Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:43 am Post subject: Rescue joining us tomorrow - update on Shadow's second visit
We have been approved by the Labrador Lifeline at the weekend to be adopters for a gorgeous girl called Shadow who is approximately 2.5 years old.
Shadow hasn't had the best of starts but in the last 3 weeks she has built up bond with her Foster family albeit very slowly with the men in the house.
We have agreed a phased introduction partly as she is very wary of new people, we visited her at the foster family and took her for a lovely walk and she behaved beautifully - a little low tailed to start with but with small wags by the time we finished.
Shadow came to visit yesterday afternoon for half a day and she will be back this afternoon - still shy whilst foster mum was here she would take a treat from my hand. She settled on to her bed in with a selection of toys, some new and some already hers and scamped off into the garden - we played and had fun but she is finding her voice and barked a few times when I approached so ignored her and walked back into the house. I was so pleased that she relaxed enough to have really long sleep and looked so cute.
So I am keeping fingers crossed that this afternoon goes well.
A couple of questions though I have loads running through my head -
... is it normal for rescue organisations to suggest not talking the dog on lead walk for the first few days?
... she knows her name and the commands sit, stay, come, heel but is not consistent but I think that's just her confidence and seeing what she can get away with. Would it make sense to reinforce behaviours through clicker training as she will take a treat but not all the time. Apparently her original owners were a working kennel so she has been trained to the whistle funnily enough she immediatley sat down on 2 pips!
... I know she suffers from separtation anxiety so I have some kongs which I will prepare for her when we need to leave her - does anyone use crunchy peanut butter or is it always the smooth one??
So I have a couple of busy weeks a head with the adoption due to be finalised in two weeks time fingers crossed.
Mods - if i posted this in the wrong forum then please move to the correct area! I am still finding my way around.
Last edited by JulesW on Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
Congratulations on finding and giving Shadow a forever home.
I am sure there will be some constructed advise along soon to help you settle her in.
Regarding the walking and not talking to her, it maybe just to not make her feel there is anything to worry about, and by ignoring her you won't be enforcing any concerns she may have to start off with.
I found our first rescue was very clingy [ still is my shadow] but try to ignore him unless he comes for some fuss, otherwise it becomes difficult to get on with things you need to do, then set aside play time when you are able, talking quietly helps, and routine also. It will be a little while for you to adjust to how she responds to your commands as they may differ from her previous owners, just do it your way and she will soon get used to things.
Give her a few days to settle, then start leaving her for a few minutes and build up to longer gradually, just as you would do for a puppy.
Good Luck, and enjoy her it will be very rewarding seeing her confidence grow.
We use both types of peanut butter - the dogs have no preference. To be honest, I just buy the Sainsburys basics peanut butter which I've had on toast myself and you wouldn't know the difference!! It's a little bit cheaper!
I haven't heard about "no on lead walks" but maybe it's just their way of trying to encourage new adopters of building a really solid bond at home first, so that should the lead slip out of your hand the dog is more likely to recall to you.
Good luck and let her know how she gets on... sitting on a whistle is VERY handy though... I wish I could get my dogs to do that
____________ Jane - Rosie, Frank, Suki, Lily, Lewis
I don't think it's "normal" for a rescue to say not to walk a dog for x days, but clearly in Shadow's case they think this is wise
I know when we adopted our first rescue dog, we were advised not to let her off lead for x weeks, until we had formed a bond with her.
I would just add, as general advice to anyone bringing home a new rescue dog, especially a sensitive one, to be careful about them escaping/running off during the early days. There have sadly been a fair few cases recently of dogs escaping/running away within hours/days of arriving in a new home (and sometimes before they've even made it to the new home!). Thankfully most are caught safely but it's obviously a traumatic experience for the dog and new family. Dogs slipping collars, escaping from an opened boot because they're not secured, pulling a lead out of a hand, running out of a door etc.
I don't mean that you are going to be less than careful in anyway, so hope this comes across as intended I just think those early days/weeks in particular when the dog doesn't know you or his/her new surroundings, are a time to be cautious. I know when our oldie, Jasper, arrived, he really just wanted to go "home". It didn't take him too long to realise that he was now home though
Thanks guys - well the weathers not so good today but she has been in the garden and snaffled some food, took a while for her to come in the house. She started barking again when in the utility - so i am having a time out and ignoring her but can here her pottering in the kitchen.
Well done for giving Shadow that forever home, and hope she settles in well. I have no experience with a rescue dog, apart from the ones we meet out and about, so am not sure about the lead walking, but what Angela says makes good sense.
We too used a cheap brand of peanut butter, and Pen never minded.
You have done a lovely thing giving Shadow a home but it will seem very strange for both of you til you get a routine sorted out, but am sure once Shadow feels confident it will be so worth it.
Keep letting us know how things go xxxxx
Wonderful news Shadow is going to be a lucky girl from now on!
Maybe she is scared of being on a lead. Poppy was when we got her, clearly bad stuff had happened on lead. Do you think maybe they just want to try and let you build up a bit of a bond before attempting something she is wary of?
We tend to use the smooth peanut butter... because I like it The girls have it with mashed banana, bits of soaked kibble, yoghurt etc, and then frozen to last longer.
If I leave them in the kitchen, I leave the tv on and that really seems to help with seperation anxiety. Vicar of Dibley is the favourite!
Look forwards to seeing more photos
____________ Rach and the two choccy monkeys Cassie and Poppy XX
So today I had the teenage sulks ... Shadow didn't want to play much, she spent much of today's visit sitting by the door wanting to do a Harry Houdini at any given chance!! or sitting by the garden gate...
She was happy for me to put a lead on her and take her out onto the drive and she met the postman and there were no growls or pulling just happy to either sit or stand whilst I chatted.
At about 3.30 she decided to sit on her bed and ignore her toys and did her best nodding dog ... I am not sleepy, I am not sleepy... ten minutes later she gave in lay down and snored until her foster carer came to the door - so I sent her into the garden for toilets. Then after having all afternoon to wander around the house - off she trots to find the comfy sofa but is too well behaved to jump up!
So I have given her lots of praise and I was allowed a cuddle and a stroke, some ear tickles.
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Rescue joining us tomorrow - update on Shadow's second visit
We have been approved by the Labrador Lifeline at the weekend to be adopters for a gorgeous girl called Shadow who is approximately 2.5 years old.
The girls have it with mashed banana, bits of soaked kibble, yoghurt etc, and then frozen to last longer.
