Rescues require patience, and a Dodger shows the way
By Phyllis DeGioia
January 4, 2009
Hi, I’m new here … kinda.
I’ve known the rest of the PetConnection crew for a long time, through the Dog Writers Association of America and because we all took a spin at VIN. When Gina and Dr. Becker needed someone to manage the new Pfizer database of free searchable articles, they asked me to take it on, since as long-time editor and writer I’m pretty good at managing projects. Of course, I was happy to agree!
But this is about more than my work. Like everyone here, I share a lifelong devotion to pets. In particular, I love shelter dogs.
In August, I adopted a 4-year-old English setter. Dodger was a nervous wreck when he arrived. He had been in three homes within a month before arriving at my house: his original home, the home they gave him to that didn’t want him and left him in a barn for 10 days, and rescue. He doesn’t eat when he’s stressed, so his hip joints were sticking out and his ribs were visible from a distance. He couldn’t sit still and paced like a crazy man; he ran up and down the backyard in a frenzy and chewed lattice. I couldn’t take him to the dog park to burn off steam until I got all of his paperwork and tags and permits.
Over the next few weeks, he calmed down a bit, although he was still a frenzied wild man in the back yard. He was quite well behaved, and when he’d been here for three weeks he relaxed a bit. I’d always heard that it takes three weeks for them to feel comfortable enough to stop being on their best behavior and act like themselves. Once he could stretch his legs and fly at the fenced dog park, his panicked energy subsided.
In mid-September, I took him to his first obedience class. The first session was a nightmare. He shut down and drooled from stress and could barely raise his head. He was sure he was going to be left there. I held Dodger’s face and told him that “Every day for the rest of your life, you will come home with me.” I wish he’d understood the words and not just the tone. After coming home with me that night, he really blossomed. Dodger was perfect at class: wonderful sits and downs, left treats on the floor until I told him he could have then.
However, the minute he’d been here for the months, he started testing his boundaries by humping other dogs at the park. He didn’t just hump for 30 seconds and walk away, oh no. Dodger is an obsessive humper, chasing the other dog around the park and stopping only when I leashed him. He only humped dogs that were more submissive than he is, which means approx .0007% of the dogs on the planet. I talked to my trainer friend Liz Palika, who said Dodger was seeing what he could get away with. I call it “The Butthead Phase.” I followed Liz’s suggestions: I leashed him at the dog park for a while and initiated a zero tolerance policy for humping. If he humped once, he got a verbal correction and we left. Meanwhile, in all areas I stepped up being in charge: waiting at doors, waiting to get out of the car, sitting for treats, that basic kind of thing. A few weeks later he returned to off leash status at the park; while he’s had one or two minor incidents, for which we left, he’s been good so far.
While he’s still on probation, I believe we have achieved the Butthead No More phase.
He needed a firm, patient hand to guide him through all of these changes in his life. Rescued dogs often don’t just become sunny and happy without a bit of help. It takes time for everyone to adjust and to learn to trust each other. I don’t mean a couple of weeks, but months. Dodger now trusts that he will always live here. Some bad Wisconsin weather has proven that he doesn’t have to have the same level of exercise he did when he arrived all stressed out; if he didn’t get it then, he needed to be scraped off the ceiling with a spatula. Now, we can miss a day or even two at the park when it’s just too cold to go. Not only that, but he may have gained a pound or two more than he should have and I’m cutting back his food a bit.
He is once again the sweet boy who finished obedience school in October, the boy I didn’t see for a bit while he tried to figure out what he could get away with. Now that we’ve ridden out the anxiety storm, he knows he’s here to stay and where his place is in our pack.
It just reminds me of what I want to say to you: Very few rescued pets, if any, will just settle in with no concerns. But your patience will pay off handsomely. That’s now true with my handsome Dodger.
Hi Phyllis!!!
Great piece — should be required reading for anyone adopting a dog from a rescue group.
Comment by Susan — January 4, 2009 @ 6:56 am
Thanks, all you people from the Pet Connection, for telling meaningful stories on this blog.
My two recently adopted cats (this summer) were overloading me with work and problems this summer. Now they have settled down and life is again more comfortable for me. I still have my 15 year old—but he has lost weight watching the antics of the two young-uns insteading of begging for food.
This story today made me tearful—a good home is all a dog or cat need to blossom—from sickness to health and from fear to confidence.
Great story!
Comment by Colorado Transplant — January 4, 2009 @ 7:39 am
This story is sweet and inspiring. Thank you.
Comment by Pamela Picard — January 4, 2009 @ 8:12 am
Thanks for the uplifting story, Phyllis. In 2 weeks I will be receiving a 10 month old puppy who should never have gone to a 70 yr old woman. I haven’t seen the pup since Nov 7 but I do know he has not received any training, potty or otherwise. His owner has since had a tumor removed from above her left eye and can no longer handle a young pup, not that she did from the day she purchased him. My 2 older dogs are currently going through health problems. One, a pinched nerve near a rib and the other, a lame front leg. But I made a commitment to that puppy that he would not be shuttled from place to place and I’m keeping my end of the commitment. There will be some stress on the part of all of us until he learns the rules of the household. We will get through this. I just need to assess what damage he has experienced in the 5 1/2 months she has had him and work to make him the great pup I know he is. My dogs keep being told that he is joining us and I remind them they were both adopted into their forever home when people could no longer take care of them or want them.
Comment by VJ — January 4, 2009 @ 8:28 am
Max is our newest- we got him right after halloween. He was rescued from a puppy mill and then lived in a shelter for months. Fortunately, he hasn’t bounced between houses, but at the age of somewhere between 5 and 9 and never having lived in a house before- it’s quite the adjustment. He is still nervously expecting us to abandon him, and I don’t know when he’ll get over that completely. It may take years. But he has successfully been housebroken and bonded very tightly to my husband.
Comment by Georg — January 4, 2009 @ 9:53 am
It took about two years — to about six months ago — for that anxious look to vanish in our Bertie Woofster. The last few months of the process were subtle, and I almost didn’t notice. But then one day I realized that Bertie had stopped watching, that the bone-deep tension he’d carried for so long was gone.
It does take time. But not only is it worth it, it’s given us a real sense of accomplishment, something new to learn every day. Now, if we could just get ‘sit-stay’ as reliably as ‘sit pretty’ …!
Comment by Eucritta — January 4, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
What a debut! This is an outstanding and completely accurate description of what the typical rescue dog goes through. It should be required reading for would-be rescuers, many of whom foolishly assume that the dog will be so grateful for his new home that he will behave perfectly. And then, of course, they dump the dog because he doesn’t act like a grateful little angel.
Comment by Susan — January 4, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
Thank you! My rescue, Henry, has come worlds away from the reactive dog that he was when I first adopted him. We have worked long and hard to achieve this, and I am proud. The other day, however, we climbed a hill together—me on the bike and he running along beside me on the WalkyDog— and wouldn’t you know that at the top there was a dog on a Flexi leash, extended to the very end of his leash, with his owner bent over, not paying any attention at all, looking for something in the back seat of her car (we were approaching the parking lot of the park). We surprised her dog, her dog surprised us, and a there was a terrible scene. Long story short, the lady called Henry a bully. I just looked at her and turned away. She has no idea…and I will never, ever judge anyone’s dog, not ever again, no matter how the dog behaves. The dog could be a rescue, the owner struggling with issues he or she had no hand in creating.
Comment by Sara Jo — January 4, 2009 @ 2:38 pm
I agree completely with Susan. This is definitely one of those pieces you want to add to your delicious bookmarks to share with those that are planning on adopting a rescued pal. We’ve been blessed with the opportunity to adopt one and we couldn’t be happier: the most gracious, kind, and grateful soul you could imagine. Have a great year!
Comment by Karina A. — January 4, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
Welcome and this reminds me of my “ole Missy girl”..
We too rescued an English setter from the local pound years ago. Her name was Missy and her picture is still on my fridge. She was about 10 years old and we went to adopt a puppy for my two kids and nice who lived with us…well…after seeing her eyes and hearing her story a puppy was no longer an option. She had a forever home but her owner was tired of paying the “no lease” fee when she ran away so she told the pound she no longer wanted her…while this was one of the saddest days of my life it was also one of the best memories I have of my “4-legged family”..she was in heaven coming to our house and allowed to run in our woods of 30 acres…she knew this was her home and my kids and I and she were one from day one! When we rescued her we were unaware of her breed as she was so dirty no one really knew she was a beautiful white and black…we waited for 3 weeks for a groomers appointment and when she was picked up by my mom that day she thought they were giving her the wrong pup! We had a wonderful four years with her—-she never left our property—it was as if she knew her boundries with us!
Comment by Carol V — January 4, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
sorry for the typos above…tears were in the way!
Comment by Carol V — January 4, 2009 @ 4:04 pm
This is a great article. I do think it is important that prospective owners of a rescue dog understand that some of the dogs will never come all the way back to be a “normal” dog. I adopted an abused Chinese Crested when he was 2 yrs old. Jake was so skittish that he was difficult to touch. He has made tremendous progress during the past 7 years; however he will always be a fearful dog. He is a loving, eager-to-please dog and has taught me so much about patience. My greatest wish for him would be to convince him that he will always be safe.
Comment by Susan G. — January 4, 2009 @ 4:59 pm
I really enjoyed this.
I adopted a little kitten, Mandy, last year. While she wasn’t what you would call a “rescue” per se…she was a difficult kitten to raise up. Very energetic and got into everything. Then she went through a stage where she challenged my authority. The stages she went through went on for over a year.
Today, she is the sweetest, funniest, and one of the most wonderful kitties I have ever had. She still gets her bratty moments, but they are few and far between now.
I guess what I’m getting at, is that some pets require a lot of patience to raise up. I often thought that if Mandy had been adopted by another person, who had no patience, she would have wound up in a shelter. I made a commitment to Mandy when I adopted her. This was going to be her “forever” home…so we worked together to make that happen.
Raising up dogs and cats is a responsibility and a commitment…not just something to do because the neighbors next door or your best friend has one…and when you grow tired of them, putting them in a shelter.
Some pets who are deemed “difficult” can become the most wonderful pets, if given patience and understanding.
Comment by Marcy — January 4, 2009 @ 9:43 pm
I guess I’ll speak out for those other “rescue” dogs/cats :)
Not all have issues or take any more effort than if you brought in a “non-rescue” into your family. And some may be less work than say a puppy or kitten from a reputable breeder. They may be house trained, over the mouthy kitten/puppy phase, walk nicely on a leash, don’t scratch the furniture etc. I’ve seen many a “rescue” go home and just fit in. They live in my ‘hood, or if they don’t, the new families bring them by for visits or send updates (I used to get called at home when one visited). While I think it’s important that potential adopters understand all sides of the coin, I’m hesitant to paint all rescues with the same brush. It comes down to doing your homework before you bring a new pet home and deciding what you are up for. Adopting from the city shelter here, you may have less info on the pet. From a no-kill or rescue, more info is prob available to help with your choices. But the thing is, many of the pets available at the city shelter aren’t a lot more work, even though you don’t have as much info on them (depends on the pet and circumstances and how long it’s been at the shelter, etc). Many of the no-kills and rescues here, pull e-list animals from the city shelter and they are just fine. I’ve met many absolute JOYS! from the city shelter. And from no-kills and rescues. Actually, one JOY! I rescued from the city shelter (turned in to be euthed for a correctable health issue) almost became part of my family. His life sounds better than mine these days, lol!~
I guess I just don’t want everyone to think that rescues need more effort, special skills, etc as that’s not always the case. It’s good to be aware, but the same thing could happen getting a pet that isn’t a rescue. I may still be smarting from hearing a “report” about the Obamas and what kind of puppy/dog they should look for. P McConnell spoke to what they should look for in personality and temp in their situation. The Dog Whisperer said they shouldn’t get a shelter dog because they wouldn’t have the time to rehab it. Not all shelter pets need rehab DW!!
Phyllis, Dodger looks like a lovely pup. I hope to see more of him (I love sportin’ dogs!) and hear more about him. (Cute face!). My girl (Dal) went through Butthead phase and occasionally likes to revisit it. I just pull out the treats and start a training session. She suddenly remembers why it’s a good thing I’m the boss of the her, lol!~ ;) Works on my youngster feline Yankee also. He can be a Butthead crossed with a Duh!head, lol!~
Carol V, lovely story, thank you!
Comment by straybaby — January 5, 2009 @ 12:34 am
Well, I have a little problem adopting from a no-kill, wonderful shelter in my town.
I decided, after many years letting my cats have freedom outside, to make my new adoptees be inside cats. Unfortunately one of them was formerly a stray cat and did enjoy life on the outside, if she had enough food from the neighbors where she lived.
Now, after 5 mos., she still wants to go out.
I have an outside enclosure which she enjoys quite a lot. However, if she could sneak out she would.
I am so tempted to let her out, but my daughter wants to take her rather than have her face the hazards outside.
The problem is with me, not the cat. May I have enough strength to resist my temptation!
She is such a beautiful, loving cat.
Comment by Colorado Transplant — January 5, 2009 @ 7:03 am
Fabulous article! I know Dodger will have a long and happy life with you. You’re doing great things with that humpy boy. :)
Comment by Natalie R — January 5, 2009 @ 10:55 am
Welcome. Great article, and for some rescues can be so true. My first rescue, a 2 1/2 yr lab, was the perfect dog. I thought all rescues were like that until I got my 2nd, a stray that was fearful and aggressive. She taught me so much about dog behavior. It took years to get her over her issues, but she was eventually able to compete in agility. I miss her so much. She would sing every morning to wake us up and always had to have the last word.
Comment by CLynch — January 5, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
Great story - and lesson. No matter if they were loved and well cared for, or neglected, or bounced from home to home, with very few exceptions, rescues are stressed out and need time to acclimate and ultimately feel secure and loved.
On the plus side, you didn’t have your nose broken and eyes blackened by Dodger jumping up, as happened to a friend of mine when her rescued dobie jumped up. Now, she is working on training her second rescued dobie to stop (while I, the honorary godmother to both, prefer the jumping to the second rescued dobie’s eating my favorite hand knitted arm warmer on New Year’s Eve).
Whatever the breed, whatever the species, rescues touch our hearts (okay, clasp them in a death grip) perhaps because of the extra work, understanding, and patience—and hand knitting and broken noses—we go through during the adjustment and retraining process.
Comment by Melissa — January 5, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
I just got home from a long hike in the woods with my dogs and we took along “Willard” a little Lhasa mix I rescued just last week; he spent most of his young life tethered inside a small pen outdoors. He suffered some abuse but mostly just complete neglect. But despite his rough start, this little dog is so incredibly friendly and outgoing! He walks beautifully on a leash, greets everyone he meets with a wagging tail and doggy smile and just adores every person and dog he encounters. If I didn’t know better, I would think he had not suffered a day in his life! When we got him, he was a mess of matted, filthy hair but he shocked the groomer with how perfectly he behaved through that very long grooming process. Same at the veterinarian. I don’t know, maybe its his breed or just this particular dog’s character but he amazes me with his sound personality and extremely happy-go-lucky attitude. I have seen so many broken-down dogs in my rescue work and they break my heart - like the story of Dodger. It’s incredible to me when those dogs finally begin to realize they are safe and when I read stories like Dodgers, I feel such a huge amount of respect and gratitude for the people who spend the time and energy to love these dogs back to life. But I also see quite a few rescued dogs who - for whatever reason - just face their new lives as if the bad stuff never happened.
Comment by Joy — January 5, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
What I neglected to say above in my post…is to add lots of love into the equation. That’s the main ingredient to make a success of any animal adoption.
It’s true that many animals don’t have issues, but you sometimes just don’t realize that the animal you’re bringing home to adopt has them.
That’s when the patience, commitment and love come in.
Comment by Marcy — January 5, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
Straybaby, you make a great point. We have a 16-year-old pointer mix that we adopted from the pound when she was 2 years old. She was brought to the pound by her owners. I think they had a baby and could no longer have dogs, not really sure. Anyway, she is the best dog we’ve ever had, rescue or otherwise. She was (and is) perfectly housebroken, sweet and gentle, and has always been unflappable. They did an awesome job raising her, and I doubt if we could have done better ourselves. There was an adjustment period, but I don’t recall any particular issues (reactivity, fearfulness, aggression, destructiveness, etc). We call her our ambassador dog—she is a true ambassador for the species.
Comment by Sara Jo — January 5, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
Bless your heart for giving Dodger a home! Rescued pets sometimes require additional TLC, but they return the love many times over.
I used to adopt kittens, but now solely adopt (rescue) adult cats — they make the most wonderful companions, and are so grateful for having been given another chance for a loving forever home.
Comment by karen — January 5, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
Thanks for all the input, everyone. What I have learned from this is you should never, ever, under any circumstances publicly announce - or even whisper aloud about - a training success because it can only lead to disappointment. The day I sent this in, Dodger hunped a dog at the park. Two days in a row he has humped my poor cat, Dickens (Mr. Mellow just sits there and complains loudly) and today Dodger left the dog park “shackled” in a no-pull harness and leash. I’m thinking he needs black and white prison stripes to go with his coat. Clearly, the patience must last a bit longer. They teach us every day, don’t they? Yours in humility -
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — January 6, 2009 @ 4:11 pm
Re: Karen’s adopting adult cats—kittens used to be the ones I adopted.
Then I wondered what happens to the older ones that have been abandoned. Now I will only adopt full grown ones. I have had wonderful fortune, even though the cats have had other experiences. They have all been grateful to have a good, stable home. I am glad I finally woke up!
Comment by Colorado Transplant — January 6, 2009 @ 5:17 pm
How often do setters push boundaries? Pepper’s trainer told us that his dogs (all various types of collies) pushed once a week, just to see if the same order was to be maintained.
I’ve found that Pepper (mostly Border Collie) pushes about every 2 or 3 months. Just be prepared that Dodger is going to “push” every once in awhile, then reinforce what the order is and things should be okay — until the next time.
Heather had posted a link on her blog about some famous dog trainer’s use on “yielding” — I’ve used it on Pepper and found that it cleared up that 10 to 15% she thought about “not listening” — even better than making sure I enter the door first, etc. Might be worth a try. . .
Comment by Dorene — January 6, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
Phyllis,
don’t feel bad. In my talk above about Mandy’s bratty times being few and far between now…she immediately started being bratty! LOL
Oh well…they ARE both getting better. :)
Comment by Marcy — January 6, 2009 @ 11:24 pm