Another dog with problems...

[steamjam1]

Well I adopted another dog with problems. My first Dog, Zia was a hard-luck dog with alot of anxiety and fear issues. A year into it shes pretty much normal now. Has zero aggression problems, and is about as outgoing/friendly/loving as a dog could be towards EVERYONE.. :

I just adopted Zajka.. (Pronounced "Za-ee-Ka")Shes half Aussie/Border and I have never in my life seen a more timid, terrified of just about everything dog in my life. It took me a whole day with treats and a clicker just to get Zajka to go through doorways without having me pick her up and carry her through. She gets startled by the HEATER clicking on in my camper, and we started out by her refusing to do anything but sit in the dark corner of my office at work. This dog is a wreck. She shakes when I even look at her.. Something traumatic happened to her. If she's that scared.. I shudder to think what that event was.... Makes me cry thinking a human being could be so shitty he/she could do that to any animal, especially one that is "mans best friend"....

I couldn't help it when I saw her. I had to adopt.

If you want a buddy dog.. or cat... PLEASE for every kitten/puppy you see, there are atleast a hundred adult dogs/cats that are in shelters who NEED YOU. 

Pics soon to come!

 

[SoulRaven]

Good for you... keep up the good work!  I hope you make progress.. I'll be thinking of you and Zajka. 

Pat

 

[cyndi]

She could just be traumatized by the shelter. Sensitive, intelligent, high energy types can become shelter shocked .

Whichever, I'm glad she's landed safely, with you

 

[steamjam1]

 

[highdesertranger]

x2 what Pat said^. good for you, wishing you the best. highdesertranger

 

[steamjam1]

Makes me cry.. When I got her a few days ago, when I pet her not only did she shake in fear, but I could feel ever rib, every bone in her back and her hips. She is RAIL THIN. Pisses me off! People are so shitty.

 

[rvpopeye]

A cool looking pair of poochicles.
Slow and easy , good luck !
Keep us updated on progress.

 

[Wabbit]

People are people, so be more like a dog. Sounds flippant, not meant to be.

That tongue is funny!

 

[TrainChaser]

BCs and Aussies are fast learners. She might have been a puppy mill breeder dog -- they spend their life in a cage. When they get out in the world, they have a hard time dealing with the sensory overload. We mostly use two senses (sight, hearing). Their sense of smell is about 70,000 times better than ours. Their hearing is better than ours. Their eyesight is different than ours, they see motion better than detail.

Don't try to expose her to too much all at once. Don't take her places, let her learn the home area until she's comfortable with that. Then branch out gradually, and don't overload her.

And thanks for adopting a girl who really needed you.

 

[SoulRaven]

When I first got my Lacy, my Australian Cattle Dog, she was really thin.  We went through two separate rounds of de-worming.  She was also born deaf ....

But like most breeds descended from Border Collies, she is also very smart.  She watched my other dog, Taz, and mimiced what he did.
I took her to obedience class for puppies (she was about 2 yeas old)... we worked on hand-signals for the major things, "come", "sit", "NO!", "stay"... We've got that working REASONABLY well!    

But she's quite brave , she's a little piglet now.  Anyone who went to this year's RTR has met Lacy, I'm sure.  She likes to wander , meet people, and request a snack.  And yes, she needs to stay on a leash a lot more at gatherings like that. 

I've had her 5 years now, and she is doing very very well.  So, just keep plugging away. There's no substitute for a lot of love and affection.
No matter what, you've given her a pack to be a member of.  It is my experience that that is a huge priority for a dog.
Also, the bumper sticker: "Who Rescued Who?"... I'm a rich man with my little pack of canines!

Pat

 

[ArtW]

good on you for taking in that poor scared furkid, I know she has a good home now
that is quite a tongue lol!

 

[slynne]

Please be careful about making assumptions about abuse based on the behavior of the dog. I have a dog that I have had since she was a puppy and she is terrified of all kinds of things but especially anything that makes a loud noise. I am somewhat clumsy and knock things over all the time and she is so smart, that she anticipates it and goes running and hiding in the corner. I recently applied to foster a dog and was turned down because of this. I guess the person who did my home visit felt it was a sign that I was hitting my dog! I am not too upset about not fostering a dog with this particular rescue group but it reminds me that sometimes a dog can be traumatized by actions less than abuse (although if my dog could talk, I am sure she would claim that my dropping the mail on the floor because I balanced it on the edge of the couch to be abuse)

 

[Gigi]

Your story teared me up in good way. This is a GOOD ending for her to have such a loving person to be her safe place. You have gotten some good advice here, as always! I took on a feral cat about ten years ago. He was as wild as could be. He watched me interacting with my neutered cat and would start imitating him so he learned how to be a person cat from another cat. Maybe she will learn to be a person dog from your other dog and learn to trust the world through both of you-- it will make the transition go much faster!

And your dogs are stunning!!! Please keep us updated! We love our critters around here! <3

 

[GotSmart]

My kids say that we only adopt broken animals.  They enjoy being spoiled.  

I am a cat person, but that dog face is priceless. Soon she will begain to be a part of the family. (And take advantage of you.)

 

[SoulRaven]

Please be careful about making assumptions about abuse based on the behavior of the dog. I have a dog that I have had since she was a puppy and she is terrified of all kinds of things but especially anything that makes a loud noise. I am somewhat clumsy and knock things over all the time and she is so smart, that she anticipates it and goes running and hiding in the corner. I recently applied to foster a dog and was turned down because of this. I guess the person who did my home visit felt it was a sign that I was hitting my dog! I am not too upset about not fostering a dog with this particular rescue group but it reminds me that sometimes a dog can be traumatized by actions less than abuse (although if my dog could talk, I am sure she would claim that my dropping the mail on the floor because I balanced it on the edge of the couch to be abuse)

You know, you're absolutely right!  I had not thought of that.  With both of my dogs, Taz and Lacy, they didn't initially want to let me adopt because I lived in an apt.  They prefer people with houses and fenced-in back yards.   I was able to convince them that since I DO live in an apartment, and love the outdoors, they will get more outdoor time with me, especially since I'm the kind of guy who takes them everywhere (except in the summer, in regards to leaving them in the car).  Also, for all of the time I've had both of them, I was able to work from home.  So, they got as good treatment or better. 

So, yeah, even rescue organizations can have a lot of pre-conceived notions.  But... I'm glad they check out the newly adopted dogs, to make sure you're not an abusive butthead.

Regards,

Pat

 

[SoulRaven]

Anyone who went to this year's RTR has met Lacy, I'm sure.  She likes to wander , meet people, and request a snack.  And yes, she needs to stay on a leash a lot more at gatherings like that. 

 

[DuneElliot]

As someone else mentioned, Border Collies and their mixes do worse than almost any other dog in shelters...and what you are seeing is the result, not to mention what MAY have come before.

My male BC is super affectionate, but he is still very submissive to people and we all often joke that he could be the poster-child for the ASPCA even though he's never been abused...and then he's a totally different dog around cattle or livestock, or a ball!

Gorgeous dogs BTW...I'm a sucker for the herding dogs, with two of my own...they are not a "beginner" dog by any mean. Hope she slowly calms down and settles in to live with you; having another, calmer dog will help once they build a rapport with each other.

 

[steamjam1]

Ok so I am four days in with Zajka.

Here is Zajka at the beach with Zia in hot pursuit!

I've spent the last days not taking Zajka anywhere new just so that she gets acclimatized to her new surroundings. I had troubles the first day even getting her to walk through doorways..(weird) without treats and a clicker... She wont eat doggie treats.. I tried hot dogs, and chicken. She refused to eat them.. Finally out of desperation I tried salami. SHE CANT GET ENOUGH OF IT. So I went and bought two HUGE bags of Salami and off to basic agility training I went. Her previous people said she would never eat alot, and that shes a slow eater... I went and got grain free dry food like Zias, and some grain free wet food to mix in for now, and I don't think I have EVER seen a dog just PLOW through food as fast with feeling like Zajka does now. I've been feeding her twice the amount as I usually would with Zia just so she gains a few pounds. Its tough to get a doggie buddy to do anything with you when he/she is basically starving. I can tell Zajka is feeling better tho. This is going to be a long hard slog with Zajka. Shes just a wreck.

Thanks everyone for all your helpful tips and suggestions! Go adopt a furry friend!! They need you!!!

 

[steamjam1]

Holy crap zajka has reached a new EPOCH. She walked off her bed and ATE A FRENCH FRY as a treat!!!!

 

[ArtW]

WOW!