ed didn't quite explain this situation in his groundworks dvd. Thanks in advance.
Yes, I have experience, but we need more info. Did he potty before he came indoors?
Is he looking around while he's in the crate or facing away from everyone? Is he shaking when someone goes by close to him? Are you going about your business? Is there water in there?
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#282185 - 06/30/2010 06:52 PM |
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He apparently took the longest piss at the airport (the transporting volunteer told us) but not while we walked him for about 10 minutes around our building. He doesn't shake when we get close, but his tail has been between his legs this whole time. He did drink a lot of water when offered it and then he went straight into the crate when I opened it. He's at the back of the crate but facing out and his head is down on his legs. He's looking out but not moving otherwise. My wife and I are going about our business (eating dinner now). I put a bowl of food in the crate as he hasn't eaten all day, but he hasn't even smelled it yet. Will be taking the food out in a few minutes (been almost 30 min). Water bowl is not currently in crate. Ask more questions if you need more info from me. Thanks!
Louie!
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Simon Tai ]
#282188 - 06/30/2010 07:05 PM |
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OK, then, sounds pretty good!
He drank a lot of water, so you will want to take him out to pee often so as not to set him up for failure with an accident on Day 1.
I would pick up the food, too, and put it back in after he goes outside. But I would make it a very small snack-meal so you completely avoid any possibility of his stressed GI system having diarrhea. Remember that diarrhea is a lot worse for a malnourished dog than small nourishing meals!
Are you planning to tether him to you?
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#282189 - 06/30/2010 07:07 PM |
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PS
The tail-between-legs thing could take days or weeks (even months) to turn into a happy plume. I don't worry about this a lot as a single sign. JMO.
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#282194 - 06/30/2010 07:15 PM |
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I just took out his food and put the water back in and he drank a lot of water again. He's laid back down, closer to the front, but still cowers when I approached the crate.
Thanks for the advice on the mini meal. I am planning on taking him out in half a hour (total 1 hour in crate). If he doesn't potty, how long do you think I should wait before I bring him back in?
I wasn't going to tether him to me while I'm in the apartment because I thought they needed to stay in the crate (groundwork etc). Should I be tethering him to me already?
Louie!
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Simon Tai ]
#282197 - 06/30/2010 07:29 PM |
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I just took out his food and put the water back in and he drank a lot of water again. He's laid back down, closer to the front, but still cowers when I approached the crate.
Thanks for the advice on the mini meal. I am planning on taking him out in half a hour (total 1 hour in crate). If he doesn't potty, how long do you think I should wait before I bring him back in?
I wasn't going to tether him to me while I'm in the apartment because I thought they needed to stay in the crate (groundwork etc). Should I be tethering him to me already?
I bet he will potty. If not, I would take him out every half-hour until he does and make sure he does before bedtime.
With an adult rescue who is cowering/scared, I pretty much follow the general outline of this protocol:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Canine-Behavior-3553/2010/3/Extremely-scared-rescue-dog.htm
(This author follows a confidence-building protocol that many people who rescue timid adults follow.)
Don't forget to be very nonchalant about the food and don't look at him, speak to him, etc., with the dish in there. He needs to feel "alone" with his food, I think.
You might want to squat rather than loom over him when you get him out to potty/walk.
I do start tethering as soon as the dog has settled in his crate. Others will see this and post too, but what I do is start tethering as soon as he is comfortable enough to eat, be leashed, etc. -- often the next day after he arrives. All JMO.
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#282198 - 06/30/2010 07:32 PM |
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PS
Aside from tethering, I let the timid dog become curious about me and approach me, not vice versa. In the beginning, I let the dog settle in, become familiar, relax -- no pressure from me to play or be touched or looked at.
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#282207 - 06/30/2010 07:46 PM |
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Thank you so much for your input. I'll be back with more updates and probably more questions as well. Please post if you think of anything else that might help. Many thanks!
Louie!
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Re: Experience with rescue dogs (sato, dump dogs)?
[Re: Simon Tai ]
#282209 - 06/30/2010 07:48 PM |
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Thank you so much for your input. I'll be back with more updates and probably more questions as well. Please post if you think of anything else that might help. Many thanks!
Keep asking questions. I'm working on a proofreading project and can't think about two things at once.  But it's easy to answer a question. 
Other experienced folks will hop on here too.
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