reassurance for our approach to a new and nervous dog

[leon]

Arghh - Houston, we have a problem. Our other dog has decided he doesn't like Willow tonight as won't let her come into the lounge. If she even looks through the doorway he leaps off the sofa machine-gun barking towards her and chases her back under the stairs.

He's never been like that with any other dog before. Not sure how to deal with this :/

[leon]

...

[julies]

Difficult to know what's going on, could be he's feeling a bit ignored, could be her signals are too submissive and he's pushing her out, could be having her on the sofa is upsetting the dynamics or he simply feels it's his palce and is telling her off (sofas especially if you;'re on them too are a very high resource so worth guarding) ... if he's likely to go further I'd pop a muzzle on him so he can't hurt her, do make a fuss of him (have you other hounds, sorry can't remember) ... maybe make up two Kongs, put him on his bed with one and have hers at the doorway on a bed but only if no-ones going in or out of the room so she's part of the group but not a threat and he's having something really nice.

Where are the beds (and sofa) ? You don't want them anywhere that a dog walking into a room is walking at another dog .. as I'm sure you know that can be quite confrontational for other dogs ...put them somewhere away from the door and in a place people dont pass if possible.

Make sure he has lots of walks to tire him and lots of attention but watch his body language at home and if he starts to stare at her then get his attention and do something like a trick etc that you can praise and reward him for before he escalates the staring into something else ....

Realx, it could just be the settling in period ....

J x

[ritab]

Having 2 females (which I was advised wasn't a good thing) I am always watchful to make sure trouble doesn't break out. I use distraction if things look like getting out of hand. As Julie says above. Make sure your existing dog doesn't feel left out. Then to distract I just speak in a matter of fact way, move about, throw a toy, - anything to break the tension.

Fortunately they have accepted each other pretty well - but I was doing all I could to ensure no jealousy from day 1.

Julie gives pretty good advice, which I have taken myself on more than one occasion, so I'm sure you'll be OK. Don't give up because there is no better feeling than helping a troubled dog have a nice life. My previous dog, a spaniel x lurcher, was very cowed and wouldn't make eye contact for about a year, but turned out to be the best, loving, playful, obedient dog we have ever had.

[leon]

thanks for the tips. It's not really practical to move furniture around (small house), but we can certainly reposition dog beds.

We cant do the Kong thing as Woody is currently guarding all toys and treats for himself - the most common trigger for his growling and barking so far. He wasnt like this with our last dog (a female lurch) - in fact she was more like it to him (not as bad though).

Either way, all is calm today. They've even been sharing the sofa together.

It was obvious something was awry yesterday thinking back. Woody loves to sleep in the daytime with bodily contact with us (on sofa or by feet), and seeks this out if possible, but was really aloof all day. We'll keep an eye on him, but he is back to his old self today.

+ritab - dont worry, we wont be giving up on Willow. She is with us for the duration now. It amazes me that after owning 4 dogs, we still have so much to learn about living with them.

+julies - no, we only have the 2.

[julies]

Hiya
Sounds promising but I'd also take up everything that could spark a quarrel such as toys etc etc and I probably wouldn't let either on the sofa which is a high value resource in their eyes tho can understand you mightn't want to do that if Willows accepting contact with you on the sofa ....

The Kong is to show that you're really nice to know and are the source of really nice things plus showing Woody that Willow can be connected with nice things happening even if he's not convinced Even now with mine (and especially if they're getting raw bones which even Lucy would kill for) I stay in the room all the time they're eating the Kong/bones and I am between them plus they are very far apart and I don't allow them to approach each other, childgates are great as Im sure you know .. they can see everyone but not get in. Woody needs to understand that you control the resources not him ....

Good luck, it sounds good and it's sucj early days still.

Julie

[julies]

Oooops

[leon]

A quick update - the 2 dogs are getting on fine now. They are even sharing toys in the house, so whatever their grievance was, it is no longer an issue.

BUT, Willow just isn't progressing with us at all. She is still absolutely terrified by us. I'm starting to wonder if she has ever been socialised with people - maybe she was born on the streets. I hope not, as I understand that missing the window for this by a certain age will make things quite difficult to overcome.

We make progress each evening when she will accept fuss (as long as she has chosen to sit near us), but the next day, it's like she has forgotten any trust and is a wild animal again. The slightest of movement from us makes her run in terror. 3 weeks in ... early days still I suppose.

It's a shame as we now have a nice new ruffwear harness, but cant get near enough to get it on her.

[ritab]

Hi again - we have had a long slow journey with Gizzi - after a year she would tolerate being stroked for less than a minute, but now, after 20 months she actually comes for a fuss. She was neglected in the kennels as she never raced so never went out, had much attention, etc. It does affect them and while she probably won't ever want loads of attention things are at an acceptable level now.

Like you, we felt almost desperate for things to progress and it seemed like nothing was changing, but hopefully, like us, you'll be looking back in a few months (or even a year) and realising that she has changed and your patience is paying off.

We have had previous projects - not greyhounds, but breeders cast-offs of various sorts, dogs who were owned to produce show winning pups, etc. They have all taken some work, and have rubbed along with us quite nicely. However some dogs never give as much as you would like and you just have to accept that. It's obviously easier if you have more than one dog, as long as the other dog is well-adjusted.

From what you say things have moved on since she came, so that would give me a lot of hope for the future. I know it all seems too slow at the moment cos I've recently been there, but now it seems like it was nothing.
Gizzi still stresses when left home alone though - she can only manage about 30-40 mins before she panics. We are working on that but it's 1 step forward and 2 steps back (waiting for 2 steps forward 1 step back!).

Hope that helps

Rita

[Nettie]

Will point Laura to this thread, Vena, her galga spent about 6 months living in the under stairs cupboard she was so scared. After much patience she used to enjoy free running on the beach. Just give her time. It took about 3 years before we saw Indy's true character come through and he totally relaxed. Celebrate the little steps she makes and when you look back you will see how much progress she makes. There is no quick fix.

Sent from my HTC One S using proboards

[julies]

Weeks and weeks are nothing with some greys .. my Tigger was nervy till she left for the Bridge at 12 years old She had been bred, owned and trained by the same person in very rural Ireland so I guess her journey into retirement- to the Irish Rehoming Scheme kennels in I think Limerick then with her sister and 10 others to the Dogs Trust near Warwick with all these very weird other breeds all stressed out barking and leaping around just totally freaked her ... for the people who say greys are much happier in retirement I'd say Tigger would have been completely happy in racing kennels with a strict routine so she knew exactly what would happen to her and when ... I've met a few people who have very nervy dogs including a lady who trained and raced her own pups then always had them home when they retired so she knew nothing bad had happened to them but as pups they were wary and as adults they were too ... just in their genes J xx

PS Maybe watch your body language in case that's freaking her ... dogs find eye balling cery confrontational so check you're not looking directly at her .. do lots of yawning and blinking which are seen as calming signals by dogs. Staring at them can be very scarey ... Turid Rugaas' book On Talking Tedrms with Dogs - Calming Signals (or similar title LOL) is useflu.

[leon]

Thanks once again to you all. It is heartbreaking that there are so many pups with so much damage to repair, but it is also heartening to see that you have given them the opportunity to be themselves again, and that time and a bit of kindness/ patience will heal eventually.

Things are mostly unchanged for now. WIllow is showing some improvement when only my wife is home, but if I'm here, its under the stairs for the most part. Lots of growling and barking at me again aver the past couple of days. Must have been men who mistreated her in the past (sadly all too common)

We were pushing the walking, but this was making things much much worse, so back in the house only for now. She still wont approach either of us at all.

Early days though, I'm starting to learn

[Nettie]

I agree that you should just forget the walking for now, just leave her be to find her own feet, don't try and give her any attention, wait for her to come to you, try and avoid eye contact and just go about your own business, more or less ignoring her for now.

[leon]

WE've had a breakthrough in the last few days. Willow will now take biscuits from Helen's hand outside in the garden, and is even walking calmly around the house. She will walk past me with no fear, and even puts her head to one side when I call her name. I still cant get near her, but she is definitely improving. No more running between the understairs cubbyhole and the sofa then freezing in fear.

The trouble is she is a complete thief now. She steals and chews EVERYTHING. Always on the hunt for things to find and destroy. We have kongs, rope balls and rubber rings everywhere, but they're no good, because she cant destroy them. Expensive ercol coffee tables and solid oak sideboards are much more fun to ruin.

It's good to see the fear dissipate, and the character to come out.

[julies]

Well that sounds positive I guess LOL

What you can do is as she walks past you just drop a piece of liver, don't look at her or call her - don't forget that eye to eye contact can be very scarey/aggressive to a dog, if she picks it up just praise her softly- still don't look at her and quietly walk away.. you're just trying to encourage her to see you as someone whre nice things happen BUT don't be tempted to try to look at her or stroke her.

I would take up all toys, Kongs etc like we said - then there aren't things to argue over AND you are seen as giving nice things out ... toys, Kongs etc

Don't ty to make haste- it all needs to be done at WIllows pace.

Good luck


Julie