# New Rescue Dog



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

Hi Dog People!

Last week we brought home a staffy x rescue dog. He had been in the kennel for 44 days and was a stray/neglect case. He has a lovely nature, wants cuddles all the time and is very friendly.

He does suffer separation anxiety though and we want to know how to work through this. We cant be with him all day, my partner is working and im looking for work, but dont want him to get used to me being home all day. We dont let him follow us everywhere, and try to leave him alone whilst were upstairs each time we go up for something.

When we put him to bed, he is in the conservatory. He whines for a while then quietens which is good. But he will start to bark between 4 and 6 am! Were not sure if its the local chicken that wakes him or if he is just lonely. We dont want to give into him, but we also dont want the neighbours to complain and get annoyed with him and us.

He gets hyper when he knows its walk time, but the rest of the time in the day he loves to sleep - not just a nap, but a full deep sleep with twitch and dreams! Is this normal? As im not sure how much a dog sleeps!

We are both shattered at the moment from him being awake so early, and its put a dampner on our enjoyment of him!

We want to socialise him with other dogs, but are a bit nervous in case he turns aggressive - its all new to us as this is our first dog. Any tips or hints? And any tips for helping a rescue dog to settle? He is very relaxed in the house and knows sit, stay, gives paw for treats and sits for his tea. He is also house trained.

Sorry to go on but any help would be great!

Thanks!


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

Hi and congratulations on getting a rescue dog!

Cola was also a rescue and it took her around 3 weeks to settle in properly and find her feet.

If you dont mind him sleeping in your bedroom then I would invest in a crate. That way he can be close to you and still have his own space which is comforting for him in these early days where he is bound to feel a little unsettled.

Over time gradually move his crate closer to the bedroom door and eventually outside the bedroom completely, if done very gradually he should be ok sleeping on his own.

As for the sleeping, its perfectly normal! Cola is only 7 months now and unless we are out she spends nearly all day sleeping on the couch! Shes so funny to watch, always twitching and making some wierd noises! LOL She often growls and yelps in her sleep too!

The socialising is very important and shouldnt be a problem as long as he is kept on a lead at first until you are sure he is ok with other dogs, people etc... The more he is introduced to different surroundings, people, pets etc the better. How is he when he meets other dogs?

I hope thats helped a bit and Im sure there will be plenty more people giving advice a bit later on!


----------



## gillieworm (Jul 4, 2008)

Hi and congratulations for giving a loving home to you dog 

The first thing I would honestly do is go completely back to basics. I'd enrol onto a local dog training class which will help with socialisation as well as forging a great bond between you and the dog as you are both learning things. Dogs generally enjoy training and pleasing their owners, and if you have a good class you have won half the battle in my opinion.

As for the seperation anxiety, I would leave him on his own in a room behind a closed door for say 5 minutes, go back in and if all is OK, ie no destruction or toliet acidents praise him and give hima little treat. If any accidents just clean up with no fuss, do not tell him off. Gradually build on the time and hopefully before long he will be fine. Also if you do start training you can ask the advice of your trainer.

As for sleeping...... Dogs could sleep for 18 hours a day to be honest so I really wouldn't worry about this. Do you know how old he is roughly? As they get older they generally sleep more. My sister has a staffy X who sleeps for england and as she's also a rescue they think she is about 3 years old.

Good luck with everything. And remember it is still early days. This dog has had a lot of unheaveal to cope with so it is to be expected to have a few bumps in the road along the way.


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

Wow, thank you! Iv been feeling quite down these last couple of days as the lack of sleep and not knowing if he is happy/sleeping normally has been getting to me. As he has been barking though, even going to sleep we have been feeling anxious as to when we would be woken!

We would be happy for him to be in a crate in our room, and move it gradually. He has only had one wee accident overnight since we got him last wednesday - which we think is great! Even that was done by the back door and he obviously had held onto it for as long as possible! 

When he is left alone, he doesnt destruct - although we do remove anything we can! And he rarely toilets. He just whines and gets very distressed, and we dont want to do damage his spirit further as he has such a lovely nature despite his neglectful past.

He is between 18 months and 2 years of age - rescue place didnt have a specific age. When he meets other dogs, he is alert, waggy tailed and keen to have a look! He has only ever barked at another dog and that was last night in the vets, but that may have been as he was extra anxious in a new place and with lots of smells/animals around him. He has been past a cat, sheep and cows, and just wants to go and look - he doesnt become aggressive or worried.

We are on a waiting list for socialisation classes and training, but even just now in the garden I was calling him to me, and when he came I showed him my palm and he sat. This is did several times. He is very intelligent and I think willing to please.

He is our first dog, so were just wanting to do the right things and make sure he is happy....I wish I could read his mind!

Im so glad I found this forum!


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

Aww he sounds like a sweetie!

He also sounds a friendly chap! Cola's recall was great from day one so I didnt hesitate with letting her off lead and I also knew some of her history so was confident she would be ok. 

Do you take her to the parks when other dogs are around? To be honest I think this is the best thing you can do in regard to socialising him. I also used to walk Cola along the streets as she was scared stiff of traffic, motorbikes ... lawnmowers! LOL But now doesnt even bat an eyelid. I think if you are confident around these things the dogs pick up on this.

Dogs that whine and get upset when their owner leaves usually quietens down after 10 minutes or so but we all imagine they are going berserk the whole time we are out, very good at making us feel guilty!! lol

I think you are doing great btw  Try not to worry so much.


----------



## gillieworm (Jul 4, 2008)

Sounds like you have a wonderful boy there despite his past 

I know everyone worries when they first get a dog, it's only to be expected, but in a few weeks when everything has settled down and he realises he is there to stay you'll look back on this time and wonder why you were so worried.

Its great that you have signed up to training classes. You will both throughly enjoy it.

Pat yourself on the back for doing a great deed in rehoming this boy and enjoy getting to know each other. You'll soon wonder how you ever managed without a dog in your life before LOL

What have you called him? And please post some pictures of him so we can all meet him on here


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

Iv been feeling so much more relieved after posting on here this morning its amazing. Yesterday was a bad day, iv had an awful cold too which hasnt been helping!

He is called Stitch, and is a lovely chap. He seems ok with traffic etc but we will still walk him in busier areas. We live in a fairly quiet village, well, the whole Island is fairly quiet! 

Do you have any suggestions as to good websites to buy crates from? We have some pet shops here, but some of them are pretty expensive. I want him to be able to relax in it and to have his water, but not too big or there will be no room for us in the bedroom! Would you recommend starting him off in it in the living room so he gets used to the idea of it? As he doesnt really go upstairs much in the daytime..

Hes snoring at the moment and think he is as keen as me to go out in the horrendous rain! 

Once again, thank you to all who have got in touch.


----------



## gillieworm (Jul 4, 2008)

You can pick up brand new crates of Ebay for reasonable prices. Thats where we got ours from and it was perfect.

I would start off with it downstairs. Put his bed and some toys in there, even feed him in there and leave the door open to start with. He will soon learn that it is a nice place to be. When he is lying in there quietly close the door for a couple of minutes and gradually increase the time the door is shut. Never use it for punishment. If you cover it with a throw or blanket he will love his little den.


----------



## Chance (Jul 8, 2008)

Hi Mr.Stiches - I'm Chance and I was also rescued from a home, although I was VERY young when I was abandoned.

My owners were telling me that a previous dog suffered real bad with seperation anxiety and to combat this they put an old t-shirt he'd been wearing (to sleep in) in the crate but only at night.

Apparently when they came to check on him he was curled up and wrapped up in the t-shirt fast asleep! Almost immediately the howling stopped and harmony was returned!

Good luck and enjoy your new housemate.


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

Thats a great idea! I shall have to wear a dog blanket for the next few days!

How is Chance getting on now?


----------



## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

I used to leave the Radio on..

Good luck with Stitch.


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

Radio was on last night, but he still started barking at ten to 5....its always between 4 and 6 am, as if its then that he realises he wants company.

We were both so tired, he came up stairs with us and was quiet as a mouse.

Not a good start to the weekend!


----------



## Chance (Jul 8, 2008)

Can he see a clock? If so maybe adjust the time on it so when he sees 4am its actually 10am. May work LOL!


----------



## Guest (Aug 2, 2008)

Just a thought - we have a cat who, as soon as it is light, feels that he wants to be up and tries to wake us all up.  Perhaps your boy is working on this principle? How about trying a blanket over his cage to keep it darker? Be careful to make sure there is an adequate air flow, through the cage, though!


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

He was up at 4.50am today, but my partner let him up to us as we just wanted to get to sleep! When he is up with us he is fine, slept through til 8.30am! So its not as if he needs to toilet. Its hard to tell him off when you go down to him too as he is just sooo happy to see us!

We are considering a crate so a blanket over it would be ideal. At the moment he has a bed in the conservatory which is secured overnight when he is in there. Its just making our lives and our new life as dog owners a very tiring experience so far!


----------



## lizlancaster (Aug 2, 2008)

Hi,
I work for the NAWT Cornwall and we specialise in rehoming dogs.
We find with Staffie type dogs that they would prefer to be the only house dog although they are usually friendly towards other dogs of the opposite sex. As long as the other dog does not encroach on their territory things should be fine. Do not try to keep other dogs restrained if your dog is showing a friendly interest. You will soon see if there is an attraction or opposite. As for separation anxiety, if the dog has been left for long periods in it's previous "home", it will be scared of the same thing happening again. The best way to deal with this is to start leaving him for short lengths of time and gradually increasing the amount of time. This can be for a few minutes to about 20 mins in the first week. It WILL take time! Do not make a fuss when you go out and leave him something of yours with your scent on (perhaps an old coat) and plenty of tough chews. Don't give him flimsy toys as he could chew them to pieces and swallow them leaving you with serious health problems for your vet. When you return, let him know that he's been a good dog and do not scold him if he has been noisy or destroyed something as this will make him more insecure. It's also best for him if he cannot see you leaving your premises. He doesn't know that you are coming back does he? You can let him watch you leave and return when he gets used to the fact that you WILL always come back to him.
I really hope this helps. Incidentally, didn't the rescue centre you got him from take the time to advise you on all these aspects? They should at least have given you leaflets.
Best of Luck
Liz 


mr.stitches said:


> Hi Dog People!
> 
> Last week we brought home a staffy x rescue dog. He had been in the kennel for 44 days and was a stray/neglect case. He has a lovely nature, wants cuddles all the time and is very friendly.
> 
> ...


----------



## lizlancaster (Aug 2, 2008)

mr.stitches said:


> He was up at 4.50am today, but my partner let him up to us as we just wanted to get to sleep! When he is up with us he is fine, slept through til 8.30am! So its not as if he needs to toilet. Its hard to tell him off when you go down to him too as he is just sooo happy to see us!
> 
> We are considering a crate so a blanket over it would be ideal. At the moment he has a bed in the conservatory which is secured overnight when he is in there. Its just making our lives and our new life as dog owners a very tiring experience so far!


Please do not use a crate. It will create a prison environment and he will be scared, causing prolonged stress and constant barking and whining. Rehoming a rescue dog can be very exhausting but if you are a dedicated owner you WILL succeed I promise. It can take months for a rescue to settle down to your way of thinking. Is it possible to leave the doors through your home open so he feels that he can be close to you whilst still having his own space? He doesn't have to enter your bedroom but letting him roam through the rest of the house will relax him. Don't forget, he was neglected and his memories of that will take a while to go, but with gentle coaxing from you he will forget all about his past as long as you don't put him in that type of situation again.
Liz


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

lizlancaster said:


> Please do not use a crate. It will create a prison environment and he will be scared, causing prolonged stress and constant barking and whining. Rehoming a rescue dog can be very exhausting but if you are a dedicated owner you WILL succeed I promise. It can take months for a rescue to settle down to your way of thinking. Is it possible to leave the doors through your home open so he feels that he can be close to you whilst still having his own space? He doesn't have to enter your bedroom but letting him roam through the rest of the house will relax him. Don't forget, he was neglected and his memories of that will take a while to go, but with gentle coaxing from you he will forget all about his past as long as you don't put him in that type of situation again.
> Liz


I have to disagree Liz, by letting the dog freedom to everywhere you run the risk of him destroying the home especially as he is suffering from seperation anxiety! Its what they do!!!!

If introduced carefully he will see the crate as a safe and secure place to be, he needs also needs boundaries, the worst thing you can do is let him roam free as he will no doubt chew and poop everywhere!

The crate need not be a "prison" for him, if he is with you both in the bedroom he will feel secure and settled, being in his crate will give him his own sleeping space - the blanket is a good idea also as he will associate this with "bedtime".

Ebay is definately the best and cheapest place to get one from


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

Hello again!

My partner sent me back to my parents yesterday as im so bad with cold, bless him! But he had a radio on again and Stitch still barked at 5am.

He also barked for two hours constant when in his outside kennel, which he hasnt done before. He has apparently been walking round the house crying.
We feel we dont know if he is happy with us, and my partner is definatly getting to the end of this tether with the lack of sleep. At least im not working at the moment, but will be soon, and cannot imagine doing a days work with no sleep.

Were feeling lost and unsure what to do now. Were undecided on a crate, as we dont know how he was treated in his last home where he was neglected, and dont want to give him any cause to be more upset or distressed.

We just dont know where to go.


----------



## lizlancaster (Aug 2, 2008)

kittykat said:


> I have to disagree Liz, by letting the dog freedom to everywhere you run the risk of him destroying the home especially as he is suffering from seperation anxiety! Its what they do!!!!
> 
> If introduced carefully he will see the crate as a safe and secure place to be, he needs also needs boundaries, the worst thing you can do is let him roam free as he will no doubt chew and poop everywhere!
> 
> ...


He doesn't destroy anything as Mrstitch said. I have worked in animal welfare for many years and am experienced in animal behaviour. A rescue dog needs different treatment to a dog that has been with you from a pup. They may have been neglected or abused so will need lots of Tlc until they build up that trust between themselves and their new owner.
A crate will only destroy any confidence that dog may have been starting to build.


----------



## Guest (Aug 3, 2008)

Ok,
If it were me I'd go right back to basic's and treat the dog as a puppy,a crate I think is an excellent idea,it can also be placed in your bedroom at night so your close by to settle him down if he starts early in the mornings.Once he is settled you can gradually start to move the crate further away from you and eventually put it where you want.
Staffies are very a people orientated breed and love human company,so this may also be part of the problem.
It will take time to sucessfully crate train him.

Here is a link to crate training The Crate: What is it? How should it be used?


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

It is difficult as we obviously will have to leave the dog for certain amounts of time when we go to tesco/out for a meal.....the usual things!!

But we fear that if we did let him sleep in or near the bedroom, that that would make his feeling of anxiety worse when we did leave him. It is definaly separation anxiety, as when he has woken us up he has been allowed to sleep by the bed - i know, we shouldnt give in - but then he sleeps through without a peek! He hasnt destroyed anything or even made attempts to destroy anything. And he hasnt soiled anywhere other than the one time where he obviously just had to go as it was a large pee!!

We know it is different to a non rescue case, and we want to do the best for him, but without ruining our lives! As he is also our first dog, we just dont feel sure of how best to help him settle etc.

The rescue place did say that we could call them at any time for advice, but you may have read in another post of mine that there has been conusion over lost blood tests and we dont feel they are being as helpful as they were before we took the dog!

We have thought about it putting his bed in with us but dont know if we would want him in there everynight for as long as we have him. We are assuming though that if he were in with us he would be more settled for longer.

I know Staffs love people, and if I was super rich I wouldnt consider work and would be happy to stay with him all the time!!

Its so hard!!


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

lizlancaster said:


> He doesn't destroy anything as Mrstitch said. I have worked in animal welfare for many years and am experienced in animal behaviour. A rescue dog needs different treatment to a dog that has been with you from a pup. They may have been neglected or abused so will need lots of Tlc until they build up that trust between themselves and their new owner.
> A crate will only destroy any confidence that dog may have been starting to build.


I didnt say he does destroy everything!! If you let the dog loose in the house at night he WILL do these things!

Im sorry but I really dont think you know what you are talking about ... crates as prisons??? I think you will find you are in the minority here.

You obviously have your own reasons for disliking the crate but there are plenty more that said otherwise!

Every dog is different, he may like the crate - he may not but at least they are prepared to try these things ...

the only advice you have given is to let him run loose around the house! I really find it difficult to believe this is not a windup.


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

sallyanne said:


> Ok,
> If it were me I'd go right back to basic's and treat the dog as a puppy,a crate I think is an excellent idea,it can also be placed in your bedroom at night so your close by to settle him down if he starts early in the mornings.Once he is settled you can gradually start to move the crate further away from you and eventually put it where you want.
> Staffies are very a people orientated breed and love human company,so this may also be part of the problem.
> It will take time to sucessfully crate train him.
> ...


Exactly!! thank you


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

I seem to have caused a barney here with this one, not what I intended..

I just want to have ideas as to how to do the right thing for both us and our new family member. We are willing to try things, as feel lost at the moment. He may not like a crate or he may like it. He may be fine with just his bed in our room. We are not loaded so do not want to spend lots of money, but we do want to have a happy dog and be happy ourselves. Lots of the posts have been helpful, but obviously each dog is different.....I dont want this forum to turn into a slanging match as in the last few days iv found this place a source of great support and ideas.

We do not want our first experience of owning a dog to be horrid, to have him go back to the kennel and for us to feel awful and to be put off owning dogs forever!

We could leave him to bark and us wear earplugs, until the neighbours complain, but as demonstrated today he went on for 2 hours!

We are concerned that if he came to our room though he would find it harder when we tried to move him away, rather than it helping him. As he isnt a puppy, he does remember what has happened to him before and he does know that were around when we send him to bed. 

As he has only started the barking recently, and not on his first few nights with us, we think it may be because in the kennels overnight there was no one around.......now of course he knows we are around!


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

mr.stitches said:


> I seem to have caused a barney here with this one, not what I intended..
> 
> I just want to have ideas as to how to do the right thing for both us and our new family member. We are willing to try things, as feel lost at the moment. He may not like a crate or he may like it. He may be fine with just his bed in our room. We are not loaded so do not want to spend lots of money, but we do want to have a happy dog and be happy ourselves. Lots of the posts have been helpful, but obviously each dog is different.....I dont want this forum to turn into a slanging match as in the last few days iv found this place a source of great support and ideas.
> 
> We do not want our first experience of owning a dog to be horrid, to have him go back to the kennel and for us to feel awful and to be put off owning dogs forever!


Sorry didnt mean to hijack the thread! LOL

It can be very frustrating understandly but I think you're doing great, you obviously care for the dog very much and want to do whats best for him. Unfortunately its only trial and error.

If you have your bedroom door closed at night you may not need the crate and as you say he does seem settled and will let you have a good night sleep which is really important at this stage!

Lots of people let their dogs sleep in their bedroom at night, it doesnt have to be forever and as we've said before you can gradually move him out once hes more settled and confident.

I would try and relax a bit though! Someone else posted about seperation anxiety and leaving the room for 10 minutes etc at a time so he gets used to you leaving and be assured that you are coming back!

Dont be too hard on yourselves, I think once you both get a few decent nights sleep it wont seem so dire!

Good Luck


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

mr.stitches said:


> We are concerned that if he came to our room though he would find it harder when we tried to move him away, rather than it helping him. As he isnt a puppy, he does remember what has happened to him before and he does know that were around when we send him to bed.


As long as its done gradually over time he should be ok. When I first got Cola she used to sleep in the bedroom but slowly over time she got used to sleeping in her own bed just outside my room and now she sleeps on the sofa downstairs and she suffered badly from seperation anxiety! All this took around 4 weeks .. although every dog is different of course.

He just needs time to settle and realise he is there to stay.


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

kittykat said:


> I would try and relax a bit though! Someone else posted about seperation anxiety and leaving the room for 10 minutes etc at a time so he gets used to you leaving and be assured that you are coming back!


So did you, KittyKat, think the leaving bit above was a good idea? Im home most of this week, only popping out for a couple of hours at a time for a couple of appointments. Would you think it ok to have a go one morning or afternoon and start at ten minutes then build up to an hour? Obviously with a barrel load of treats!

No ones hijacked me! I just dont wish to cause disputes among the ranks of forum people!

We think he would stay in the bedroom, the only place he could get to if we left door open is down the stairs and in the hall, which is no big problem. As iv said before, its not like he is a puppy....he is happy to sleep, just prefers to be near us! We should feel honoured I guess!

I know I probably do sound like a tense mad woman, but I cant help it! Why cant dogs talk?!!


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

mr.stitches said:


> So did you, KittyKat, think the leaving bit above was a good idea? Im home most of this week, only popping out for a couple of hours at a time for a couple of appointments. Would you think it ok to have a go one morning or afternoon and start at ten minutes then build up to an hour? Obviously with a barrel load of treats!
> 
> No ones hijacked me! I just dont wish to cause disputes among the ranks of forum people!
> 
> ...


Ohh no I dont think you're a mad tense woman! LOL
I think we have all felt stressed when we get our first dog!

I started just popping out to the shops etc ... 10 minutes, 20 minutes and so on then I started going out more frequently. To be honest it wasnt meant intentally, when I first got her I didnt want to leave her and I always felt bad about doing it! But then real life sets in and I had to get groceries, doctors app, school runs etc .. and she did get used to it eventually.

I used to leave her in the garden at first and she chewed up everything she could find! (Including my back door!) so I bought her a kong and filled it which I would give to her when I was leaving.

She doesnt go mental anymore when I leave .. just when I get home! LOL which is really lovely .. but there was a time when I couldnt imagine her being on her own.

It will get better, its early days


----------



## Nina (Nov 2, 2007)

I would echo what other have said regarding your allowing a rescue dog into your home.

I would suggest that you start to exercise him regularly, and enroll him at training class. Ideally, dogs should not be left alone for long periods of time, so get a dog walker to bread his day up.

By giving him a long walk before you leave in the morning, and employing a walker mid day, then another when you return, you are allowing him to run off energy.

I think someone else also mentioned a Kong, which will do two things, firstly make him work for a treat, and secondly to use his brain. Dogs love 'things to do'. Good luck.


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

At the moment im not at work for at least another week, but I simply do not have the energy to go for long walks as he is needing. Im trying to get myself better but keep going down hill not up! The lack of sleep is not helping.

Last night he began to bark as soon as we put him in the conservatory, he contiued for an hour and a half until my partner went and got him as we could not sleep. So once again we are both shattered. He started off here so well, and has gone worse not better over time.

We are both doubting wether it is the right time for us to have a dog. Any dog. We do not wish to keep him purely as we feel sorry for him, but we do not know if we would have the heart to take him back to the kennel. We feel awful and confused.

My partner feels he really does not have the time for himself or me, let alone the dog. We have looked after family members dogs, and it has been fine so we knew there would be the need for time and committment.

Were lost and low.


----------



## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Cant you just let him sleep in your bedroom if you're sure he wont get up to mischief? You will get a good nights sleep at least then


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

I think thats what we will be doing.

But we are feeling so down as we think we should not have got him at all. We have realised that we dont have the time to give to a dog - any dog - fully. We just have to decide wether to keep him or take him back so he can find someone who can give him the time he deserves.

The whole experience has put us off having a dog, which is so sad.


----------



## gillieworm (Jul 4, 2008)

What a shame that you are both feeling so low and unsure whether to keep him 

Have you enroled on to a local training class? Or even get someone that does home visits? This could really help you all out.

Also have you tried contacting the shelter you got him from, they should be able to help you, after all it is in their best interests that the dog stays in the home rather than going back to rescue?

I really hope things get better for you soon. Dog ownership can be soooo rewarding, but with everything you do have to do the ground work at the beginning.

I have a collegue that got a Springer Spaniel about 6 months ago, at the time they were pulling their hair out and talking about getting her rehomed, but with perseverance and training classes they are all much happier.


----------



## Dennyboy (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi there.

Do you know what your dog is X with? 

I would get a crate for a start making sure it is big enough for your dog to be comfortable in.

Crates are NOT a prison,my dogs will happily lie in a open crate,as long as you approach it correctly.

I DO NOT use the crate as punishmant,just so that i can leave the house and know that when i come back it will be free from re-design by the dogs  and so that they are safe from eating anything that will harm or electrocute them,and before you ask no i dont have wires hanging from the walls but i have had a dog eat through a wall  

Walking is not the only form of exercise/stimulatuion for a dogs mind.We use a flirt pole which is great fun and doesnt involve lots of running for you  a boomer ball,which can be painful if you dont move quick enough,and we have a spring pull for the boys,the girls aren't interested in it.

A snack ball is great too but can be lethal with a over-enthusiastic dog  i have been in the firing line 

Flirt pole are easy to make and are great fun,even my oldie,shes 11,loves it and often pinches it from its hiding place 

Good luck.

Mel


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

Hi again .... Before you make any big decision please make sure you both get a few decent nights sleep! Put the dog in with you when you go to bed.

A dog doesnt need marathon walks dont worry! Twice a day 20 minutes or so. If you can take him to the park and let him off lead for that time you will find it alot easier as they burn off more energy this way (playing with other dogs is also great and will socialise him). 

When I take Cola to the park off lead after 30 minutes she is usually worn out totally!! Where as if I walked her it would take double the time and she rarely tires this way.

Stimulating toys stop them getting bored, kongs and such and training at home such as fetch etc will keep his mind active and its enjoyable for you too!

Honestly give yourselves a few more days and sleep filled nights and see how you both feel then.

How is he during the day etc? Does he require alot of attention?

Its a shame you have not had the experience of enjoying him yet for they really do change your life and I wouldnt be without Cola now for anything. I was soooo unfit when I first got her LOL I couldnt walk anywhere without puffing and getting out of breath! (I still have trouble going uphill!) 

I really think let him sleep with you for now (in his own bed) and if you feel confident let him off lead in the park and take one day at a time.

Good Luck


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

Just took a peek at your pics .... aw hes lovely!! 

Where abouts are you from?


----------



## gillieworm (Jul 4, 2008)

Dennyboy said:


> Flirt pole are easy to make and are great fun,even my oldie,shes 11,loves it and often pinches it from its hiding place


Hi, sorry to hijack post  But can I ask what a Flirt pole is?


----------



## lizlancaster (Aug 2, 2008)

kittykat said:


> Ohh no I dont think you're a mad tense woman! LOL
> I think we have all felt stressed when we get our first dog!
> 
> I started just popping out to the shops etc ... 10 minutes, 20 minutes and so on then I started going out more frequently. To be honest it wasnt meant intentally, when I first got her I didnt want to leave her and I always felt bad about doing it! But then real life sets in and I had to get groceries, doctors app, school runs etc .. and she did get used to it eventually.
> ...


I'm afraid I do know what I'm talking about having worked in the rescue dog industry for many years. Also you obviously didn't read my advice about leaving him for gradually building times. I also didn't say for the dog to be in the bedroom. If you'd have read it properly, I actually said the dog does NOT necessarily have to have access to the bedroom! It is the preference of the new owner. It's precisely what I told these dear people in my first post. And, just a thought, if you think Rescue Center people don't know what they are talking about, then how do you explain so many happy rehomed dogs that had a difficult start with their new family? We spend a lot of time and effort giving the correct advice for each individual case and we have rarely cocked up! And no I DO NOT work for the useless RSPCA or the Dogs Tust. We are the National Animal Welfare Trust and we have a top class record of rehoming and giving advice!


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

He is crossed with an english bull terrier...we are in the isle of man


we know we want a dog in our lives, but we think that he just isnt right for us at the moment and he would benefit from having an owner that is around most of the day everyday for him. 

his behaviour has got worse rather than better since he has been here, he has been moping round the house and whining more, and not as good at listening to commands. we think maybe his true character is coming out! he is still affectionate but we just dont feel right about it.

i shall let you know what happens, but we may be taking him back tomorrow to prevent us from getting more attached - and tired and fed up - and also as its not fair on the dog.#




I also dont want people to start fighting on here!!


----------



## Guest (Aug 4, 2008)

mr.stitches said:


> He is crossed with an english bull terrier...we are in the isle of man
> 
> we know we want a dog in our lives, but we think that he just isnt right for us at the moment and he would benefit from having an owner that is around most of the day everyday for him.
> 
> ...


Hey don't be so hard on yourselves at least you were prepared to give the dog a chance,many don't do that.
Some rescue dogs work out,others don't sometimes.
We had a rescue dog and had to send him back because of several issues he had,but that wouldn't put me off owning a dog,but I know the feelings that go with sending a dog back.


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

Thank you sallyanne....i am feeling awful and so is my partner, but the thought of keeping him just doesnt seem right to us at the moment.

I am dreading getting in touch with the rescue place, and of course taking him back. But I know that there is a dog out there for every potential dog owner. It just so happens that this one isnt right for us at the moment. Were glad we took him as we know he is non aggressive, super friendly with people and has been ok with other dogs. So we just hope he finds a good home. Just have to try not to feel too down and like mean beans. Sure do feel awful at the moment though.


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

lizlancaster said:


> B]Also you obviously didn't read my advice about leaving him for gradually building times. I also didn't say for the dog to be in the bedroom[/B]. If you'd have read it properly, I actually said the dog does NOT necessarily have to have access to the bedroom! It is the preference of the new owner. /QUOTE]
> 
> I was going to let this go BUT I never said anything about this ??? All I said was they shouldnt be given free roam in the house as they are likely to chew everything!!
> I think you madam are the one who needs to polish your specs along with your crown.


----------



## mr.stitches (Aug 1, 2008)

I hope this fall out wont continue for long.....

The dog we got from the rescue place is not a bad dog. He has however we feel got worse over the last few days in terms of behaviour, has been barking more and more at people outside the house, and going past cars parked and people walking. He has also become less responsive to us talking to him, asking him to come back etc....he is also now feeling stronger when he goes for something, like he has been holding back his true self!

We do feel mean, and awful people to send him back but we feel that we cannot give him the 110% attention that we believe this dog needs to reach his full potential. We keep asking if he is meant to be for us, but deep down, even though we know he is a lovely dog and super affectionate, its just not the right time for us...or him.

Has anyone else - i know sallyanne has - experienced taking a rescue dog back....if so, you will know how we are feeling. My partner is ringing them today to discuss it with them.


----------



## Guest (Aug 5, 2008)

Don't feel bad,I know it's hard but ultimatly it has to be right for you and most important the dog,some rescue centres do get it wrong or they have not accessed the dog properly,in which case it will fail.

I felt awful sending our dog back,I already had Tyler and Meg,Our rescue was the oldest and expected to be ranked at top dog,he used to pick fights with Tyler,who not once had a go back,then he started picking fights with Meg who wouldn't back down,they had several spats.We were at first advised to leave them to sort it out but you can't leave a SBT to sort it out.
Toys were a big No because they were all his,so he used to fetch sticks,pebbles etc which again used to spark a fight,eventually we had no choice but to keep him away from Tyler and Meg because he was starting to get very aggressive towards both of them.Everything was his,including my husband,we kept plugging away hoping to improve his behaviour,he had a real problem with other entire males not just Tyler but other dogs.
The final straw for us was when he went to bite my daughter,that was the deciding factor and we knew there and then he would be returned.

We rang rescue who came and collected him and told them about all his issues,we told them he also was a fantastic working dog,he would sniff out toys that were hidden,retrieve etc...
He went on to the police force as a working dog,don't get me wrong he was a lovely boy but we found him so difficult having other dogs and children to consider.
I felt so guilty but I knew I had done the right thing by sending him back,yes it was difficult.


----------



## Dennyboy (Jan 3, 2008)

gillieworm said:


> Hi, sorry to hijack post  But can I ask what a Flirt pole is?


Hi

Its like a cat toy but bigger.

We use a bamboo cane with a long string attached,was a horse lunge whip but they broke it , and at the end of the string a rag/toy/piece of cow hide.

You dangle the toy in front of the dog and move it round so the dog chases it,much the same as a cat.You dont need a huge garden and it workstheir mind well as they are thinking about where they can get it best.

You must let them catch it a few times so they dont get bored with it.

Our Nessie is very clever and catches it most of the time.

Only play with one dog at a time unless you know they will not fight over it when one catches it.

I have some great pics somewhere of ours playing but cant find them.

Mel


----------



## lizlancaster (Aug 2, 2008)

kittykat said:


> lizlancaster said:
> 
> 
> > B]Also you obviously didn't read my advice about leaving him for gradually building times. I also didn't say for the dog to be in the bedroom[/B]. If you'd have read it properly, I actually said the dog does NOT necessarily have to have access to the bedroom! It is the preference of the new owner. /QUOTE]
> ...


----------



## Guest (Aug 5, 2008)

kittykat said:


> lizlancaster said:
> 
> 
> > B]Also you obviously didn't read my advice about leaving him for gradually building times. I also didn't say for the dog to be in the bedroom[/B]. If you'd have read it properly, I actually said the dog does NOT necessarily have to have access to the bedroom! It is the preference of the new owner. /QUOTE]
> ...


----------



## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

lizlancaster said:


> kittykat said:
> 
> 
> > OH COME AWAY FROM YOUR BACKSIDE WOMAN!!!
> ...


----------

