quote:

Originally posted by OMCHamlin:
One thought from a friend was that I am always the "bad guy" that hauls her to the vet, and she is bad about taking medicine, so I (and I alone) have to open her snout and shove a couple of pills down it twice a day. For years she seemed to accept that without issue (not that she liked it, nor did I).

Does she like peanut butter? If yes, this is what I'd try:

A couple of times a day, someone, maybe not you since she has a bad association with the medication ritual, start letting her lick a glob of PB off of their fingers. Once she's used to that daily ritual, coat a kibble or two, or a piece of cheese or something else she likes, and let her take that with the PB. Get her used to that, where she's taking in a few pieces of solid food/treat coated in PB at least a couple of times a day, then try to slip in medication. If it's pills, you can cut them if they're large.

that stuff tears at my heart...let me hit the lotto and their wont be a kid or an animal in need.

I used to do what that man is doing. It was always tough seeing the trauma but the hardest part was rehoming them. I’d train all that stuff out and train obedience in. I’d want to keep each one so it was always difficult letting them go and ultimately I had to stop doing it. I got tired of seeing what people did to dogs, and it became increasing difficult to let them go. Good on him for it.

My parents adopted a dog like that. It would hide under the kitchen table. Wouldn't eat her food until everyone was gone. I think it was over a year before I saw her tail wag. It was always curled under her.

She's come along way and will run and play. Loves kids but is wary of adults she doesn't know. Still get scared of loud voices.

I was watching her for a few days last year. Had a set of keys on a string. Absentminded I started swinging them around my finger as people do. The dog saw that ran and hid. I felt really bad after that. Can't imagine what someone did to her.

quote:

Originally posted by synthplayer:
I wonder how she got so terrified.

Abuse, neglect and lack of patience, basic ignorance...

We have 4 dogs, 3 of which are rescues and "my" dog, Molly was on a kill list and thankfully a friend called me and told me about her for reasons I still do not fully understand but am very thankful she did.

Molly's backstory was she was found as a stray and had been living on the streets then was adopted out twice and returned both times because of her mistrust of humans.

When we went to meet her she stayed in the very back of her cage and would not approach us, it was like she knew she was done and had given up. We had her brought into a play area and she avoided us completely but I told my daughter she is coming home with us because the alternative was she would die that night.

As soon as she figured out we were taking her away it was like a switch flipped and she jumped into the car like a puppy on crack and started kissing my face while I was trying to drive.

When we go her home it was obvious she had bonded with my daughter and I but there was a high level of mistrust for the other dog (we only had one other at the time) and my wife. She would put on a great game on snarling, growling and acting like she was going to bite but it never went past the "i'm a bad ass act" . It was also apparent she had been abused as she was very hand shy, terrified of brooms and mops and her lower teeth were broken.

Fast forward 3+ years and Molly and I are inseparable (she responds to the name girlfriend) but she still has trust issues and will cower and hide if things get loud. She is and will be a work in progress but I promised her no one will ever hurt her again and I will keep that promise

Poor dog is going to be so sad when she has to leave the foster home.

The guy is a class act, and I'm sure he'll have a plan to make the transition easier for the dog.

We rescued a dog that was taken to the vet to be “put down” because it was sprayed by a skunk and the owner didn’t want to deal with it.

The vet tech took him into the back and rescued him.

God bless that man. People like him are heroes to me and my daughter who is currently studying to be a vet tech.

My pup had some fear issues as well when we first brought him into our home. He'd shut down at the sound of a lawnmower or loud car and just lay on the floor shaking. Two years of love, scratches, and hiking adventures later he is one of the most confident dogs I have ever been around and has become my best friend in the whole world.

If you are looking to help animals like these please consider volunteering with a local rescue/shelter.

You can make a huge difference in their progression and it is incredibly heartwarming to see them make to adoption.

Ask me how I know

Great video!