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We rescued a Chihuahua from my sister and brother-in-law, who adopted him from a shelter. He is about three years old. When they first got him, he seemed like a good dog. I went to their house to babysit for a few days and he was also part of the babysitting.
He would growl at my brother-in-law whenever he walked into the room and he would cower behind my legs or whatever else he could fit behind. My fiance and I offered to take him off their hands. We brought him home to our kitten and 2 year old Pit/Lab mix. The Pit mix dog is very friendly and loving. He has gotten rather territorial since the new dog got here, mainly with food, but we are working on it.
The Chihuahua, Ned, is a good dog. We know my brother-in-law abused him. He growls at any man that walks through the door and hides in his kennel or whatever he can get behind. He never lets me know when he needs out. I can take him out six times an hour and he will do nothing until he gets back inside, where he will both pee and poop on the floor.
He is a very skittish dog. You can get up and walk across the room without even acknowledging him yet he will shoot up from wherever he is laying, bolt behind something or make sure that whatever direction your back is, he will be behind you.
He gets along great with our other animals and our 1 year old baby. If a man is around, he growls. If a man tries to pick him up, he snaps at them. My fiance was walking through the living room the other day, Ned freaked out and started growling at him and nipped at his foot as he walked by when my fiance wasn't even paying attention to him. He just did it out of fear for the guy that abused him. Then he ran away and pooped in the other room without a sound or whimper to go out.
Even when he is not feeling scared or threatened because a man is near, he will still not let you know he needs out. I have no idea what to do.
By Sarah E.
Good for you for giving this dog a 2nd chance. Sure sounds like he needed it. You have an unusual situation here, and I think you will need to really search for information on working with abused dogs.
9 months ago a stay Lab, mixed with something else he is not a full blood lab, with a tag and collar was found outside our house. The phone number and address had been scratched off leaving only his name available. He has not been allowed inside the house. My father doesn't like dogs inside. He has been outside the past nine months.
I am moving and would like him to be an inside dog. He is very hyper, but I believe that is because he has been attention starved. I would rather not kennel him because of how large he is. I forgot to mention that while he has been outside no one has struck him and only given him love so he is not as skittish as he used to be. I have read not to make him smell and not to spank him. I wouldn't want to do that anyway for fear of bringing back it's skittishness. How could I go about potty training?
By Duster
I have a one year old rescue dog that I'm having trouble house training. He was kept in a kennel his entire life so he just messed and peed in it, he had no choice but to. So using the kennel method is out. He's just now coming around and getting more comfortable here with the help of our other dog. He doesn't know any difference about outside or inside when it comes to pottying. He messes/pees anywhere in the house, including his bed. I need some help on this one. We have always used the kennel for training. Please help.
By Estea S.
I recently adopted a girl Shih Tzu mix. She was badly abused. I've been trying to take her outside every 3 hours, but I still find poop in my boyfriend's kids bedroom, on their bed, or on my bed. When she poops in the bed I call her a bad dog and I will flick her on the nose. I also put her outside thinking she will learn her lesson, but it's constantly going on.
If she is not pooping in the bedroom or on our beds then the she is peeing in the bathroom on the floor mat. I don't know what I can do, but I keep trying. When I do take her outside she only pees, but when she does poop outside I give her a Milkbone as a reward. Please help me potty train her.By Bajanbeauty
I just moved back in with my parents to help them out, but their dogs (a Beagle/Pug mix and a Chihuahua/Pug mix) pee in the house. They were both adopted and we suspect an abusive past. Plus they aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. I potty trained my Dachshund, but he's picking up bad habits from them. I've tried all the methods I used with mine (treats after going outside, going out with them, a schedule, etc.), but it's not taking.
By Shara
This is a page about training a dog that was abused. Training an abused dog often requires special steps even before the actual training begins.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I, too, rescued a dog. I have had him for a little over 2 months and he is about 11 months old. He was in a crate for most of his life I believe and not treated well.
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I adopted a dog from the humane society two years ago. She is part Jack Russel and Feist and I'm not sure what else.
I recently rescued a Pit Bull from someone that wasn't treating him right. He is about 1 year and 6 months old and had no training at all. My question is how do I house train a dog that is that old? He also was an outside dog.
I have an 11 month old Pit Bull/German Shepherd mix. I got her when she was 9 months old from a family that abused her (she has 2 missing ribs). I can't leave her in my car, because she chews everything up and I don't know why. Anyone have any advice?
I need ideas on leash training a physically abused pit puppy. The puppy is around 8 months old, scars over face, rescued from "fighters".
The 1 yr. old abused dog we adopted thinks he can sit on the living room sofas. I chased him off one sofa, so he went to the other sofa.
We need help potty training a 1 year old dog who was abused and is still nervous. We've only had him a few days. Suggestions?
