Need a dog psychiatrist

[3goodeggs]

We all went 'awwww' at the Yorkie pic, and cracked up at the collie in the pink wig.
My son then asked if the Yorkie saw the Collie in the wig.
He said he'd be scared of you too.

It is great that you saved these two. Give her time. Trixie will get used to being safe and homed.
Our adopted dog took about six months to decide we were not a temporary home. But she had had so many temp homes, I understand why she needed to wake up one day on her own schedule and say to her doggie self, "I live here now. These are my people, and all is well."

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:
This is excellent advice.

 

[Creed Bennett]

Well I thought I would give an update on how Trixie is doing. I started using some of the advice you guys offered and so far it's working. My wife works third shift and one day while she was sleeping Trixie jumped up on the bed with her. I came in to find her curled up close to my wife. I thought it might be a fluke but the next day she did the same thing but was a little closer. Well last night I was going to bed (I sleep on the couch most of the time due to back issues) and got the couch all ready and I heard a rumble of thunder. Trixie came running up to me with this scared look and tried to jump up on the couch with me. She wanted up there but she was unsure of it and got right back down. I went to the bed and told her to come on up and she did. She snuggled up to me and I put my arm around her and went to sleep. Today she is acting a lot different around us. She made a giant stride last night. It feels really good that she has finally warmed up to us. She is a little shy about us petting her some times but she is 200% better. Thanks ALL!!!

 

[MeatKing]

So nice to hear Trixe so doing so good!! Looks like you got her figured out

Here's a quick story we had a dog "Red" adopted from an abusive home.. As kids we couldn't even pet him, as soon as you raised you hand, he would get scared..
Years later, you'd say hey Red lets fight, and the fight would begin.. You could push him (playing) and do tug of war.. A night n day change!!!

Great job resucing Trixie!!

She will be the best dog ever!!

 

[pdbantam]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! for saving her. I'm sure she just needs time. She probably has never been loved at all and just doesn't understand what you are trying to do. But OH if she's been in a rotten cage all her life, she so deserves your time and patience and LOVE.

 

[critterrun]

You are winning her over
it will just take more time

it can take some time

Thank you for saving her

 

[Redyre Rotties]

Quote:
It is heartwarming to hear this little dog is finally learning to trust you. Your patience will keep paying off.

 

[zzGypsy]

two years ago I rescued an airdale/black lab cross that had been kennelled the whole first year of his life with no contact. this beautiful dog was so frightened of people that if you looked at him he'd try to melt into the dirt. because of his long coat and how tightly tucked under he had his tail, I didn't realize he actually HAD a tail until I had him more than a month - I thought he was docked!

we buddied him up with a people-sociable dog-sociable lab/golden cross. we found he'd approach (but not too close) as long as the golden did, that he shadowed the golden whatever we did. we'd feed treats to the golden and he'd come up on the far side, we'd toss a treat to him. basically we used the golden as a buffer zone while he learned the rules, learned we fed and had treats, learned we didn't do anything shocking or scary. took about 3 months before we could touch him without having to reel him in on a line. took about a year before we could do something surprising without him trying to become dirt.

I've used this approach before with dogs that are dog-sociable, but people-shy. it gives them a safety zone to learn in, and they borrow confidence from the other dog.

if your collie and yorkie are buds, consider working with them together - treat for the collie, treat for the yorkie, pet the collie, perhaps a touch on the yorkie from over the back of the collie, keeping the collie between you for security zone. indirect contact worked for us - low intensity, sort of casual and low key. patience. you'll get there.

 

[Creed Bennett]

Well I was looking back through some of my older posts and found this one. Trixie is doing well. She's still a little skidish but doing much better. She loves to ride in the car with me and my wife. She scared the crap out of me the other day. I was working on a BBQ cooker with a friend of mine and she was outside with us. I heard someone talking and when I went to look at the road over the edge of the hill I live on I saw two mules pulling a wagon load of tourist headed up the road toward the state park i live near. We kept working on the BBQ cooker and didn't think much else about it. A few minutes later Trixie is gone. I get on my tractor and start riding down the road looking for her. My friend got in his truck and went toward the park. When I came back he was here and said that he caught up with the wagon and they said a little dog followed them for a little while and then disappeared. I get back on the tractor and go looking. She will pay attention to theway the tractor sounds since she see's me on it all the time. I go to my neighbor about 1/2 mile up the road and here comes Trixie running down the driveway happy to see me. I got off the tractor to pick her up and she would have none of that. I ended getting back on the tractor and she followed me all the way home. She now has a nickname. We call her Sweet T. Her sister Abby is doing well and is just a big ol' goofball.
Here are pictures of them now.

Notice the dirt on Abby's nose. She loves to dig.

 

[kmb221]

Your story reminds me of when we got our Jack Russell, Guinevere. My boss found her in West Virginia. No collar or anything and the neighbor was going to shoot her. Well, we took her in, but she was so scared that every time we opened the patio door she would fly out and run up the road. Can't remember how many times I chased her up the road. Well, anyway, she finally knew that we were going to take care of her and she has turned out to be the best dog. She is 9 years old now. We got her when she was about 1 year old.

Here is a photo of her trying to get a look at the chicks this past year.