General Question New rescue won't listen unless I raise my voice

[Shirley Wigglebutt]

Just adopted a 6 year old breeder surrender rescue. She seems very deprived of many things, doesn't know how to play, is very guarded over food and water and inhales both (got a slow feed/water bowl). She's great but will not listen until I raise my voice and basically yell. I know she hears me, her ears tell me she hears me but it's like she's intentionally ignoring me until I get loud. Is there anyway to correct this and how?

 

[Manydogs]

I had adopted a "breeder" who didn't know how to play,ate like someone was going to steal it. Maybe the one you adopted had to guard her food, so no one else would get it. She probably was never socialized, as far as speaking to her. She probably doesn't understand words-like they are a foreign language. It will take patience. Do you have other dogs? I would sit next to her, while she eats, and talk to her,just reassure her that all is okay.Don't pet while she is eating, until she learns to trust you, and relaxes. My dogs don't EVER growl or attempt to bite over foods, but they always eat like they are starved, though they get PLENTY! I sometimes would put your "newbie" on a leash,for "lessons" so when you call her(not shouting) you can pull her over to you, and give her a really good treat.(special for that..)and tell her how good she it! Practice that until she "gets" it. She basically has to be treated like a puppy, until she learns things. The first time my rescue went to the toybox and took a toy, was so exciting!! Patience and love is what she needs-she is in a new world!

 

[helsonwheels]

Just adopted a 6 year old breeder surrender rescue. She seems very deprived of many things, doesn't know how to play, is very guarded over food and water and inhales both (got a slow feed/water bowl). She's great but will not listen until I raise my voice and basically yell. I know she hears me, her ears tell me she hears me but it's like she's intentionally ignoring me until I get loud. Is there anyway to correct this and how?

All what [MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION] said...

Plz do not raise your voice. Pointless. Baby steps

 

[gobronco]

Just adopted a 6 year old breeder surrender rescue. She seems very deprived of many things, doesn't know how to play, is very guarded over food and water and inhales both (got a slow feed/water bowl). She's great but will not listen until I raise my voice and basically yell. I know she hears me, her ears tell me she hears me but it's like she's intentionally ignoring me until I get loud. Is there anyway to correct this and how?

Shirley, I agree with Lynn [MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION]. It is going to take patience. We adopted Bruno in November and it took him a while to respond to his name. He still comes like a rock unless there is a goldfish (cracker not a swimming goldfish) involved. As far as the food guarding, you can try hand feeding some of her food. pull the food away if she gets aggressive. Watch the fingers. As far as the playing, she may or may not learn to play. you will have to work with her and see what happens. She will bond with you and steal your heart. Thank you for adopting her. Give her time, it will be worth it.

 

[Shirley Wigglebutt]

Shirley knows her name very well. I stopped raising my voice but do have to use a deeper strong voice to get her attention when she ignores me. She is not food aggressive, just food guarding. I can stick my hand directly in her bowl while she is eating without any issues. I do not have any other dogs or inside pets, as she was advertised needing to be an only dog anyways. I had lost my feline late last year who had been by my side for over 16 years and I couldn't stand being completely alone in the house and figured I should adopt one who needed me as much as I needed them and wound up with Shirley. I do have 2 outside mini sibling piggies I've had for a few months before adopting and 2 horses that I've had for almost 20 years now. Shirley is terrified of both species and won't go anywhere near them. She's been doing remarkable with potty training and she's gotten sit, stay, off, up, and come. She follows my hand very well. She loves being outside, I don't think she has had much outside time before. I think she has been overbred where they had to do a side c section on her and I believe she's been hit and abused. She cowers quite a bit. When I saw this I knew I needed to stop yelling to get her attention, and found a deeper serious voice that works some of the time. Baby talk doesn't work at all. She will also sit on the couch and her top lips start quivering and she starts growling softly for no reason. She's shown zero aggression towards me at this point though.

 

[thett]

It looks like you have gotten great advice and that you have made progress so far. Patience will be key and I look forward to hearing how she is progressing. Please continue to give updates.
I know she will become the best baby ever with the love and support you are showing her.

 

[Shirley Wigglebutt]

Thank you Thett, I have received some really good advice here and it is greatly appreciated. Shirley is my first English bulldog, however I've always loved the breed and did my research prior to submitting the adoption application. I realize most people that adopt don't always take into consideration the "baggage" that comes along with rescues, nor have the patience to undo that baggage when issues rear their heads. I'm home 24/7 (disabled from a vehicle wreck) so I am able to make quick progress with Shirley. She's so intelligent and learns very fast. She's learning to be a dog and learning how to play. We had our first "fetch" game today, wasn't perfect but was a very good start for her. I am so thankful to the bulldog rescue for what they do and blessing both Shirley and me to be together. I'll post updates and keep everyone informed of our process on this thread. Thanks again to everyone and the advice!

 

[Hankster]

This has been a fun read Wishing you and Shirley all the best and love to hear more

 

[Shirley Wigglebutt]

Shirley and I had a pretty big setback yesterday. I had been working on one of my bedrooms to make it her own room and a bigger space for the few times I need to go somewhere that I can't take her with me and for my sleep time. I'm still having to sleep in a hospital bed and it's too high and too small to have her in bed with me. I finally got her room finished and put her in there yesterday and she pooped on the floor and peed on my futon I had moved in there to give her a big o bed. Thankfully I had bought a waterproof cover and her pee did not seep thru and ruin the futon mattress. She had just been taken outside, so admittedly I was upset with her. I just can't figure out if she did it because she got upset with me, if she's not ready for a larger space, or if it's because that room used to be my beloved felines room. I had the carpet steam cleaned twice then put plastic down then brand new rugs over that. That is the only room she has pooped in (2 separate times) and she's tried peeing several times inside but normally I catch her and immediately take her outside. She does pee in the small room I had been putting her in for my bedtime, have only had 2 nights total she hasn't peed in there. I feel like a failure or I'm not doing something right.....

 

[2BullyMama]

Shirley and I had a pretty big setback yesterday. I had been working on one of my bedrooms to make it her own room and a bigger space for the few times I need to go somewhere that I can't take her with me and for my sleep time. I'm still having to sleep in a hospital bed and it's too high and too small to have her in bed with me. I finally got her room finished and put her in there yesterday and she pooped on the floor and peed on my futon I had moved in there to give her a big o bed. Thankfully I had bought a waterproof cover and her pee did not seep thru and ruin the futon mattress. She had just been taken outside, so admittedly I was upset with her. I just can't figure out if she did it because she got upset with me, if she's not ready for a larger space, or if it's because that room used to be my beloved felines room. I had the carpet steam cleaned twice then put plastic down then brand new rugs over that. That is the only room she has pooped in (2 separate times) and she's tried peeing several times inside but normally I catch her and immediately take her outside. She does pee in the small room I had been putting her in for my bedtime, have only had 2 nights total she hasn't peed in there. I feel like a failure or I'm not doing something right.....

dont be so hard on you or her.... it can take rescue up to three months to settle in. Time, consistency and patience will get you there.

 

[Shirley Wigglebutt]

I think I'm being harder on myself than I am being on her. Did I give Shirley her own room too soon? I've since put her back in the smaller room, am I messing up with this? She went into the rescue from the breeder in late November and I brought her home from the rescue January 4th. She was just spayed in December, laser spay. She was completely un-housebroken when I brought her home, and I realize that most breeders are kept in cages or confined to very small areas when the puppies arrive and I really hate having her in a small area for me to sleep or for the very few times I do need to leave the house and can't take her with me. She's pretty much gotten the routine down already both at the house and the doggie seatbelt buckle in routine in the car. She's extremely intelligent. She does sit and puts her head straight up and stares at the ceiling a lot, is that a bulldog thing or because she was kept in a cage and over bred (breeder bred her so much she had to undergo side c section at least once) in her 6 years?

 

[2BullyMama]

I think I'm being harder on myself than I am being on her. Did I give Shirley her own room too soon? I've since put her back in the smaller room, am I messing up with this? She went into the rescue from the breeder in late November and I brought her home from the rescue January 4th. She was just spayed in December, laser spay. She was completely un-housebroken when I brought her home, and I realize that most breeders are kept in cages or confined to very small areas when the puppies arrive and I really hate having her in a small area for me to sleep or for the very few times I do need to leave the house and can't take her with me. She's pretty much gotten the routine down already both at the house and the doggie seatbelt buckle in routine in the car. She's extremely intelligent. She does sit and puts her head straight up and stares at the ceiling a lot, is that a bulldog thing or because she was kept in a cage and over bred (breeder bred her so much she had to undergo side c section at least once) in her 6 years?

so sad to know she was bred that much! [MENTION=15364]oscarmayer[/MENTION] might have better insight, but I would say stay small on house space and give her time to adjust and learn.

 

[Shirley Wigglebutt]

Thank you

 

[Hankster]

Boy, you are doing so much for that girl. A lot of work and we who love these crazy bulldogs sure appreciate you putting in so much time and love for her. Gotta be hard to go through the pee poop thing, but hopefully that will get under control soon. Love and gratitude to you.

 

[Shirley Wigglebutt]

Thank you Hankster. She sure deserves a better life, way better than her past and I am going to do everything in my power to ensure she does. Shirley has been accident free for 5 consecutive days now in the smaller room! I guess I gave her her own room too soon, will give it another attempt mid to late next week if she remains accident free. She has really been enjoying outside time, makes me wonder if she's ever had outside time before the rescue. It's been really nice weather last couple of days, so I've let her have plenty of sunshine :0) I have recently notice if I move too fast she will cower to the ground and her jaw is misaligned. I will have my vet check her jaw on our first check up/flea and tick treatment this month. This tells me my baby has had a horrific start to her life and has been tormented and beaten. I expected some baggage as she was a puppy mill breeder mama, but I was not expecting all of this. I want to help her through these issues and get her past these things, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated for a sweet baby girl who blatantly ignores me. I took a video of her ignoring me on my phone, is there anyway to post it here for suggestions on that? The reason I started this thread....