Dog has been beaten...

I got my Hunter a year ago in April and have totally found out he used to be beaten . When I got him he was a totally untrained rogue running wild that got picked up by the shelter. He was on their adoption floor approximately 1-2 days the got taken off due to stress and scheduled for euthanizia. I intervened and got him out of there not knowing what I was in for (Grammy helped... I couldn't stomach the thought of meeting him in the shelter, but she did, and I had double-booked myself with 2 rescue dogs!). Anywhooo... long story short, he is the best dog I could have ever asked for. Mind you after much training and working with him... he is the best! Meanwhile, I can tell he's been beaten in the past. And it makes me absolutely sick! The first time I noticed it was when he was laying on my bed and I was unpacking from a biz trip and pulled my belt out... he shot to the ground at my feet and laid there convulsing in shivers and cowering expecting to be hit!!! Then whenever I have to have a male worker come to my house... like today for the AC, he is trying to be so brave and bark at them like he's protective, but he's just plain scared! And cowers at them, too. Until they pat him and tell him it's ok, then he seems to be so much better. It just breaks my heart!!

Poor Baby, thank God he found a great home with you. Hopefully as the years go by he will realize that no harm will come his way again. It is so hard for abused dogs to trust that they are safe now. My girl Neva was abused as a pup for about one months time and the damage is still evident six years later. She has never even been scolded by me (thank goodness she is an angel) but she still cowers when someone else is scolded, like the kids or Gunnar and she is REALLY petrified of tall men with beards. I hope your baby will make the connection that with you there is no pain or suffering, only love like any dog deserves.

Thanks, Adrienne... I agree... only time will heal that he knows he's safe with me and Mamma would never subject him to that again...

Or Grammy !!! He's the best !!!

atleast he's safe with you. I think in time he will overcome most problems. I think Mack was abuse too as a pup. We got him a seven months and if you even raise your voice or raise your hand in a wierd way to pet him he will cower and shake like he is gonna get a beatin. When we go to chain him up outside he will cower and shake when you go to chain him up (once he's chained he's fine cuz I never leave him outside alone) but when he's getting chained up he's scared to death. I don't know what happened to him but I know he's safe here and I am going to try and work out his little "issues" that he has.

My old Pit mix Gus had something happen to him, he was always scared when you rolled up a cord or a hose. Belts didn't seem to phase him much. He was always nervous around tall skinny guys with baseball caps on. Usually, he would just watch them closely, but one time we went by a construction site and tall skinny guy with a ball cap, was rolling up a hose and he yelled to someone, "HEY!!", and Gus went off the deep end growled and shook and his tail was between his legs and I thought for a second he was going to totally collapse like he did when I (Stupidly) took him with me and my other two dogs to the car wash, but he finally decided that he wanted to go after him instead. By that time we were past him and all Gus did was bounce off the back of the car and add to the hearing loss I have in my left ear, probably due to his barking into the closed window and my left ear getting blasted by it. He barked amazingly loud when he was upset. The police downtown riding horses totally freaked him out, those were some big "dogs".

Hunter looks like a twin to my old yellow Lab Joe, he had the dudley nose too. The only thing that rattled him was the vaccuum. I've only had one dog over my whole life that wasn't terrified of the "hell machine".

If I ever get to meet him Ill give him nothing but belly rubs and ear scratchins. Untill then youll have to give them for me.

Oh, he gets them, Blue... don't worry! He's my sweet baby! Thanks...

May was abused before we got her. When we got her she was terrified of every little thing....she panted all night, she was terrified of men, any loud noises would terrify her....now she's a pretty confident dog, but still doesn't like really loud noises. Tippy was abused also, Colby might've been too.

Eli, that is so sad. Don't you wish you could erase all the bad memories? We believe Bear was abused by his 1st owners (we are his 3rd and final owners). We have had him for 4 years and he still gets nervous at loud noises (ie. me wrestling in my pot/pan cupboard, ok I admit its disorganized!) or even if we make a simple little statement like "sh**". Not even yelling, just like oh sh** I spilled my milk - Bear will run in the bedroom with his tail between his legs. I don't think they ever really forget.

Does Hunter have nightmares? Victor does..not as much now but when he first came he would tremble and howl in his sleep...scared out of his wits..i would warp him up in my arms and sing him Who's afraid of the big bad woof..his special song..i think he was lost at night for he doen'st want much to do with the world out there when darkness hits..he is a quick out and it..with saucers eyes if you know what i mean..we had company once right after i got him and he took one look at them and started shivering..i thought he was going to bolt right out of the yard..and run away. I took him around the house until they left..(they were there to pick up Jacob) i believe it ws the teenage girl that petrified him so. I wish i knew his story..i wish i could erase all the pain. I know exactly how you feel Elin. The one thing i was most grateful fro Bronki was that i gave him a life of no misery, no anger, no violence..that was one dog that knew only love from day one to his last..I am so happy hunter fell into your arms for the rest of his life and will never know mean people again.

I know how you feel Rocky was abused he hid under my bed for the first two weeks I had him if you havn't you should read his story under the dog storys section he is starting to be more condident now that we are doing agility to build his confidence but he cracks me up because he will bark at some one until they get to close then he runs like a big sissy and hides behind me I remember one time when I was walking him a few months after I got him and this started laughing that was wallking down the street too because Rocky was hiding behind me as the guy walked by he said "not much of a guard dog is he"

Aw my sweat Hunter...you should see how he sleeps with Grammy,,,,head back on his back...back feet straight out, front paws curled with his huge chest waiting for his night-night rub. And yes, he does dream alot !! Also, I turned quickly once and the poor boy cowered and closed his eyes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,sniff

Yes, Grammy and smkie... Hunter DOES have what I would like to think of "dreams", but now that you talk about the howling. He does sometimes howl in his sleep. I sure hope he's just hearing a siren in his brain and isn't re-living the "awful times". I've read through all the posts of others with their babies having similiar backgrounds. Doesn't it just add to the satisfaction that they're so happy now? Hunter tries to be so brave. Like when the AC guy was here. He didn't even know it! (Not a great watchdog, that Hunter ). The guy was outside of my bathroom window working on the AC unit. Hunter didn't even know he was there. I all of a sudden and raised the bathroom window to talk to the guy. When Hunter heard his voice, he freaked out barking. Knowing he was supposed to be my protector, but he was very afraid. He did run into the bathroom and raised his front paws up onto the windowsill to try and see the guy below. Once the man came into the house to talk to me, Hunter freaked out barking and cowering and looking at me like "Mamma! What should I do!?" It was pitiful. The man wasn't really a "dog guy" like most service guys... which made it worse. He finally reached his hand out to Hunter and let him sniff it and I told Hunter it was OK. After that, Hunter just tip-toed around him sniffing his shoes, hands, and... you guessed it... his BUTT!!! LOLOL!

He's very lucky to be with a owner like you.

Ohhhh that hunter's a great butt sniffer !!! Especially when I get out of the shower !!!

I am so happy that you are the one who adopted Hunter as many people would have no patience with him. You have such a big heart and he is a very lucky doggy.

I think your on to something Irish, Bluedawg is great with adults its kids that get his hackles up. The couple I got Blue from had 2 small children and apperently a mean little dog. If Blue gets a small amount of time with indevidual dogs and kids he does good and makes me proud.