Ill treated Dog... Help !?

Question

I got a Boxer from animal rescue about ten weeks ago. It was very thin and very nervous and seemed to be very badly treated.
It now has a good loving home, it is well fed (and snooring very loudly beside me at present. )
It gets good exercise and has the free run of 20 acre fields beside me.
But when i try to bring him back home, i.e. put the chain back on him or call him. he cowers and runs from me.
My daughters friends tried to pet him one morning and he developed uncontrolable shakes in the hind legs.
He is scared of shadows, bus stop shelters, well basically every thing.
Any advice. Please.

Answer 1

he needs time to adjust to his new home if he was badly treated before he probably has no trust and you need to gain his trust by talking to him and spending as much time with him as possible have you thought of asking the vets advice about this or enrol him in some dog training classes its going to take time when an animal is mistreated they don't forgive very easily and tend to remember Ali the bad things that happened rather than the good things that are happening in his life now i wish you luck

Answer 2

This isn't going to change overnight. You need to build his trust in you and in himself. What ever you do, DO NOT reward him when he is scared. People talk to dogs & pet them when they are cowering, and that encourages the behavior.. If I shake and cry, I get attention... NO GOOD. that causes instability and could, down the road, trigger a bite.

When you put the collar on, make the dog come to you. Never chase him down. Kneel down, offer a treat, then place the collar on. This way, he will assocaited coming to you and getting collared as something good.

Be confident around him. Walk him daily.. multiple times if possible. Talk in a nice voice only WHEN HE IS BEHAVING! Encourage the good times. I would also have your daughters, if they are old enough, to do the same.

A tired dog is a good dog.. less chance to get into trouble. But I wouldn't let him run free. Too dangerous and he could take off. esp since he doesn't come when you call.

I would keep up the positive reinforcement.. and if you don't see results, a dog trainer will be necessary.

Best of luck!

Answer 3

It does sound like it has been miss treated and badly. They always say that a dog is thick (i know that sounds harsh) cause you can do what you like to a dog and they always come back and forget. I don't think that saying is totally true. The reason they say that is cause a cat would never return to someone who miss treats them they would just run off. So i believe the person who had the dog before you was really cruel. The dog with time will adjust to you and your family, try not to raise your voices and stamp about for a few months until it settles, also ring the place where you got your dg from and ask do they have any back ground info on her/him. Thankyou for rescuing the dog, the world needs more people like you. Good Luck

Answer 4

Time, patience, perseverance. That's what it takes.

Your dog was probably abused as a puppy, and still has an inherent distrust or fear of other humans.

Be good to your dog, provide him with lots of love and comfort, be sure to give positive reinforcements in the form of petting and soft spoken compliments.

When you want to take the dog back home with you, try to lure him in by giving him a treat, GENTLY put the leash on him, and once you're done, give him another treat, so he learns to associate being on the leash with positive experiences.

Have your daughter's friend slowly, gently and calmly approach him to pet him. Make sure you or someone else that the dog trusts is also there, comforting and petting him while this happens. The dog WILL still be scared, but he'll get used to it with time.

Boxers adore human contact, they love and are great with children. We have an 8 year old white boxer, and a 3 year old son, and they love each other.

If you treat your dog like you would any other member of the family, he will eventually outgrow his fears.

Be patient, loving and caring. It will take time, lots of it, but it is more than worth it!

Answer 5

That is the one bad thing about rescuing an animal from a shelter...you just never know their history.

Ten weeks should be enough time for him to be settled in with the family. Have you done any obedience training? What kind of chain are you using? If you're using a "choke" chain or pinch collar, you may be hurting him, or his prior owner could have used those and hurt him. I would try a traditional nylon or leather collar. Also, if he is still really thin, the collar may be putting too much pressure on his neck. You can try a head collar or harness to make him feel more comfortable.
Good luck!

Answer 6

It is going to take lots of time and patience. There may never be a time when he is totally comfortable; and that is ok. Don't overdo the stimulus. One person at a time should pet him, if he doesn't like his shadow or bus stops then take him out when it is cloudy and stay away from bus stops.

Maybe a few sessions with a behavior specialist at your local Petshop (Petsmart, Petco etc) might be helpful.

Just be nice, use positive words and praise often, an occasional treat and be consistent.

Thank you for rescuing him.

Answer 7

Ah bless, poor little thing. Please be patient, it may take a very long time before your dog can learn to ever trust anyone again after being treated badly. Be calm all the time with him, dont make sudden moves or shout around him as this will scare him. Take things slowly, make a fuss of him when you can, encourage, praise and reward him, ie a little treat here n there, even a nice cuddle or stroke so he knows he is loved and will gain trust in you. Please dont give up on him, he needs you and your love. This may seem silly to you but even give him a rag or old teddy that he knows is just his, he can take take it where he wants and it may become like a security thing to him, a bit like children have really. Well I hope he settles soon, all the best with him, give him a stroke from me, remember it WILL take time and determination.x.

Answer 8

That's a shame i don't know how people can be cruel to defenceless animals in my local paper today a man was out walking and found 2 dead dogs, 1 had been decapitated and the other shot with an air gun both had been tortured before finally dying in pain it makes me so angry people can do this sort of thing. I'm gald you have given your dog a happy home and i think give the dog time to adjust to a loving family and he will come round. I hope it all goes well :)

Answer 9

That's the only bad thing about getting an animal from a rescue center. But go on that Dog Whisperer site- I've seen a show where he dealt with a rescue animal that did some of the same stuff. Who knows, his technique might work for you!

Answer 10

Bless you for doing this. I have done it myself several times. Expect this to take, time, patience, but most of all--a lot of time together. Reassuring words can go a long way. You also want to make sure that you dont have a fear biter on your hands, since it seems to be afraid of everything. You have done a great thing, and your puppy will always be grateful to you. Long walks,and in my opinion--calm conversation is a big thing..This might sound crazy, but it worked for me......I read my latest rescue, bedtime stories--I think it was just the soothing voice that helped. Good for you for doing this. Good Luck. And remember--everything you put into this dog will come back to you tenfold...