Anyone fancy a rescue survival thread?

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

We got our girl (lurcher) yesterday. She's one. She's actually good as gold, but obviously there are the inevitable teething troubles. I'm at home with her all the time, and it's a bit knackering having this very intense, one to one relationship with this smelly creature that's just parachuted into our lives. Tonight I'll be sleeping on the living room floor because she won't settle at night otherwise. We are working up to leaving her, but I just don't want to come down to a trashed living room.

BTW we do love her. Just feeling the same way I did when DS was a newborn - kind of: what the fuck have we done?

Thanks for your comments. Today I felt better about it all, I hope tomorrow is the same 😀

We are looking at getting a rescue. But dh very unsure. He says it will be huge upheaval as meant to be having tilers in a couple of months time. They will be there less than a week. Am I mad? A perfect one for us has come up on the oldies rescue.

Really good news, Trying! What went better? Hope it continues.
It's hard to say, problem. I've had my shelter dog for a couple of months and I don't think she would be phased by something like that now . Think it would depend on the dog and how it settles, which of course it's hard to guess. Do you have a nice calm quiet space for the dog to be away from the tiling/work men? Will one of you be there with the dog throughout the work? If so, I would think it's fine....let's see what others think.

In that case Trying I will take my back as she did another wee this, morning. Fuming as it was entirely DH's fault this time. He spent ages faffing around before taking her out in the morning. I came downstairs as he was finally getting ready and just kept an eye on her (as I thought he was literally heading out the door). Let her go to him, and then he turned his back on her to do something else and she couldn't hold it any longer.

I don't mind cleaning up wee, but I'm hacked off that he can't grasp the concept of letting her out first thing. I spent all yesterday reinforcing her house training, and now I 'my worried he's undone it all.

@jesus 💐
I’m trying to take a day at a time and not look too far ahead. Enjoy the cuddles and sweet moments as much as possible so I don’t mind the moments that make me feel why?

We’ve had our 18 month old rescue for a month and she’s settling in really well.

The thing I’m struggling with is letting her off the lead, she normally has excellent recall, but goes mad when she sees another dog, and I just don’t feel like I trust her enough. She absolutely loves being off the lead and runs round and round in circles, I spend the whole time panicking that another dog will appear so really limit the time, whereas I think she’d like longer.

I don’t really know how to rectify this, as I won’t know how she’ll react to a strange dog off lead until it happens!

Trying I'm glad it is going a bit better. It will take time. She's got to get used to you and trust you as much as you've got to get used to having a dog. Can you spend time in the day just stroking her, or gently brushing her, or sitting together. Get used to each other's company and start to enjoy it? I'm cabin crew for an airline and I've just been out to India. There are lots of street dogs there and I often take dog biscuits with me. I was out in the street and spent ten minutes with a lovely little dog. She was very friendly, took biscuits from my hand, danced around when she knew I had more biscuits, even drunk water from a bottle I had. Yet at one moment a local lady was standing nearby glaring at me feeding the dog and the dog barked quite aggressively at her then turned back to me soft as butter for a tickle. I'd never seen such a blatant illustration of a dog knowing instinctively who to trust. I think that your rescue may sense that you aren't totally happy with her and that's why she doesn't seem to care much - the more you relax into dog ownership the more she will relax too. Sounds like that's coming along more now.😊

Jesus I'd make your hubby mop up the pee - he may learn the importance of getting her out promptly better if he suffers the consequences of faffing around!

Myfanwy do you have a friend with a reliable dog? My friend is trying to get recall with her 6 month old pup and finds if she let's her run round with my dog and we both shout them back together she comes fine. Near here there is a dog country park that does play sessions in it's secure fields - that could be another good way of testing it out. Let her have a good play and runaround before you try it.

Ooh, a dog country park is just what I need, will have a google to see if there’s one close to us, that’s a great tip, thank you.

We actually have an older dog, but we’ve had him since a pup, and off the lead he walks 10 paces behind us, sniffing everything in sight, no danger of him running off 😂 Our new dog is a completely different kettle of fish as she has so much energy.

We have a Romanian rescue - he’s a total darling and thinks he is a human.
He’s totally attached to me and follows me everywhere, won’t entertain dh if he calls him in from the garden or on a walk which we need to work on.
He basically sits on me as soon as my bum hits the sofa around 9pm and doesn’t move. If I have a day off work it’s hard to get anything done as the temptation to lie and cuddle him is so strong!!
We think he is a GSD x lurcher with possibly some staffy in there.
Loves walks, great on the lead and off, but recall a bit dodgy when he sees other dogs.
Have had dogs all my life but never had one who is so attached to me. It was hard at first as if I was busy doing something he wouldn’t settle and whine until I sat down with him. But he’s better now and lying with a kong or something til I finish.

We used a radio at night for the first while but now he sleeps fine.

Here he is...

Myfanwy My boy is jist like that at 8 yrs old!!

Basically he is a nosy git & as soon as he see another dog He's off to say hello. Thankfully he so far has met nice dogs who aren't (justifiably) snappy with him as he's a big galah & I worry he'll scare a smaller dog.
His recall is getting better but today he came back every time I called but got to the stile in the corner of the field which he knows not to go under & usually ignores but off he fucked, leaving me having a "Fenton" moment.😨
I decided to not get upset & start yelling so let him have a blast around the field & chase some squirrels & let him come back in his own time which was thankfully only about 10 mins later.
One day.......

Thank you Tropic

Problem Why not approach the Oldies folks & exlain. I'm sire they could arrange for his foster to keep him for a few more weks if it means him going to a loving home. Even if you apply now by the time they process your application, do a home check etc time will have whizzed by.

Worth an ask, then you can relax knowing the work is getting done & no stress to your dog or worrying about them getting out if a workman leaves a gate open.

Also if the dog is not too far away at the moment you'd be able to go & meet him & see for yourself ?

honey oh don't worry, I did! Dog parks btw - brilliant. I hadn't even realised they were a thing in the UK, but just Googled and there's actually a doggy soft play right by us!

onemore the love in those eyes! That's one of the most expressive faces I've ever seen.

PS day 9, and she has chosen to snuggle on sofa rather than watch me in the kitchen! Apron strings being cut...

feel like I am making some progress on the recall and walking nicely fronts, although still some way to go. Been reading a lot about how this adolescent phase can be unpredictable but if you persevere, keep up with the training and bonding, you will get 10 plus years of a wonderful furry friend. I hold on to those thoughts when today she had an accident after coming in from a long walk/run! Sigh.

Any tips on how to introduce her to the cat?

You sound like you're making baby steps Trying.

Re the cat, I always have a stairgate at the bottom of the stairs so the cat can go up and down as it pleases but the dog can't. The cat sits and observes. If the dog goes towards the cat say no/leave and praise them if they move away. Then when the cat is getting braver I have the cat on my knee and husband keeping the dog at the other side of the room, praising it for not paying too much attention. It can take a long while (often months) but I've never had a dog or cat that hasn't got on well in the end. This dog in the picture used to want to chase a lot, but now happily shares a sofa or even his bed. (He is a rescue and had 4 homes before us and he was only 1!) If you have a real fire that always seems to speed up the process as everything just wants to lounge in front of it!

Lost my beautiful girl of old age ( rescue ) earlier this year . ( I'm bloody crying now !!)

She came home and howled the house down every night at first . Poop , pee on the carpet . Good as gold after a few weeks . We are not sure what she went through before us as she was abandoned at roughly 3 years old .

Loveliest dog you could ever hope for miss her so much ! Hang in there op !!

Clumsy a big hug to you. I lost one of mine at Xmas and we're still missing her like crazy.

A hug back for you honey awful isn't it :(

Sorry to depress the thread haha
Anyway the point was though op hang in there it gets easier and they will soon just be one of the family !

Just wanted to say what a lovely thread this is! Our rescue greyhound is nearly 13 now, we've had her eight years and she's an angel. We had a few upsets to begin-she'd never seen stairs for instance, and didn't know how to come down them! -and used to take herself off to her bed alone-but she's so loving now, and wonderful on lead. Even leaves my chickens alone, though squirrels are a different story despite her age!!

Well, ups and downs lately. For some unknown reason she weed in the house twice yesterday, so we've started taking her out every hour or so and really ramping up the praise when she goes outside. Total PITA as it's so wet and muddy outside, we have to dry her off every single time.

Trying you're a trooper. or tonight?

PS took her to the dog park. Half an hour each way, she weed in the car as she's not a good traveller, and then they told us she couldn't come in as she hasn't had her booster shots yet.

@jesus
How annoying to go all that way and not be able to get inside. The weeing can be very disheartening....but you are not alone....

We had a trainer today so got some more tips and much encouragement which helps after an exhausting few days of standing in the rain and cold. Definitely, a day for

@honeyroar Thanks for your tips

@Trying2bgd are there any tips you can share? Our Rescue terrie X Pattie has been with us 3 months now. There has been a vast change, almost like a different dog. Our trainer was very helpful much more about helping to train us than the dog. In an another 3months we are hoping to socialise her with out her other dogs. We dont know anyone who has dogs and we feel that we really need the trainer with us. She is getting better but it would be nice to feel safer with her around other dogs. Our trainer gets. booked up months in advance.

Astra it may be worth you googling a dog country club/park type thing. I found one in our area because I used to do Dock Diving with my oldest rescue, but I was amazed at the range of classes, lessons and activities they did. You do sound like you've put a lot of time and work in, it's bound to pay off in the end.

Thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately, we don’t own a car so we cannot go far with her. She would be terrified on Public Transport even if there was a place with transport links.

The trainer has land not within walking distance from us. She has four dogs of her own which she uses for socialising. As well as working the Police dogs, she also has a scent hound for searching for dogs lost in our local Forest.