Traumatised rescue dog- ideas?

Semele

We took in a stray JRT around 6 months ago. She's lovely but so so nervous! She's settled in really well and doesn't "startle" so much at loud noises or sudden movement (she used to literally scream if someone moved a foot too quickly, it was tragic to see) however she will not walk on a lead!

This hasn't been a massive problem but in terms of exercise, taking her on holidays (she likes the car, oddly enough) etc I'm very anxious about her not being on a lead for safety reasons. I can only imagine she's been whipped or tied for long periods at some point because the very sight of a lead or anything rope-like (TV or hoover flex etc) sends her into this sort of trauma state where she crawls on her stomach to the nearest wall and just lies there with her face to the wall. She doesn't respond to voice, to petting, to treats, just lies there shivering. It can take her hours to get back to normal behaviour even when the lead is removed from sight.

I had ideas of trying to desensitise her, for example by having a lead just lying on the floor until she realises nothing bad is going to happen, but honestly its so hard to see her like that that I don't want to cause her any unnecessary trauma unless I feel it would be of benefit. Can anyone give me some guidance on how to go about ever getting her to tolerate a lead?

noddyone2

Hi to you and doggie,
I have a terrier, not purebred, that I got from the ISPCA 2 years ago. Much the same story, if I picked up a newspaper or tray, firewood kindling etc. - absolute fear. Patience, kindness, no shouting, kind words and a reward when progress is made. It'll take time, it'll be worth it. Socialising helps sometimes. Even try walking around with the lead in your hand, the end dragging on the floor, then she'll learn it's not a threat. Best wishes.

borderlinemeath

Poor little dog!!

Just a question, does she have a collar or a harness? Just if you're attaching the lead to a collar she may have some deep rooted fear of it choking her from a point in the past. Maybe if you tried a harness on her where the pressure if she pulled on the lead would be felt on her body rather than on her neck she may react differently. I think you should casually leave the lead down where she can see it but don't try to go near her with it and just leave it there. Maybe try putting it down even when she's out of the room so when she comes into the room it's just there rather than in your hand at all. Try high value treats like meat or cheese cubes but when she's cowering don't try and reassure her as she may well feel rewarded for acting scared.

I have a rescue boy and he was terrified of so much when he arrived 6 months ago. He's come on leaps and bounds, but most of it is down to our other dog, he always looks to her for reassurance and takes cues from her. If he's scared of something and shes fine with it, he eventually comes round. For a good long while he was scared of anything with a long handle, like a brush or a mop. Even the ball thrower would send him running for cover. But now thanks to play with our other dog he is getting really good with everything, even yesterday was a breakthrough, he sat in the room while I had the hoover on!

Semele

Thanks guys,

Borderlinemeath: I thought that about using a harness rather than a lead, but the first problem is that she freaks out so much at the sight of a rope-like thing at all that it doesn't matter whether its attached to her or lying on the floor at the other side of the room!

She currently wears a collar,which she doesn't mind as long as she doesn't see it being put on or taken off- we have to distract her and put it on from behind as she has a heart attack if she sees it move. I think I will just keep familiarising her with rope/lead like objects being in her presence for a while rather than try to avoid her seeing anything that might upset her.

IF she manages to tolerate that, how do you suggest I take it to the next level and actually approach her with the lead?

planetX

I'd imagine you'd wait quite a while before approaching with a lead - leave it around the place, carry it around, gradually leave it nearer the dog. Big treats if he even looks at it, but don't push it. Eventually you'll get to the point where you can clip on the lead, give him a high value treat, and take it off again.
Might be a good idea to have a chat with a trainer. Probably a good idea to use a variety of leads as well, no use getting him desensitised to one specific kind.

Discodog

I went through a similar situation with my Greyhound. She had been roaming the streets & she was desperately thin & terrified. She is now a very confident, happy dog & she improved very quickly. But I had to balance not scaring her with confronting her fears. Also it is critical that you do not react too sympathetically to her nerves - she could see it as rewarding her for being scared & reinforcing her fear.

I used to constantly jolly mine along with lots of firm reassurance & I would sometimes directly confront/challenge her. For example she went ballistic when I turned on the hoover. I turned the hoover off, told her not to be silly, finished hoovering & then gave her a treat. Within a week she was letting me hoover her .

I wonder if you could make the lead not look like a lead, for example by wearing it as a belt so that she gets used to touching it, sniffing it etc. Then maybe drape it over her when she is on your lap. Before you clip it on find something that she really adores so that as you clip the lead on she gets her favourite treat/toy. Once she tolerates the lead being clicked on then maybe you could always attach it before feeding her so that she only associates the lead with good things.

borderlinemeath

If it's a "rope like" lead she's terrified of, maybe a retractable lead might help? I'm not a huge fan of them but if it's the regular lead style that she's frightened of approaching her, the lead when completely retracted into it's case might appease the situation with her.

With any lead, patience is the key, no pushing but rewards when she is calm in a situation where the lead is nearby.

DBB

borderlinemeath wrote: »

If it's a "rope like" lead she's terrified of, maybe a retractable lead might help? I'm not a huge fan of them but if it's the regular lead style that she's frightened of approaching her, the lead when completely retracted into it's case might appease the situation with her.

With any lead, patience is the key, no pushing but rewards when she is calm in a situation where the lead is nearby.

I think you're on the right track here! I'd be inclined to use something very un-leadlike, if not an extending lead, maybe a length of wool, ribbon, even thread, left lying around? Feed her nearby, and try to make sure it's around when she's doing anything she enjoys, but only if it's not so nearby and/or leadlike that she gets scared.
However, I think this is a really good case for clicker training, where you can "free shape" and mark any form of voluntary contact, even eye contact, with the thread/ribbon, and build on this until she's much more confident in this scenario.
It's a little involved to get into here, but get reading about clicker training if you're not already familiar with it, and even better, get the help of a good positive clicker-training trainer, or preferably behaviourist, to do a session with you to fine-hone how to address this awful fear she has, using absolutely kind and gentle methods.
She's an absolute beauty! Good luck with her!

strandroad

Discodog wrote: »

I wonder if you could make the lead not look like a lead, for example by wearing it as a belt so that she gets used to touching it, sniffing it etc. Then maybe drape it over her when she is on your lap. Before you clip it on find something that she really adores so that as you clip the lead on she gets her favourite treat/toy. Once she tolerates the lead being clicked on then maybe you could always attach it before feeding her so that she only associates the lead with good things.

I agree with that, my friend used to foster dogs and one of her dogs was panicking whenever a lead or rope was in sight. She took a coloured scarf (think Indian, thin pashmina type) and used it for his bedding for a while like a little blanket, then started using it to play with him and tie to his collar. She was walking him like this for a while... looked funny but worked, she then wrapped it around a lead and finally only left the lead.

TooManyDogs

+1 for retractable lead, was thinking the very same myself as I was reading the thread. I really don't like them as a general rule but they have their place and this is one of them.

You could also get 3 lengths of skinny fleece and plait a few inches but leave the rest unplaited, see will she play tug with it, or simply leave it lying around. Gradually plait another inch and another inch and finally over weeks you'll could have a fleece lead to attach a clip onto that she doesn't freak out over because its so familiar