Dog vs Cat - Help!

[Hound dog]

He still may adjust and make friends with members of his new pack. But it will take time and patience.

Rowdy normally LOATHES cats, thanks to one attacking a elderly neighbor lady, which he quickly dispatched in not such a nice way. Yet, he has come to enjoy Minnie's company so much over the past couple of years that they share his doghouse often........he's now doing better I've noticed with both midnight and ebony. (I make sure to pet them daily so my scent is always on them) He won't let them share his house or anything yet, but he's not lunging and growling at them anymore and he'll let them into the backyard now.

I'm seriously considering buying one of these vests for Molly, she's always had separation anxiety to some degree or another and since husband has passed it has gotten worse.

Travis didn't play with Rowdy as a pup with toys. Nichole played with him off and on, but again not with toys. I've tried over and over to teach him toys. Best I got was he likes to snuggle the fuzzy ones. He enjoys walks instead of toys.

 

[DammitJanet]

Star has one of those vests for her big dog Casper who has seizures. He is still on his medications but it seems to be helping him a lot. Casper also has severe thunderstorm anxiety and this vest has proved invaluable for that.

 

[flutterby]

He's starting to come around with the cats - 2 of them at least. Puddles and Abbey won't show themselves enough for him to meet them. However, I still don't trust him and he doesn't do as well if he's with difficult child, not me. I think he's just really interested in them and wants to play, but I also don't think he realizes that they don't/can't play like dogs. He's too big and strong. So, we are working on appropriate behavior with the 2 he's getting to know, then I'll introduce the other 2.

He isn't socialized at all. He's fine with us, but every little scary noise sends him running. He'll come around. He just needs time. He likes to be with his people, but I want him to be more independent - want him to be with us because he wants to be not because he has to be in order to feel secure. We'll get there. Our vet gave us some anxiety medications, but wants us to wait about 2 weeks before we start giving it to him to see how he really ends up being. Everything is so new and he's still settling in.

I tell ya, yesterday I was almost regretting adopting him, but today I'm glad we did. A lot of people don't have the patience, time, nor desire to work with a dog like him. I think he would have been adopted out and returned many times. He was already returned once. He is a very sweet boy...just needs to be brought out of his shell and taught some manners.

Thanks for the advice and tips. I may come back for more during this process.

 

[Hound dog]

I hope you can get a picture of him and post it soon. He sounds like a sweetheart.

With the way our no kill shelter is about adopting dogs out........as in adopting out those who have shown some serious aggression behaviors, when having done nothing to modify that behavior.......I most likely would not adopt an adult dog. It would seriously have to depend on the dog and what I could assess myself, because their info so so unreliable. They'll basically say anything to get one adopted and can't even get the breeds right in most of them. I wouldn't adopt a pup from them though, not unless I was in a position to potentially pay some huge vet bills. Not gotten one from them yet that wasn't sick in one way or another. I'd actually probably have better luck with our dog pound that euthanizes to be honest. They have a group of knowledgeable volunteers working to get unclaimed dogs/pups forever homes before their time is up. They work with them daily to assess them too.

Not that I'm looking right now. Though I do try to help them get dogs adopted out. They've had a couple that if it weren't for my situation I'd have taken in a heartbeat.

 

[flutterby]

Our shelter is really amazing.

 

[InsaneCdn]

The best shelter around here (several hours away) is unusual... they DO evaluate for temperment, socialization, etc., and will not adopt out those who have major issues. So, some dogs do get put down. But... they don't have a timeline on adoption for "adoptable" dogs. They run the place like a Dutch Auction... fees for a newly released dog are high, but they drop after so many days (60, I think, for most), and then drop again on a regular basis, until the ones who have been there too long... can be had for 1/3 to 1/4 the cost of normal adoption. Their revenue averages out, they tell us. We're really happy with ours.