Charlie's Thread

[HuffleClaw]

Love my terrier mix! High energy, super smart, LOVES to cuddle. Just need patience and structure routine. Best dog I’ve ever owned!

Does s/he have lab in him too? Adorable pupper

 

[Iluveggers]

Does s/he have lab in him too? Adorable pupper

No idea! His mom was Boston terrier, (all siblings have the BT black & white markings except him), and we see pitty in his jaw when he smiles, but he was a rescue so the rest is a mystery!

 

[HuffleClaw]

No idea! His mom was Boston terrier, (all siblings have the BT black & white markings except him), and we see pitty in his jaw when he smiles, but he was a rescue so the rest is a mystery!

I can see the pit now that you mention it. I love the sweet face of pits. Am stafs too

 

[HuffleClaw]

I gave Mr. Charlie the works. It was a little warmer today so he had a full bath. I used an oatmeal based flea shampoo, and a flea comb. I didn’t find not one flea (he goes back on flea pills in the spring). The only thing in the water was some fur and dirt.

 

[lomine]

I've fostered rescue dogs, specializing in terrified and feral ones for 21 years. I will say that dogs like this need three things: 1. A calm handler that is not afraid of the dog at all 2. Medication for 6 mos to decrease the anxiety. 3. Daily training in that 6 months and taking them out to many places. Training with a trainer is a MUST! I still train with a trainer at least once a year and I'm constantly training new dogs. This is because your TIMING on your rewards and corrections must be perfect or you won't get the desired effect. The trainer is the person who helps you perfect that timing. Although they are also a great resource for tools to accomplish your goals.

Never, and I mean NEVER physically force a scared dog to do anything. You don't need to and if you were scared and somebody GRABBED YOU, what would you do? I'd kill the person LMBO You can be calm, walk the dog on a leash to the crate and stand there. They know to go in. Toss a few treats in. If they don't go, completely stay calm and wait. After 5 minutes, walk away with the dog on the leash. Do some commands that they know and reward. Walk back to the crate and toss a treat or two. When they go in, unhook the leash and praise. Give a few more treats when you close the door. If the treats aren't getting them in the crate, you need to increase the value of the treat with a better treat. I use: skinless boned boiled chicken breast, cooked chicken livers, and Stewart's dried liver treats. Then don't keep the dog in the crate for more than an hour before they come out. The crate is only for nighttime and short times. If you use it for 8-10 hour days, plus night, they hate it because you are torturing them!

Take the dog to the vet, ask for a prescription like Prozac or Clomicalm. They are NOT sedatives but dramatically decrease the anxiety in most dogs. They will not "fix" your dog without daily training. You have to train them and take them everywhere, usually for shorter times than other dogs, but they MUST be exposed to everything they are afraid of. If you have to muzzle them, then do it. To "cure" them is a 6 month process of daily taking them out. If this makes YOU filled with anxiety, then you've found the problem (YOU, because you are transferring your fears to the dog, and making their fear worse) This is where the trainer can really help you! If you refuse to do these things, please either put the dog down or re-home him to a better home, because these dogs can live normal lives with the correct person!

I think it's great you foster dogs. I'm sure you've helped a lot of dogs over the years.

But...

Judging by your reply, you only read the first post and not the 10+ pages of additional information, advice, and updates. If you had you'd know that OP and Charlie have made progress and are improving every day. You'd know that OP has put in a ton of work to improve communication between them and to better fulfil Charlie's needs. OP knew it would be a lot of work but is moving forward giving everything to make it work.

I'm guessing you are very passionate regarding this subject after so many years of fostering. While I am sure your advice was given with good intention, it really came across as judgmental. Seemed more like an adult lecturing a naughty child than a person trying to give genuine advice. Perhaps that's why I felt the need to advocate for OP. You may have years of experience and could offer great tips for OP, but that really wasn't the way to say it. If it were me, I would stop listening to a person that came at me with the attitude that was portrayed in your post even if they were an expert. I'd rather interact with people that can help me but won't be so critical and rigid. I guess my point is, the way you word things matters.

 

[HuffleClaw]

I think it's great you foster dogs. I'm sure you've helped a lot of dogs over the years.

But...

Judging by your reply, you only read the first post and not the 10+ pages of additional information, advice, and updates. If you had you'd know that OP and Charlie have made progress and are improving every day. You'd know that OP has put in a ton of work to improve communication between them and to better fulfil Charlie's needs. OP knew it would be a lot of work but is moving forward giving everything to make it work.

I'm guessing you are very passionate regarding this subject after so many years of fostering. While I am sure your advice was given with good intention, it really came across as judgmental. Seemed more like an adult lecturing a naughty child than a person trying to give genuine advice. Perhaps that's why I felt the need to advocate for OP. You may have years of experience and could offer great tips for OP, but that really wasn't the way to say it. If it were me, I would stop listening to a person that came at me with the attitude that was portrayed in your post even if they were an expert. I'd rather interact with people that can help me but won't be so critical and rigid. I guess my point is, the way you word things matters.

Thank you

 

[HuffleClaw]

Charlie had his neuter surgery Jan. 3, so it’s been well over a month now. Well, he’s still been staying in to “recover” (he was back 100% within 3 days). Today I decided to clean his outdoor kennel and I’ll still bring him in at night like always. But the main reason for putting him back outside is that when I’m gone he gets fed things that aren’t healthy because “he was hungry” (no, he isn’t. I measure his kibble to suit his needs). Today was where it passed the line. He consumed at least 1.5 pounds of bacon ends… expired (not molded or anything but past the best by date)… I’m a little upset considering that bacon in general isn’t healthy for dogs, much less 1.5 pounds of it! My poor baby was bloated and had runny poops this afternoon. But he’s acting normal so I’m thinking he will be okay. I’m just wondering what he is fed that I don’t know about now… ughhhh

 

[Iluveggers]

Charlie had his neuter surgery Jan. 3, so it’s been well over a month now. Well, he’s still been staying in to “recover” (he was back 100% within 3 days). Today I decided to clean his outdoor kennel and I’ll still bring him in at night like always. But the main reason for putting him back outside is that when I’m gone he gets fed things that aren’t healthy because “he was hungry” (no, he isn’t. I measure his kibble to suit his needs). Today was where it passed the line. He consumed at least 1.5 pounds of bacon ends… expired (not molded or anything but past the best by date)… I’m a little upset considering that bacon in general isn’t healthy for dogs, much less 1.5 pounds of it! My poor baby was bloated and had runny poops this afternoon. But he’s acting normal so I’m thinking he will be okay. I’m just wondering what he is fed that I don’t know about now… ughhhh

Who feeds him while you are gone? That’s awful & can make him sick.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Who feeds him while you are gone? That’s awful & can make him sick.

Usually my mother is the one that keeps up with letting him out and he’s fed once by me every morning before I leave and he gets a second meal when I get home. So no one should be feeding him while I'm gone regardless. Today he didn’t want his second meal (understandably). Im hoping everything is alright by tomorrow.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Charlie is all good now I bought him some raw chicken feet today, managed to catch a good sale on them again. He’s had them before and absolutely loves them. I also got him some canned pumpkin.