was my dog abused?

Question

Ever since we got molly she has been really scared of everything. Everytime someone drops something or there is a loud noise she gets really scared and shakes like crazy and wants to be near someone. Once the alarm for the oven went off and she disapeared we found her hiding in the bath tub shaking and scared and she hates the bath tub. I was just wondering if she was abused or something. What do you think?

sorry this question went twice

Answer 1

She may have been, but it could be that she's just sensitive and is developing a phobia of loud noises. This is not uncommon in otherwise healthy, happy dogs - fireworks are a major one. They can pick a phobia like this just from the reactions of their owner - people often react to fireworks in some way or other, and dogs can pick up on it and it develops into a phobia. Even comforting a dog when she reacts with fear can only reinforce the idea that there was something to be scared of in the first place - it may be better to let her make her way out from under the tub in her own time - or just call her from the place where the noise happened to try to teach her that it's OK to go back there!

The only way you can know for sure is by talking to her previous owner, or the shelter you got her from - but of course, they may not know, or want to tell you!

The most important thing is, this can be fixed. Talk to your vet - we supply these noise CDs called 'Sounds Scary' for desensitising dogs to loud noises. Look them up on the net, you may be able to get them for yourself. Since noise phobias are common, I'm sure your vet will be able to help further.

Chalice

Answer 2

Well, child abuse obviously has more serious affects, because an abused child could grow up to be a dangerous/violent person as a result of abuse. But this doesn't particularly mean that child abuse is inherently worse than any other kind of abuse, including abuse of animals. Comparing two evils as if it's a competition dismisses the seriousness of one of the, most likely equally horrible, evils. Child and animal abuse are both equally horrible, they're just horrible in different ways.

Answer 3

Yes it does. Did you get her from the pound, a breeder, and how old is she? I rescued a Lhasa Apso from the pound about 2 years ago. She was very afraid of loud noises and sudden movements. She would lie on the floor and put her front feet over her face if you reached down for her. I was never told she was abused, but I'm sure she was. I would certainly try to keep the noise level in your home as low as possible. Give her lots of positive reinforcement, and never, ever raise your voice to her or hit her. She will come around eventually, maybe not 100%. My Lhasa has improved greatly in 2 years because she has learned that "hands don't hurt", that she is loved and cared for and no one will ever hurt her again. Good luck with your dog, and just be consistent with her and love her like crazy! Poor little girl.

Answer 4

It's possible, but it's more likely that she may not have been socialized properly when she was a pup. If dogs aren't exposed to lots of different people, things, places, and sounds when they're young, they can be terrified of those strange things when they're exposed to them later in life.

It's also possible that she could have a genetic tendency toward fearfulness, or have a medical issue that is causing her to be so frightened by loud noises. If she had been abused, her fears would usually be directed more toward people and hand movements near her. Lots of dogs who have never been abused are afraid of loud noises. There are some things you can do to help her overcome her fear - the second link below (Shy Dogs FAQ) has some great tips and resources, including info about the shy dogs Yahoo! group, which has great info & articles.

These articles have interesting info about shy dogs:
Abused Dog?
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1751&S=1&SourceID=47

Shy Dogs FAQ:
http://www.goof.com/~pmurphy/shy-k9s-faq.html

This booklet is very helpful for conditioning a dog not to be afraid of things: The Cautious Canine, by Patricia McConnell
http://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DTB586

And this book is very helpful too:
Help for Your Shy Dog, by Deborah Wood
http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB632

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

It isn't clear from the history that you have given to deduce whether or not she was abused. She certainly, at the very least, was not properly socialized as a puppy. For some reason, she is not used to regular household noises.
How long have you owned her? How did you get her? What is her age? Does she have regular veterinary care? These are all questions that I would be interested in knowing before making a judgement call. I would talk to your vet more about this situation. And remember, never corner or come at her very quickly when she is scared. Give her space and the opportunity to be near you.

Answer 6

Not every shaky dog was abused. Some dogs by nature or by genetics are frightful, especially if they are small breeds. Chihuahuas and Toy Poodles do this very often, loud noises like lightening, garbage trucks and cars scare them to death.

As for the bath, think of it this way. If you just bought the most beautiful perfume, smelled like and angel, you wouldn't wanna wash it off. Dogs like the smell of a. poop, b. garbage and c. dirt
so, they would rather not wash it off. Most likely your dog associated the bath tub with smelling like a flower instead of a pile of poop. Which they don't like. Compromise with her, treat her to bath that is scent free. After a while, she should get easier, as long as she doesn't smell like a rose.

Don't get me wrong, it is very possible she was abused, but even so dogs can change in a minute because they live in the now. They remember the past but they live in the now, there are a lot of ways you can build up her trust and her confidence.

Obedience classes are the most practical way to help your dog build up her confidence. Fly Ball, and Trials are also fun but they are not for all dogs.

I don't know what breed you have or if she is a mix or whatever, but try and think about what you dog was bred to do, for example a Golden Retriever, a Poodle, or a Cocker Spaniel will love to play fetch and Fly ball,because they were bred to bring game back to their owners. While Border Collies, Sheepdogs, Corgis will love to run loose at a dog park. Small toy breeds like Pugs, Chi's and Toy Poodles will love obedience training and learning tricks because they are very intelligent. And big dogs like Huskies, Malamutes and Saint Bernard's will like to pull things like you on Rollerblades or a sled.

Good Luck i really hope it works out. If all else fails, a trainer, or dog pyschologist may help you further.

Answer 7

If you adopted Molly froma shelter/RSPCA then most likely, yes. Even the previous owners could have been cruel to her... poor Molly :(.

My friend rescued a cat called Tigger and she used to be petrified when she saw feet, so we thought that she'd been kicked around somehow... but after a while she got real comfy in her new home and now she lets people stroke her with their feet!

The meaning of the story:
You should wait until she's settled down fully and show affection to her often so she trusts you. After a while she'll know that you wont do anything to harm her and be fine! Best wishes to you and Molly!

Answer 8

Almost every litter will have a "wallflower", just like almost every litter will have a dominant puppy.
99.99% of the time when someone thinks they have adopted an abused dog, all they did was adopt a wallflower. Contrary to what PETA and HSUS would like you to believe, abused dogs are the execption not the rule.

Answer 9

Most likely she had an unfortunate life before you adopted her. It is impossible to know what she had to go through in life. I spoke to a pet psychic about my adopted cat who had troubles and she was able to help her through some tough times. But if that sounds too wierdo for you, just be patient and be loving and kind and very tactile with her until she trusts you. Be aware that loud noises make her frightened and maybe someday she will forget about those awful things that hurt her before coming to you.

Answer 10

Im assuming she is from a shelter? It may be that she was abused, or she might just be adjusting to your home, or she is just a flighty dog... I have a dog who is scared of his own shadow... and barks at it LOL...