Quote:

Hi..I have a small rescue and therapy ranch. I take homeless dogs and let the special needs children work with them then find them furever homes

Perhaps Steve. To me I do read this sentence as someone that is representing themself as someone that rescues.

 Quote: randy allen

You have 17 dogs? And no kennels or crates???!!!!!! Yikes. .... I I I I guess obtaining kennels and crates is a good start. ...

 Quote: steve strom

I think What Randy say's is really your only answer Rae.

 Quote: mike armstrong

.... you're flirting with some real dangerous situations..... I don't see how there can be the adequate time to devote to this problem dog when there's 16 more to deal with. ....

 Quote: alyssa myracle

Last month, the little dogs were harassing the Lab.
Now the Lab is attacking them. ... keeping a dog on a chain and you have 17 dogs, plus assorted other animals, and children.... The dogs manage to get loose and you cannot control them.

 Quote: jenni williams

... you are playing with fire. I would consider myself LUCKY in your situation that you have not had a serious problem and/or attack w/this many animals and special needs kids. ...

 Quote: vickie ngala

The poster also breeds rat terriers and great pyranees, so the dogs aren't all rescues. In addition, it looks like they raise rodents and reptiles, and goats. ... Rae, did you ever fence so the terriers wouldn't harass the chained lab as was suggested back when the terriers were attacking the lab? This may not be the same lab, but it's still chained and apparently has access to the smaller dogs.
The situation sounds dangerous for the kids. ..

 Quote: betty waldron

I do not recomend that you tie out any animal. Just not a good situation. ... Tying can increase aggression and also leaves the animal defenseless against an attack from another animal. You have removed their ability to flee and they are very vulnerable. ...... This situation is a disaster waiting to happen.

Rae, you don't have a problem dog (and IS this the dog from two years ago??) as much as you have a huge disaster in the making.

I saw another post from you in which 5 or some number like that dogs were mentioned. Now it's 17 plus? Are you a breeder too? We need more information, but no matter how it shakes out, you have a major overhaul to do, and number one for me would be a kennel for that Lab while you work on more crates, kennels, etc. That's JMO. Many very knowledgeable people have posted here, and maybe they would have other "this first!" suggestions. It's a little overwhelming (and a lot frightening).

Yeah, you're right Betty. I kinda blew over the rescue part after I looked at a couple of other sites.

I'm aligning with Ms. Myracle, and agree with her comments.

Having some association with a rescue organization, having taken in 'foster' dogs, having 4 GSDs... The idea of having 17 +/- dogs in the situation you describe seems a bit over the edge.

I applaud your sense of decency and desire to make a better life for creatures but the situation you described is more of a warning sign that you have exceeded the saturation point of helping and have crossed over in to the dangerous side.

I'm not a fan of chaining dogs. I'm not a fan of lots of creatures collected even for the best of reasons...

Perhaps the answer to your original question is to suggest you reconsider the level of involvement you have undertaken.

The road to a quite warm place is paved with wonderful intentions.

It seems unlikely your present course will lead to better outcomes.

Just two unsolicited cents.

Rae, are you tying one dog and leaving others loose? That's a great way to have a few less dogs.

I do tie dogs. I tie my fence jumpers. Keeps them safely in the yard and the fence keeps trouble OUT of the yard. I wouldn't tie one and not another unless I wanted one of them to be killed though.

If you are truly a rescue, which you said you are in your first post, then I bet you could get some crates at a discount or even donated if you looked around. If not, go on Craigslist, like I said before, and get some kennels asap. Or get some help from a nearby rescue. Or really work on a few dogs to get them adoption-ready asap and get them out of there.

If you're breeding dogs in the middle of all this, then you have way bigger problems than an unruly Lab.

Having ALL the pertinent information (factual, truthful) might help us give you better suggestions!!!

 Quote: Jenni Williams

Rae, are you tying one dog and leaving others loose? That's a great way to have a few less dogs .... get some help from a nearby rescue. Or really work on a few dogs to get them adoption-ready asap and get them out of there. .... If you're breeding dogs in the middle of all this, then you have way bigger problems than an unruly Lab. ..... Having ALL the pertinent information (factual, truthful) might help us give you better suggestions!!!

Ditto to all of this. I too would really like to have all the facts. The O.P. is in the right place to get some very good and very experienced advice (I mean to the extent that internet help can apply, sight unseen), but only with all the info. It's not a dog-aggro-Lab question. It's a big-picture question, involving children, many animals, and more.

The best web help possible is going to be no more than suggestions for how to get real help, but it's obvious that even this limited kind of help is needed.

I hope that the O.P. gets the Lab into his own kennel immediately and then starts the process of restructuring this whole operation.

Hi..Thanks for all your replys and I'm not sure if i'm going to get myself into more hot water if I try to tell exactly how it is.

We have been here 9 yrs.

I got my first great pyr to guard the goats and bred her once I have her and her 5 yr old daughter in with the goats..she is 10.

Then Dad came down with 3 dogs from NH who have passed on at ages 20,13 and 12. They were all rescues.

Then when I came over from WV there was a dog that followed me. The owner would not keep him home..said my dog can go whereever he wants so I brought Francis home and he has been my official greeter for 9yrs. He is 12 now and one of the house dogs.

I'm just going to go by age the next dog that I say is around 12 is tied but he gets off and runs just our property which is 14 acres several times a day. His name is popeye because he just popped onto the property and stayed about 7yrs ago.

Cocoa I found in the middle of the rd one day and tried to find her home but did'nt she is around 6 and a house dog.

Skippy is my rat terrier barn dog he is loose most of the time but has a crate in the barn when we are gone,and sometimes at night when he isn't curled up in the hay to stay warmer. He is 4 and his dad is here both rescues his dad Sam around 6 is a house dog.

I did breed a rat terrier 3 times that was Munchkin who is 5 now and lives in Dad's trailer. He takes her for walks,rides etc.

I have 3 daughters from her Cinnamon is 3 house dog,Twinkle is 2,and Joy is 1. I did not plan on breeding her the last time but Dad left her tied out(he just ties her out on a rope by the trailer once in a while and I told him not to but we got one more litter.

I have sent papers in to get them spayed/neutered but the humane society takes a while.

Most of these animals are already fixed. I have just the one male that is not fixed. I have 2 others that are 3 yrs old.

I got a dashund/jack russell mix that was pregnant. She had 8 puppies at a yr old. I found homes for 6. One of the puppies was born with a PDA and I could'nt let a family take her and then be heart broken when she died..she ended up at OSU and they repaired it for $2500 which my sister paid for. I kept her sister just so she would'nt be under so much stress. Mindy even went to OSU and stayed with Princess. They are JackRats and wonderful dogs.

Also I have Cassie right now she is a yr old has a crate in the barn next to skippy so he can help train her which has worked wonderful. She is austrailian shepard/blue heeler who spent her whole first yr of life in a kennel ...she was never let out just food thrown in. I had to teach her what a collar and leash were. She is a favorite with the special needs children who only come for 2-4hrs a wk for fun therapy. The special needs teachers say the children are doing so much better after they started coming here but we need to become licensed nonprofit and get a grant.

They want to bring the teens out from the detention center but can't until I am nonprofit.

The name of my ranch is Candy Cane Christian Therapeutic Ranch also home of RaeRaeMaes Dog Rescue (mostly for finding homes and forms).

I have found homes for 3 dogs but it is very hard to place adult dogs.

When our local tv station did a program of my ranch most of the children said the dogs were their favorite and the black lab was featured doing tricks. One said the dairy goats because he loves to milk them and one had a baby rat in his hands that he had tamed from before his eyes were opened. We also have gardening for the children who love to take home things they have planted and grown themselves.

I guess that's my story and yes Bubba is the black lab that I wrote about before. Now the little dogs never go out to him. He is way out by the horses its been over a yr since he got loose but he is strong.

So I have 2 Dogs in with the goats, 2 barn dogs with crates when needed, 3 dogs on chains, 2 dogs I walk on leash the jackrats, one in dads trailer, the rest of the housedogs I just take for walks they mind me no leashes.

I do have dairy goats that I breed and milk and 3 horses.

Hope this has answered some of your questions..oh Fluffie the one he hurt is 9 yrs old came from the parkersburg humane society because no one would adopt her because of her overbite..she is a cutie I would say part pom part peke. She did'nt have much hair either but when put on thyroid meds she is a very fluffy fluffie! She is a house dog and that night I had been busy in the barn with a goat kidding I came and took the house dogs out and I did't make sure everyone was it. Fluffie was right by the house when he got loose and I heard her howling.

If he really wanted to he could have hurt her worse..He bit her front leg dislocating her shoulder and requiring stitches just inside on her chest. I just don't know what he is thinking he doesn't like Sam or Fluffie. When I am walking the house dogs he doesn't race the length of his chain till he sees one of them. Now he is getting a lot more by double tying him when I have the house dogs out so I hope he doesn't think he gets more attention when he hurts a dog. God Bless

Edited by Connie Sutherland (03/29/2009 08:58 PM)
Edit reason: made paragraphs

No problem with me Rae cause thats a little more than I'll read. I would just say with respect to what you are doing with the dogs you need more control and structure.

Not every dog is right for therapy work and by setting them up for conflicts with each other I would be worried about how it would affect the interactions they'll have with the kids.

Wow...this is a hard one. Rae- I applaud you for your efforts. As a fellow rescuer (for 7+ years), I appreciate that you are trying to help dogs in need. However, as others have said, it seems to me that your plate is way too full.

Please get your remaining intact dogs fixed ASAP. If you need help with funding a spay/neuter, please let me know. I would be willing to help you find organizations that can help with that. Worst case scenario, I would be willing to donate to that cause (paying the vet directly).

Furthermore, with all of the dogs you have loose, you should not chain any dogs. It poses a VERY dangerous situation. The dogs lose their ability to flight and are forced to fight in the event of an encounter. Sounds like you need to get some more crates and built yards/kennel runs if at all possible.

Are you trying to place the dogs you have in your rescue? If so, how do you advertise or find homes for these dogs? Do you have a 501C3? Do you have a petfinder website?

Bottom line is you have too many dogs. It would be in their best interest to be placed in loving homes. I know when I was fostering, the most dogs that I ever had in my house was 7, and that was a handful (even with my helpful hubby).

Best of luck to you. Please let me know if I can help.

 Quote: Asya Khesin

.... If you need help with funding a spay/neuter, please let me know. I would be willing to help you find organizations that can help with that. Worst case scenario, I would be willing to donate to that cause (paying the vet directly). .... Furthermore, with all of the dogs you have loose, you should not chain any dogs. It poses a VERY dangerous situation. The dogs lose their ability to flight and are forced to fight in the event of an encounter. Sounds like you need to get some more crates and built yards/kennel runs if at all possible. ... Are you trying to place the dogs you have in your rescue? If so, how do you advertise or find homes for these dogs? Do you have a 501C3? Do you have a petfinder website? ...

 Quote: Rae Coutermarsh

.... I did breed a rat terrier 3 times that was Munchkin who is 5 now and lives in Dad's trailer. ... I have 3 daughters from her Cinnamon is 3 house dog,Twinkle is 2,and Joy is 1. I did not plan on breeding her the last time but Dad left her tied out(he just ties her out on a rope by the trailer once in a while and I told him not to but we got one more litter. ... I have sent papers in to get them spayed/neutered but the humane society takes a while.

Asya, let's take this part to PMs with Rae. I'm willing to help in exactly that way, too.

So. We have a couple of practical things starting. Rae, do you need material for forming a 501(c)(3)? (I was a career accountant before I was able to switch to mainly dog-related work.) PM for that too.

Just as urgent (if not more so): What is your plan for crates and kennels -- for control and containment?

This is critical, for safety, and not just the dogs. You have children involved here.