Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject: Any advice please on smooth intro for rehomed lab
Hello - its my first time here so apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place.
I have the most gentle lab in the world aged 6 and we finally made the decision to get a companion for him to share his wonderful life
I've one in mind from Many Tears Rescue in Wales and we have yet to meet her (she is an ex breeding lab and lived in kennels all her life
Bailey is 6 and the girl dog is 3 - Bailey loves other dogs but I just wondered if anyone else has gone through the same experience and what tips can be shared to make sure that the new dog feels at ease and safe when brought home??
Would you fuss or just leave the dog to explore her new surroundings (inc 4 cats!)
Any advice and tips would be appreciated
Thanks so much in advance
If she's one of the breeding bitches from Wales, the poor little love may well be terrified and totally unprepared for 'home life', and you will have to be very patient.
There are several wonderful folks here who will be along with loads of advice. I'll just say, well done you for giving one of these poor little souls a caring home and very best wishes.
I haven't rehomed an ex breeding bitch, but an old unwanted gundog and a collie cross. Both of them need(ed) their own space, so make sure she has somewhere to go and just 'be'. Rhuna, the old gundog girl, was an absolute angel, she was wonderful, although with all the tlc she did develop selective hearing in her last couple of months. Chloe, an old permanent foster, has a few odd behavioural issues, thankfully none have been insurpassable for my basic level of dog knowledge, and she does definitely need her own space because of a lack of confidence.
Good luck with your girl, and well done for giving a dog in need a chance.
xx
Great to hear you're going to give a new life to a rescue dog!
If she's lived in kennels all her life you're going to need a lot of patience to help her adjust. We've only ever been a one-dog household so i can't advise on introducing her to Bailey, who sounds like a lovely boy.
I'd say make sure she has a safe haven of her own from the outset - an indoor kennel say - so that she has a quiet place away from it all when she needs it.
I wouldn't fuss, in fact 'ignore' her and get on with the daily routine. Dogs respond well to routine I think and she needs to know what this'll be now.
Also be aware that some of her behaviours may be extreme at first and don't panic! (I wish someone had told me this.)
If she's never lived in a house it might be an idea to keep her confined to certain rooms/area at least at first so it doesn't overwhelm her.
I hope this helps. Hopefully someone from multi-pet households will be along soon.
Hi FRE and Thank You for the response - yes she's from Wales and looks in need of a bit of extra TLC that I know we can give
We haven't even met her yet as she's in foster care at the moment - my aim is for them both to be soul mates and for her to have a great life she deserves with us
As a realist I know there may be problems but wanted to know what sort of problems I could be faced with - all a bit premature I know but want to get everything ready and hopefully prepare us for the transition
x
I think it will be very beneficial that you already have a happy dog as ex-puppy farm dogs I gather benefit from having another dog in the household.
I haven't rehomed an ex-puppy farm dog, but I do have a collie who was a dog on a farm in Wales before going into rescue. He then spent a total of at least two years in a couple of rescues before I adopted him and I think he had lived the sort of sheltered life a puppy farm dog would have - I don't think he was well socialised as a pup for example and then going from a farm to a noisy kennel environment must have been a bit of a change.
I was fortunate to know him for a long while before bringing him home, so although living in a house was a new situation (at aged five), we were pretty well bonded, which helped.
Usually it is recommended to introduce new dogs on neutral ground, I'm sure the rescue will give you advice on that - and also on how to make things easiest for the new dog, as they are experienced with ex-puppy farm dogs.
I have always introduced new dogs in the house/garden as it has worked well for us but I know that's not the standard advice.
I would make sure the new dog has a quiet space she can associate with as hers from the start, a covered crate with cosy blankets might appeal to her if you have a quiet corner to put one in? Let her explore her new surroundings in her own time, be patient, relaxed, don't force her into anything and let her gain your trust. I'm sure she will relate to your current dog and "feed" off him, which will hopefully help her settle in?
I would supervise feeding to make sure they don't argue over food and that each gets their own.
This is all general experience, not relating to ex-puppy farm dogs but might be of help. There are people on here who have rehomed ex-puppy farm dogs so I'm sure they'll offer some advice when they see this
Good luck, it's lovely to hear you're taking on a rescue, really hope all works out well and look forward to seeing the photos Don't worry if they don't become best friends immediately, don't rush them and they'll bond in their own time I'm sure. It's lovely when they snuggle up together though
Right are you ready for this as it will be a long post
Well done you for considering an ex breeding girl (i have one) you won't regret it Can i firstly say they are not like a normal dog many have been abused and know nothing of 'normal life' so you will need lots of patience and give her time and of course lots of love
Not sure where to begin really will answer your questions and if you would like any more help/advice if i can give it feel free to email me mrsm66@hotmail.co.uk am only going on my experience of my Maggie
Firstly introductions ...........introducing them may not be so easy as in when you bring a pup home and take it in the garden. As these girls often don't know how to walk on leads etc it is in fact like having a full grown pup . Many Tears will help and advise you on this one . Maggie came into the house after being carried from the car and ran into a corner and there she stayed . She was petrifed of everything and anything apart from Baxter (my other lab).
You need to just let her be i completely ignored Maggie no eye contact but continued to speak to her as i carried on with the daily routine . Wouldn't put her in any type of crate at all as this can be associated with how they have been kept. She will follow your dog hopefully. Make her a bed and she'll decide if she wants to get in it first night i kept her in one room with Baxter and me on the sofa with water very close to her so she didn't have to move to far (which she didn't do she crawled) .
Regarding the cats think you may find she will just ignore them and with her being a new dog they'll stay out of the way. Let her wander around i wouldn't follow her .
There is so much to say but far too much to post .........
Please ask Many Tears for advice to, which i am sure they will give to you. Patience is a huge part of owning a special girl like this but so rewarding to see them shine and grow into a 'normal' lab
Please do feel free to get in contact with me if i can help at all as i've said .
Will find the link to Maggies story so you can see how giving the girls love,time amd patience pays off by the bucket load
A link to Maggies story halfway down .....................
Hi Bailyboo, well done for considering one of Many Tears Rescue bitches. I got my Suzie fron there almost 2 years ago and have never looked back. Is the girl Chamois?
You will neeed to be very very patient and let her come to terms with her new surroundings and family in her own time. You will most probably have to take Bailey to meet her before Sylvia will make a decision about her future.
Suzie was very insecure and nervous when she came home and would not be separated from Katie, even now she does not like to be apart from her.
I collected Suzie without Katie and just let them get used to each other when I got home, they have been inseparable since.
Basically you will need to take one day at a time, these girls can take a while to adjust to home life, they will need to be house trained and taught what is expected them.
They make wonderful companions and seem grateful for every little thing you do for them.
Good luck, please keep us informed of your progress.
____________ Jayne, Suzie & Millie
Watched over from the Bridge by
Nikki, Beauty & Katie
Wouldn't put her in any type of crate at all as this can be associated with how they have been kept. She will follow your dog hopefully. Make her a bed and she'll decide if she wants to get in it first night i kept her in one room with Baxter and me on the sofa with water very close to her so she didn't have to move to far (which she didn't do she crawled) .
Sorry, didn't mean to suggest shutting her in a crate, more giving her a "safe place" in the form of an open and cosy crate in the corner of a room, but apologies if that's not a good suggestion here.
As I said, I've not rehomed an ex-puppy farm dog, but it was around nine months before my collie would allow my husband to stroke him. I don't think he'll ever be a "normal" dog as my other rescues are/have been, but he'll happily sit on my husband's lap now and will say hello to new people he meets. Sometimes you have to look back to realise how far you've come
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and welcome to LF from us all here 
Can i firstly say they are not like a normal dog many have been abused and know nothing of 'normal life' so you will need lots of patience and give her time and of course lots of love 
