Thanks for that, i have taken your advice, keeping my fingers crossed.

Hi Anji

I have similar issues with Indiana but with time (and a change in the way I approach things!) it has definitely lessened. The best thing I did was attend Viv Silverstein's doggy day class but it would prob be even more worthwhile to have her out to your house for a one-to-one session. In terms of the stealing food and growling thing - Viv told me to forget it. On no circumstances must I try to take an item away from him - I have to think of my own safety(I had mentioned the time he stole a lightbulb and was only thinking of his safety but Viv says even then you need to think about what would happen if I just tried to take it off him and he got aggressive). Instead do a trade-off. Have something of higher value around (squeaky toy, bigger bit of food etc), say 'leave-it' when you have got his interest away from the original item and give him the treat. I found this hard at first because it felt like I was rewarding him for bad behaviour, however, he is not nearly so bad now and understands the 'leave-it' command very well. Lots of work on that in general helps.
In the past he has also growled when not wanting to go out walks with anyone except me and at my husband for shifting his position on the sofa. All I can say for this is, seek professional advice and know that with time it will definitely get better. Your poor dog has had a very bad time in the past and it will prob take a long time for him to trust humans. Best of luck and fingers crossed for a rosier future x

We had probs with Harry for a few months in that if anyone tried to cuddle him (apart from Fiona and I) he would give the growls - this happened with youngsters and adults. He had a hard time we think before we got him too - not on the same scale as your pooch though. We used the better treat idea to get anything off him too - works fine. All okay now but wouldn't let huggy kids around him on his own. 

Would recommend Viv - we saw her on a fear aggression issue. Like most doggy probs like this - it isn't something that can be solved overnight. Takes  LOTS of patience, continued training, a responsible attitude and an acceptance that this is what my dogs does - others do it too. 

Good luck !

Hi Anji
well done to you for taking on this poor dog, who will obviously take time, and there are lots of folk on here with loads of support and experience.  Just to say from your post, it sounds like (due to his experiences of violence) he needs to seek cuddles on his own terms, and may be showing fear when being touched as in the past this meant pain.  Just sounds as if you need to be very careful, especially with your little boy, with no sudden movement or touching until he feels safe and can trust his new people.  5-6 weeks is very early days in his getting settled.

It would seem from the fact he is seeking cuddles means he wants comfort on his own terms, but it sounds like you still need to be very careful.

Wishing you lots of luck with your hound.

-- Edited by Valerie at 22:59, 2007-08-07

Poor poor soul.  I hope that whoever did that to him gets what's coming! 
Wills has a wee soft hollow on his skull but fortunately doesn't seem to have any adverse reaction to being touched there.  I hope that this is the answer and that, now you know about it, you can work round it without further trauma. 

Anji - this is more help to you in terms of putting together a picture of what is frightening for your hound, so you can take account in the way you approach.  Your poor dog has really suffered at the hands of some sick person(s), but how good that you have come into his life to give him this chance.
As you say - it will take lots of TLC, but the rewards will come to you in time - lots of luck.

That sounds so reassuring.  Biscuit nips my bum, and it's a really playful and trusting thing to do, so I think the bond is already coming along well with you. It sounds like he is really trying to build a realtionship and wants trust. but he won't be able to stop the bad memories he associates with certain movements, but it soulds like it will come in time.  He sounds like he is a bit of a character, and I know folks on here will want to here about your breakthroughs with him, and it will help to sustain you as well.

Such a painful story - it will be fantastic to hear of his progress with you, which I'm sure he will make with time. It must fell pretty tough sometimes when there seem to be setbacks, but I think the rewards will be tremendous as he builds trust in you and reaches each milestone. Its good to hear the achievements as it helps to counteract the despair I think many of us feel soemtimes at the sheer scale of the abuse. Look forward to reading of his continued progress in your care.

I try NOT to imagine what he went through previously, just does not bear thinking about. I try to look on the positive that it's a new chapter in his life where he will never have to suffer abuse of any kind again .

When i first got Lucky he would not attempt to climb my stairs and would have sat crying at the bottom of the stairs so when it was bed time i would carry him up stairs and back down in the morning, now he is one big dog who was becoming heaving by the day ...anyway he fathomed out how to get up himself but i had to carry him back down and this soom became a game. He would run up, i would carry him down, he would run up and again i would carry him down and so it went on, i didn't have the heart to leave him crying at the top of the stairs ...until one day he did it himself and i never had to look back.

I am going to try and upload pictures later today of him and my other black 'Toots'! Whilst Toots is all grace Lucky is as clumsy as they come, he runs like a galoot with legs splaying everywhere, he leaps like a spring lamb whilst out on the leash, it's a battle of wills to get him to walk normally and he stands leaning against me, sure he will topple over if i step away.

This may be one determined pooch but he has an even more determined owner!

It's nice to hear he leans against you, he must trust you not to walk away Getting used to new things is hard enough, but when someone's messed with your head (mental and physical) it must take ages. Keep us posted on how things go.

As promised pictures of my pups, the first two are lucky and the last one is of my other grey 'Toots' and my Collie 'Lassie' ...god know how i managed to capture them in the perfect pose!

  They're lovely.  Love the wee face looking at the camera from his bed.    What a sweetheart.  That's a smashing photo of the two in the field.  As you say, it's the perfect pose isn't it?   

They're a handsome bunch - thanks for sharing the photos with us. 

-- Edited by Isla at 22:32, 2007-08-11