Help!!!

B

Barbie

Forums Novice
Where do Shelties originally come from?
Where do Shelties originally come from?
My husband and I have just become the proud parents of a beautiful 2 yr. old Sheltie rescued from a puppy mill one week ago. I fell in love with her the first time I saw her. She is a sweetheart. However, she is having many problems and I would like to know if this is "normal" behavior for a rescue dog. She is extremely shy and has tried to hide under furniture, in the corner, everywhere...until I got a crate and now she stays in there most of the time except when we take her outside to do her duty. The cage door stays open. She seems to have calmed down since we got the crate. I was afraid it would remind her of where she came from. Secondly, she doesn't want to eat. Of course I have no idea what they were feeding her. The only thing she has eaten has been a chicken nugget. I have tried feeding her every type of "good" dogfood. She just walks away. She is also very sound sensitive. She comes when she is called but then runs away. She always stays just far enough away that you can't pet her. I have had her to the vet for a checkup and everything if fine. What can I do to help her? We are showing her all kinds of love and affection. Nothing has changed so far. Is this normal?
 
It will take time. The crate makes her feel safe, so that was a great idea. I never had a rescue, but I do have a Sheltie who had been a show dog, never a pet, and had never lived in a house. For the first month or so she was extremely reserved, wanted nothing to do with me, and would always stay 5 or 6 feet away, staring at me and looking sad. She is now a cuddle bug.

Shelties are very sound reactive, so loud noises may always startle her, although as she feels safer, it may get a little better.

Since she ate chicken, maybe try a little chicken and rice? Mine was a reluctant eater at first too, but I learned she loooooved scrambled eggs, so I would scramble one egg and mix it with her food. It worked.

Good luck! It will be worth the effort.
 
I agree, it will take time. I have adopted two shelties as adults, they were not rescues though. In both cases, it took a while before they would leave their crate.

I would let her have her space for a little while, if she does not want you to approach her, don't. Let her get more comfortable in her new home. With mine, I did not try to go pet them. I just let them be as much as possible. They gradually started coming out of the crate more and more, started exploring.

As far as eating, have you tried feeding her in her crate where she feels safe? I have bowls that attach to the metal door of the crate. I normally only use them when I travel, but they are very handy. If I leave a dog in the hotel room in the crate while I leave for a bit, I can leave them a bowl of water. I can also feed them right in the crate and not worry about them making a mess in the hotel room. You local pet store may have them (I think one of my sets are actually parrot bowls), if not you can order them online. Here is an example http://www.petedge.com/catalog/sear...arch&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntt=crate bowls

I would try putting the food in her crate and leaving the room for a while.

Good Luck
 
Aw, she's doing just what our rescue Roxie did. I was sure Roxie hated us for about 2 weeks. She'd try to hide from us, and wanted to escape from the backyard :eek2:. Was uninterested in food, too. It took easily a month for her to warm up, and even that was tepid!

Your dog needs a few months to settle in fully. Shelties are sound sensitive as others have noted. Her crate is her safe place, so let her go in as she needs to. We used to lay quietly next to Roxie & just talk quietly, it was non-threatening for her & a good way to bond.

She also LOVED her walkies. Daily walks is what really won her over to us, at first I think she was casing the neighborhood for escapes routes but then she started liking the walks. For a couple weeks, she wouldn't have anything to do with us, except she'd come running from her hiding places for her walk!

Now, 2 years down the road, Roxie is a friendly loving girl, you wouldn't guess she was so timid once. I hope you can find the patience to wait for your girl to come around, there's nothing like that moment when she opens up & trusts you, and starts having fun with you & your husband!

For food, feeding in her crate is a good idea. You can mix a bit of canned food in to entice her to eat. Good luck, you can do this with patience, it will be worth it.
 
Help

I promise it will get better!! Lexi has been in our life for just over a year. We found that walking was the first step or shall I say steps to what has been a very difficult journey. We (mostly my husband) walked her 4 miles a day over mutiple walks. She was from a puppy mill seizure of over 500 dogs. We called her our self exercising dog as for hours in a day she would do laps in the house. We suspect she was looking for the other 499 dogs and planning her great escape. Much like all rescue dogs her story is similar with health and behavioural issues. I am on the Sheltie Forum many times a day and have received support from many members. Today she has a light in her eyes, a wag in her tail, spring in her step and yes, she comes to us in a fenced dog park and would spend hours on a knee.
 
All of what you have described is perfectly normal for a puppymill rescue sheltie who has moved to a new environment. Thank you for bringing her "HOME". Just keep on doing what you are doing. It will take her time, certainly more time than you might expect, but she will come around. Love her, be very very patient with her, keep offering her good food - and one day you will have a very loving girl on your hands. Let her take her own time to get used to you, and to her new physical surroundings. Above all, patience and continued loving care is what she needs right now. Don't worry about food. When she is ready she will eat. All the best to you and your new little girl. Regards, Will
 
First, bless you for taking this poor little girl in! Everyone here has given you great advice. They are absolutely right...what you're describing is very typical for a rescue puppy mill dog. She is probably not used to human contact at all, and only knows life in a crate. This is why she views the crate as her safe place now, which is just what she needs.

Take your time with her. You will need lots of patience but in time, she'll come to you. It has to be on her terms. Try sitting on the floor and just throwing high value treats to her. Then, wait for her to take one from your hand. Give her gentle pats and scratches and talk to her softly. She'll come around.

As Will suggested, putting her food in the crate may encourage her to eat. Try putting a bowl of food in with her overnight. Many dogs like this will eat when the house is quiet.

With lots of love, some time and patience you'll have a happy Sheltie in your house who will be forever grateful for the life you've given her!
 
Based on some prior experience with rescues, I would also add that your girl is likely suffering from depression. This takes time for her to emerge from. With patience and love -- and routine -- she will come into her own and blossom into a beautiful, confident Sheltie girl.
 
Thank You

Thank you everyone for your replys. It is comforting to know she is acting normally for a rescue dog. I have had many shelter dogs over my lifetime but never a rescue dog and I was not sure what to expect. My husband and I are patient people so I am sure using the suggestions you gave me, that things will work out. The biggest concern that I have now is that she is not eating. I've been told, when she gets hungry enough she will eat. That is not helping me. I want her to eat. I don't want to have her starving or getting sick. I will keep offering her food, in her cage, and hopefully eventually she will eat. I am going to try making her some chicken instead of the kibble chicken, and also adding scrambled eggs to see if that works. She is drinking though. Thanks again for your encouragment. :smile2:
 
If the chicken or eggs to not work, you might try warming a little canned dog food. I find they are much more attracted to it if it is warm. Just be careful it is not too hot. Warm meat flavored baby foods are another real popular one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top