Adopted dog and holiday

[Runrabbitrunss]

Hello . We are used to pups , but have adopted a 4 year old in December.

She has separation anxiety and also is v fussy with food as had things like human biccys with her previous elderly owner!

she seems settled and is off lead on beach with decent recall ( unless something is v v exiting) !
she comes to pubs with us and cafes amd has coped well with the sudden extreme busyness of our village ( holiday cottage hot spot for c mas and new year) and now deep deep snow !

we go abroad x1 a year in april / may / or june for a month in out small camper van .

Whilst we are prepared to change out ferry booking to later in year from April ( if possible as per cabins get v booked)we are wondering if it would be reasonable to expect her to cope with a ferry journey of 2 days. Dogs have to be muzzled to access dog area , the nosie of the ferry etc.’
she is either slightly highky strung or just nosey! She is part bichon but i think absolutely part terrier as she is on alert at small nosies that our oure bichon did not respond to at all .

she has been with us since 12 dec and its been a busy household( we preferred to get her after c mas but the ownwr needed her to go for personal reasons) and she coped well - seemed exited/ happy - she seems to love other dogs and people.

anyone got any pearls of wisdom re would this be too much to expect of her? Things to consider.? I party think she wd have a ball! But dont want overwhelm!
Am aware she wd have to be muzzled on check in on ferry amd we wd need to work on that .

The muzzle isn't an issue, if you put "blue cross muzzle training" onto YouTube they have a really good one. What is an issue for my dogs on trips like that is that they don't want to relieve themselves in the tiny dog area as they view it as inside still. So if your dog is a bit fussy about where she wees this would be my concern rather than the noise and how busy it is.

Thanks x

IMO it is too soon to tell. It can take at least three months for a dog's true personality to come out when they have been rehomed. Who knows what she'll be capable of by the summer?

You don't seem to be giving her much time to relax and settle in. She's gone from a quiet home with an elderly person, not getting out much. To a busy home being taken here, there and everywhere. It's not surprising she appears highly strung, to be honest.

SpanielsGalore
well it was that or leave her were she was with a possible risky situation . We cdnt put our life on hold .we knew it was a comprimise but we have bills to pay and family invited from away . The behaviour support person came and indicated that dogs need to adapt to our life and gave us strategies to help her .’for eg she goes out at nthe same time evey day , she has walks , cuddles/ down time . I feel a bit judged to be honest by yhat comment as we have tried our best in the situation .

Sleeping in our local

Sorry. But when you rehome a dog, you do need to put your life on hold to a degree until the dog has settled in and relaxed.

You have described her as suffering from separation anxiety, slightly highly strung and on alert at small noises. Those are all signs of an anxious, stressed dog.

You need to give her time to settle in and find ways to help her relax in the here and now before worrying about if she'll cope with a two day ferry crossing at some point in the future.

SpanielsGalore
ok i take your point. But i am a dog sitter and i have clients booked i cbt let down. It was take her or leave her at risk.
Do you mean book the ferry and not think about it , and focus as you say as much as i can on what you have outlined in meantime. Or not book it at all.
Our dog behaviourist told us she need s to adapt to
our lifestyle and he literally said he would be from day one not be being quiet etc but just include her in our daily life .

So this is what we do
each am she comes into bed with us for cuddles while we have tea
husband takes her for a walk
she comes back and I feed her
she then snuggles me while i do ky make up .
i then doma few house jobs amd meal prep amd play with her , mooch

we then go out late am / lunch for her main walk . - beach - field s. We then call into a cafe or a pub and she sleeps next to me - sees other dogs
we then come home and get in bed or sofa for rest
then i make tea
then she has an after tea walk then her tea

then sofa time , chews, last wee , bed.
iIf i have a dog to care for my husband does the routine or a friend s dog is at out house and I repeat the above but with the tep dogs
i try my best to stick to
this
yes we are busy and i will have to do sits , but i have to earn money to pay for her food ! Its not ideal i know but i am trying my best.
she lies with me happily ..

Hi. She certainly looks more relaxed in your photo than in our description of her. 💖

I'm not an expert. Most of my dogs I got as puppies. I have had one rescue dog and I foster. I have worked and become friends with several behaviourists over the years. I can confidently say not one of them would agree with the advice given by your behaviour support person.

The behaviourists I know are very much focused on the dog and taking things at their pace. Yes, dogs have to fit in with your life to an extent. But sometimes, that's not in the dog's best interests so you have to adapt your life to them.

My current foster has been with me for a year. Both her and my rescue dog were incredibly stressed on being rehomed. For weeks, they cried if I went upstairs without them. It took three months for me to be able to leave them home alone. I would say it's only been in the last six weeks or so that my foster dog's personality has come out.

Are you aware of the 3-3-3 rules/guidelines for settling in new dogs? Some dogs cope better than others so move through the stages more quickly, but it gives a good general view. This is why I said no one can really predict yet how she will cope with the ferry travel in a few months time. And you need to focus on the dog you have today. She may not be the same dog you have in three months time.

Apologies for making you feel judged. I know you are trying to do the best for her with the advice you have been given. It does sound like she's going to have a lovely life with you. I wish someone would take me to the pub or cafe everyday. 😂

Good luck. 😊

Thwnk you x

Today in bed amd yesterday in oub