Would anyone mind telling me what they think of this rescue dog?

[lecce]

He is a 9mth old Bedlington terrier and he has been rehomed and returned 3 times already - the returns being due to chewing. I have had a thread on this already but we went and walked him today so I have extra info - I hope it's ok to start a new thread. A poster on my other thread said I could PM her about Bedlingtons, but I can't work out how to do that .

Anyway, the staff at the centre described him as 'very alpha' and he was a nightmare on the lead. They had to carry him past the other dogs and he was barking wildly - especially at the big ones. He also kept going up on his hind legs and sort of hopping. My dc found this hysterical, but obviously, it has to stop. Once we got further down the field, he settled down and walked well, but went barmy if another dog came near.

My other concern was that he didn't really pay much attention to any of us and was a lot more concerned about his surroundings. He did run up to dh, who had gone for a sit down, and stood up on his lap, but he pretty much ignored the rest of us. I don't want to sound precious about it, but I just wondered if this was a sign that he may have trouble bonding. We have rescued two dogs before, but that was a long time ago and I can't remember how they were when we met.

Anyway, we have had two dogs before, one we took on as an old boy and the other we had for 10yrs so we are used to dogs, but I must say neither of them ever displayed any of the behaviours we saw today, and they didn't chew (we had neither one as a puppy, though). We are more than willing to put effort into training but can anyone give me an indication of just how difficult it is? Are there techniques that are pretty much sure to work on issues like these, or is it down to luck whether you are successful?

I think you need to appreciate that at 7 months and with so many homes already this is a dog with issues and a dog that has missed out on the usual things that a well bought up puppy would have had . That's not to say that with time and effort he won't turn out to be a fabulous dog . The way I'd look at it is did you like him enough to work through his problems .

He's still a baby really and there's absolutely no reason to think he couldn't turn out to be a fab little dog in the right hands, with lots of work - but I think he sounds like a major undertaking, iyswim.

At his current age he's not likely to be settling down any time soon and you would need to be prepared to be in it for the long haul, but bear in mind that if you are willing and able to commit to the amount of guidance and training he's going to need then you will most likely be rewarded by a loving and comical family pet.

Having said that, Bedlingtons are hardy little working dogs at heart, with a tendency to be quite stubborn, so will need careful and consistent, positive training.

Some info from the National Bedlington Terrier Club here.

What I would say, is that the fact that he didn't seem very interested in you isn't surprising. The poor boy is still a pup and has been through so many homes and kennels that he is likely to take quite a while to let his guard down enough to trust and bond. He had no reason to be interested in you and every reason to be interested in all the exciting things outside the confines of his kennel.

It really is so hard to comment when we have not seen the dog. To me it sounds like the dog was extremely stressed by the situation hence, lunging, needing to be carried passed the other dogs etc.

This would also follow with the dog not being able to concentrate on you and the family - his brain was just too full of worry and adrenalin to be able to take in any more.

Chewing is also a major destresser for many dogs so this would also follow as to why he needs to chew so much.

If he is given a calm unstressful home and given time to wind down (which may take quite a while) he will become a very different dog. However it does sound as if he will need extra care for a while.

Noone can say without seeing him whether this will be a long task or not.

TBH the rescue sound a bit numpty to being talking about alpha dogs and therefore I would also suggest their rehoming assessments are not fantastic.

He will need some time and he will need some training which at times may feel like one step forward and two steps back. But dogs are fantastic creatures and if given the correct training and environment can bounce back from many situations. However you need to be up for the extra work he may require.

i wouldnt take too much notice of a rescue centre who resorts to carrying the dog past others and refers to it as an alpha. it sounds like he could be a lovely dog with lots of training and hard work

I will leave it to the many more experienced dog owners on with an interest in behaviour to give you real advice. But I just wanted to say that terriers are terriers first, and are different to some other dogs.

For instance when you say he was more interested in his environment, that rings a bell with me. I have no concerns about having bonded with my Border - I adore him and I know he loves and trusts us 100%. I always say I'd never worry about him not leaving with my but my goodness, were he human he would be such a flirt! And if he busies himself with something, I may as well not exist. It is all terrier stuff.

He does the two legged thing when he gets excited too. I am trying to work to stop it happening but mine is young too.

Terrier are fabulous dogs and I am a complete convert but labs and spaniels they definitely aren't. Don't write him off

Thank you for the replies. I am getting excited about this dog and relieved to hear that training would be likely to pay off if we work at it. Very happy to do that.

Although I love dogs and have pretty much always had one, I am quite ignorant about them in many ways and would love to know why the rescue centre sounds 'numpty', why it is wrong to carry the dog past others and why it is wrong to refer to a dog as 'alpha'. Genuine questions - it is scary to think that a place like that could be run by people who are not properly clued up about dogs[ confused].

Alpha implies that they believe in pack theory / dominant dogs which as been discredited . I must say I have a rescue terrier ( Patterdale x ) and despite being a very typical terrier he is extremely loving and a superb family dog .

Our puppy trainer said never to pick our pups up if they were nervous or unsure as you are just reinforcing to the dog that there is something to be nervous of.

Perhaps referring to the dog as an alpha is outdated but, having worked in rescue, I can see why you may just pick a dog up and whisk it by a line of others if it will minimise the outbreak of barking and lunging. Ideally the rescue will be working on dealing with his problems but in reality most simply do not have the time :(
If you really like the dog and are aware of what will be involved then why not? Better that than a dog you are not so taken with but with fewer problems.
And I would not worry too much about him not being really interested in you initially. He hasn't got a clue who you are and he's over excited about being out of his kennel. Time to bond later when he is home and settled.
Not sure if it has been mentioned to you but have you considered a cage? In that way you can ensure he is never left unattended which will give him opportunity to start chewing. If he is only out when you are watching him you may be able to avoid this

He sounds like a high-maintenance little dog (active terriers often are). Do you have young children? Do you work? I wouldn't do it unless I had lots of time to work with him. You can overcome the anti-social barking/lunging/growling but it's much easier if you don't have little ones to shepherd simultaneously. Chewing is usually something they outgrow, so I wouldn't be too concerned about that, particularly if you are planning to crate train.

I have a Bedlington and had one as a child. They are terrific dogs, but, despite looking like powder puffs, they are all terrier, feisty and self-willed. They also have an aloofness and are stubborn. My boy will face up to any dog who he thinks is being impertinent or is scaring my younger dog. They could be Rotties, Ridgebacks or Damations. If I see a Dally in the distance, we take evasive action. Having said that my boy is a PAT dog and has been visiting the local hospice for 7 years and has done work with children who are dog phobic. He loves people, he knows he should not jump up but still has to be reminded,
The rescue sounds a bit rubbish, alpha and scooping up a dog when he reacts reinforces bad behaviour. Adolescent dogs chew things, cashmere scarves, designer knitwear, etc. My crossbreed hid three pairs of specs in the garden. Expensive!
I'd ask the rescue if they have a behaviourist, who will give an assessment and advice and check on his/her qualifications. Ask who their vets are and consult. COAPE behaviourists require a vet recommendation.
If you adopt this dog, he will need work and you will need backup. I would recommend going to training classes or a social dog-walking. Bedlingtons are fantastic dogs and do pay dividends. They are fairly high maintenance, they do not shed and are good for those with allergies but they need frequent grooming, learn to clip or be prepared to fork out for clipping every couple of months. I would not swap mine for a million.