Rescue groups often see dogs that got off to a rough start in a home where they were mistreated by adults, or by the kids left to run wild and do anything they wanted to their pet. A dog mistreated by its family may be extremely friendly and beg for love and attention, then suddenly become needlessly defensive by an unexpected move you may make. The dog may mistake an innocent movement to mean he better get ready to get hit or kicked or have his ears pulled. People who may not have been treated very well themselves are likely to pass on something even worse to the dog. But fortunately, dogs are more forgiving than people most of the time.

Chipper “the Nipper” is a classic example and one very lucky little Chihuahua. His owner, who may have been a perfectly wonderful dog owner, had a stroke and could no longer care for Chipper. At only four pounds, Chipper was taken in by a family with small children. Before long this family delivered Chipper to the vet with instructions to destroy him. He was reportedly “vicious” and biting the children. The vet got permission from the family to turn Chipper over to a rescue group if someone would take him.

When Chipper was picked up by SmallDog Rescue, he growled and snarled from the protection of his little crate. When the door was opened, he would whimper and approach his rescuer with his head down, even climb into her lap, anything for love and attention. But as soon as the rescuer made a move to touch Chipper, he would curl his lip and growl, then snap, then try to make up again. The key for Chipper was to completely ignore him for two days. No eye contact, no attempt to touch him, nothing. Then, some soft talking and, slowly, a little eye contact, then a slow, gentle, and very brief touch. Within a very short time Chipper’s trust had grown to the point where a collar could be put on him, he could be picked up, and taken for walks. As the trust grew even stronger, he even tolerated fingers gently and playfully poking at his mouth and ears, playing with his feet and tail, completely unafraid and loving every minute. Chipper has a new life growing from his new trust.

The 'GETTING TO KNOW YOU' period is especially crucial for abused and neglected dogs. Like Chipper, in the beginning these dogs need to feel extra safe for a while, until they understand that you do not wish to mistreat or hurt him. Dogs are very loving by nature and usually if they show inappropriate aggressiveness it is because someone has hurt them in the past, probably repeatedly or at a very young age. Here is a list of DO'S and DON'TS that are especially important for the first few weeks.

DO . . . . Have an identification tag on the abused or neglected dog at all times. If he got scared and got away from you, how would we ever hope to get him back without a tag? Animal control will put down these “vicious” dogs almost immediately if they have no tag.

DO . . . CRATE HIM if you know there will be loud activity such as workmen or children or fireworks. There is no use in taking chances.

DO . . . take him places, but ONLY WHEN HE REACHES A POINT IN HIS SOCIALIZATION THAT THIS IS SAFE.It may take weeks before you can do this without incident. While out, encourage people to PET him. It helps if you carry some special soft treats that he never refuses and let your friends and even strangers give him some. In this way the dog learns that other people can 'bear gifts' and may not be so bad.

DO . . . let the dog sleep with you if this works for you. It is a great way to bond with him. If you do not want him on your bed, at least let him sleep in his own special place in your bedroom.

DO . . . keep some treats at your front door when you know someone is coming over, the soft kinds in a bag like Pupperoni or Beggin' Strips. Ask your visitors to come in, baby talk to him and give him a treat. Again, this helps the dog to begin to see strangers in a new light. Food bribery can work wonders with dogs.

DO . . . use your falsetto voice (especially men) to baby talk him. Tone of voice makes a great difference. Often abused dogs are afraid of everyone but sometimes only men. Talk to the dog a lot in this soft baby voice - dogs love it and you can see their bodies begin to relax.

DO . . . practice the command 'come' indoors on the leash and use food treats. Often these type dogs have never been on a leash and they think you are trying to strangle them the first time. They may thrash wildly trying to get away from you. It is so difficult to hunt for a panicked dog that has succeeded in getting away, and too often the results are tragic. We know. It is a lot easier to be extra careful at the start. However, if your dog does get away from you, CALL US IMMEDIATELY, DO NOT WAIT!!!! We know what to do in this situation and it may be a matter of life or death if it is not handled correctly and quickly.

DO . . . If you must give medication, hide it in soft cheese or bread with peanut butter. Avoid confrontation.

DON'T . . . Push the dog aside with your foot. He may have been kicked.

DON'T . . . .Grab the dog suddenly. Speak to him softly and lovingly before you pick him up to avoid surprising him. Avoid fast movements and loud sounds.

DON'T . . . put your face in his or let others do that. Dogs often find this threatening.

DON'T . . . Take things away from him until you develop a trusting relationship.

DON'T . . . Try to drag him out from under a bed or out of a crate or a corner where he feels safe. Instead, use coaxing with a toy or a treat. You really have to save any sort of discipline for after you establish a trusting relationship or you will only scare him and actually reinforce the very behavior you are trying to eliminate.

DON'T . . . Play too roughly. He may misinterpret that as abuse. Don't rough him up even in play. Just gentle petting and baby talk. Some dogs may have a trigger point where they have been mistreated, such as ears, tail, neck or genitals. If you find a trigger, DON’T pull it!

DON'T . . . FORCE ANYTHING - BUT NEGOTIATE EVERYTHING. If he is sitting in your seat, coax him down rather than push him.

DON'T . . . OPEN YOUR FRONT DOOR without having the dog either on leash or behind a closed door. Many times we hear "but he was way back there on the sofa and just bolted." Especially in the beginning, don't put anything past the dog - these dogs will often dash for the door out of sudden fear, even though they looked relaxed a moment earlier. For the dog’s safety and your own peace of mind, don't trust what the dog may or may not do until you know him better.

If he gets away from you, DON'T chase or act alarmed. Squat down and baby talk and coax him toward you. It may work to invite him for a ride in the car. You can jingle your keys and say, "lets go for a ride" or open the car door and say, "come on - let's go" But never make him think he is in trouble. Dogs that run from you will often jump into an open car door with a little encouragement. Praise him when you do catch him. CALL US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you need help finding him

If he must be groomed or vetted, be sure to tell the groomer of his history and suggest he wear a muzzle. Buy and put a muzzle on him when anything might be an issue.

FLIGHT RISK Is at a high potential with a new dog, so be sure he is on leash before car doors are opened.

Children can't always control their high spirits, so don't let them around the dog until you are sure and then, always, supervise the children. Children do not automatically know how to interact with dogs. They must be taught.

DON’T . . . LEAVE THE DOG WITH SECONDARY CARETAKERS (such as a spouse, neighbor, or relatives) when you are gone. Consider Maybelline's story. Maybelline was a four-year-old poodle rescued from a puppy mill. Because of her history she was terribly frightened of people, but at the same time craved attention.

We worked with her for weeks before adopting her to a very nice lady who understood and empathized with Maybelline's history. The lady's husband liked dogs but he was not as invested in Maybelline’s history and her unusual needs. Additionally, it is quite common for these dogs to be more afraid of men than women and Maybelline was no exception. This couple had Maybelline for a couple of weeks and one day the woman went to have her hair done, leaving Maybelline alone with her husband. He opened the front door without paying any attention to where Maybelline was. Maybelline stepped outside and, in an attempt to get her back, the husband chased her and spoke in an alarmed voice. Maybelline’s response to this, of course, was "Oh no! I'm in trouble." She ran as fast as she could and he tired of chasing her. He left her and went back in the house.

After much searching by our rescue group, tragically Maybelline was found dead days later on the side of a road. We have experienced a few tragedies with this - a husband or someone not as invested in the situation did something foolish and let the dog get away, and consequently the dog was killed in traffic or lost. The other person will panic and will often try to give chase, only escalating the dog’s fear and state of panic and confusion. You cannot catch a healthy young dog that does not want to be caught. It's not possible - they are simply faster than us.

Maybelline probably would not have gone far if she had not been chased and frightened. The correct approach is to get down low and coax the dog to you, especially with a special treat of food. We may not be as fast as they are, but we should be smarter! Never chase!!! And don't trust other people who may not care as much about the dog as you do, or who may not understand the problem at hand. When you go out, put the dog in a crate or behind a closed door and tell the others not to let her out until you return.>

If he fears you so much that he threatens to bite, try picking him up with a towel for your protection. Just throw it over him head and all. Then pick him up and when he calms down, pull the towel back off his head and begin baby talking. When he has calmed down a bit more, try gentle petting. Often these scared dogs do not want to be touched at first, but we must force the issue in order to get them used to it and then, as we say, "addicted to love".

Often it’s helpful to tie the dog to the kitchen stove with a leash (as long as he doesn't thrash OR CHEW CABINETS). Or you can put a screw eye in the baseboard in the kitchen or bathroom and then attach him with a cable (get cable with fasteners at both ends from Walmart or Petsmart-it may come with the auger that you screw into the ground). This is because these dogs tend to run under the bed or behind a chair and hide. They can't get 'therapy' and get better if you can't get to them to administer the love and sweet talk. So station him somewhere if necessary. Place his bedding next to the stove and his food and water on the perimeter of his radius. Then every time you walk by, give him a pet and some kind words. Soon he will look forward to it and change from shivering to wagging his tail. Continue this until he no longer runs from you or avoids you. It also helps to take him off the cable at night and let him sleep with or beside you.

You can use the 'umbilical' method of bonding also. This is where you attach his leash to your belt loop or your wrist and force him to follow you around inside the house. He may hate it at first, but this will soon begin to establish a bond between you.

REMEMBER: LOTS OF TREATS AND BABYTALK

TAKE NOOOOO CHANCES WITH HIM GETTING AWAY FROM YOU UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE MISERABLE FOR DAYS TRYING TO CATCH HIM!!!!! OR, WORSE, POSSIBLY LOSE HIM FOREVER.

Brenda Kyle