# First Time Dog Rescue



## jcosta7990 (Mar 19, 2011)

Hi everyone! 
Just a few days ago I rescued a dog for the first time ever. He is a very sweet, very gentle hyper 2.5 year old toy poodle. As I expected the first two days he was with me he was very reluctant to go anywhere. He would sniff around and just kind of lay there if he felt it was ok. Now it has been just about a week and he has become so overprotective of me. 

When ever I am in the house with him, he follows me around with this look in his eyes like "let me sit on you, i need to protect you now!" And if I am sitting down, he always has to sit on my lap and guard me. He has severe separation anxiety. Just the other day, I went to my local strip mall and met up with a friend, he was obviously not socialized at all, going crazy when someone would walk by (not barking or growling, but more of a I need to meet you and make sure you're ok to be around her, jumping and trying to sniff people out). My friend and I went to a coffee shop where we sat out side. I went to go order my drink and once I left he was barking and whining and crying until I came back.

Now my question is, is this normal for a rescue so young, or just in general?

Thanks to anyone who can help.
Jordan.
Before:









After:









He was so matted over they shaved him like a sheep, I am just happy that no sores were found and now his coat will grow back nice and healthy.


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## Rinchan (Jan 4, 2011)

He so cute! And he looks so happy in the first picture ^_^ Thank you for rescuing!


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## jcosta7990 (Mar 19, 2011)

Chewy was about 91% matted over his entire body. I rescued him and pampered him so he would feel better. The second picture he was growling at the front door because someone was out side walking their other dog.

But is it normal for him to be so attached to me? Is it because I did rescue him and he now seeks more of a...psychological shelter from me?


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## lisaj1354 (Feb 23, 2008)

I can only tell you from my own experience.

Pepper was 1 1/2 when I got him. It took him about 6 hours before he had claimed my entire house as his own. It took a week until he felt comfortable walking down the block. 

Even now (a year later) he will react to some dogs and people as we pass them when we talk a walk. Some of them he'll ignore totally and some he just has to meet and sniff. If someone walks by him without acknowledging him, he seems to take it personally that not everyone thinks he's adorable (LOL), and he'll bark. He also seems to react to large male dogs - he barks his head off and shakes like a leaf at the same time.

When he sees me put my earrings on, or take my makeup case from under the sink, he will beg to sit on my lap and I swear he tries to make himself as heavy (all 8 lbs of him) as possible so that I can't get up. In that case, its not that he wants to protect me, but to stop me from leaving the house. 

When we are around other people, he will beg to sit on my lap too. I think that he feels more secure when he has the warmth of my body against him.


> Is it because I did rescue him and he now seeks more of a...psychological shelter from me?


Yes, probably. If you believe in a pack mentality, then you are now his pack. But that doesn't mean that you can't leave the house because of his separation anxiety. 

How does he show that he has SA? Does he howl? Pee/poop? destroy things? Are you training him to a crate? An Xpen?

I knew from Pepper's foster mom that he didn't need to be crated and was fully house-trained and peepad trained. But he had been fostered with a bunch of other dogs, so I was nervous that he'd feel all alone when I left the house. I gated him on the 1st floor of my house, left him with treats, a bowl of food, water and toys. I made sure I left a piece of my recently worn clothing on his little bed so that he'd have something of mine to snuggle up in. I also left the TV on so that he hears voices. I still do all these things.

I also make sure that I don't make a big deal about leaving, and that I do pretty much the same thing each time. There is security in that for a dog.

Honestly, it took me months to feel comfortable leaving him alone for more than an hour. Even now, anything more than 5 hours freaks me out, but each and every time I walk in the house, I realize he's been asleep pretty much the whole time! So while he may have missed me, it didn't stop him from sleeping the day away!!!


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

I suspect that some of the behaviors that you're seeing will dissipate as Chewy settles in a bit. You have to remember that he's been through a lot between his old family, the shelter, and now your house. He may be trying to force some security into a life that hasn't had much.

Having said that, you want to help him out as much as possible. Get him (and yourself) on a strict routine so that he's eating and walking and going to the bathroom at the same times every day. Most dogs like routine, but I've found this to be especially true of dogs who've been in shelters or passed from person to person several times. Buy a clicker and some treats and start working on some basic obedience, including a "settle" or "stay" command so that you can work on separating him from you on occasion. Institute Nothing In Life Is Free (see the NILIF sticky) and ask him to sit or perform a trick before he's allowed on your lap. Teach him to look at you, then take treats with you when you go out. Keep an eye out for passing people. Before he sees them, ask him to look at you and give him a yummy treat. When they pass, his focus will be on you, instead of them, and he won't have a chance to go crazy. Make sure to exercise, exercise, exercise...a tired dog is a much less stressed dog!

It's tempting to baby a little dog that seems to be having trouble adjusting, but rather than coddling him, give him the tools that will help him to feel more confident and secure in your home.


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