Help, new at helping abandoned dog

[epundt]

I have been taking care of an abandond GSD that I'm pretty sure is a mix. She belonged to a family that lived across a channel from us. They moved, to where no one knows, abandoning the dog. About 4 days after the left, I noticed their dog drinking from the channel. I live on a fresh water lake in S.Texas. The next day I took food over to here and have been ever since. She comes to me when I go to her house, she takes food from my hand and I've become very attached to her. The problem is she hardly ever lets me touch her. She's very skiddish. I can occasionally pet her head but she is very leery about it. I think she may have been hit with an open had by her owners, I'm not sure. I have 7 dogs of my own so I can't bring her home with me. My dogs would never allow it. I've been looking after her for about 2 months now. She probably has never had any shots, nor is she on any heart worm preventative. I will not let anyone call or try to take her to a pound. I've tried to find a rescue service near here to no avail. I'm not going to let anyone put a noose around her neck. I'll feed her and look after her for the rest of her life if that's the only solution. I think she is probably around 8 years old. Can anyone give me advice on how to get her to let me touch her? I'm not desperate but it would be nice if she would let me cuddle her, pet her and take her to a vet to get her shots. I live near Corpus Christi so if anyone knows of a rescue club, or one near me, I would gladly take her to where ever I need to to giver her a good home. She needs to be able to roam freely and not be pinned up in a back yard. A farm or ranch would be ideal. I don't think little kids would be a good idea as skiddish as she is. She's not aggressive at all, just terribly afraid. Thanks, Eileene

 

[lizzybeth727]

I did a quick Petfinder search and found a few organizations that might work for you. I'm pretty sure these are all rescue groups or no-kill shelters. Good luck!

Oh, by the way, very few dogs like being petted on the head. Instead, try scratching him under his chin, on the neck, cheeks, chest, and if that goes well, behind the ears.


Gulf Coast Humane Society
3118 Cabaniss Parkway
Corpus Christi, TX 78415
Phone: 361-225-0845
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX476.html


Kingsville Animal Rescue Kleberg
225 E. Henrietta
Kingsville, TX 78363
Phone: 361-516-1456
Open: Monday - Friday, 2:00PM - 5:30PM
http://members.petfinder.com/~TX214/index.html
(Not sure if they're no-kill, but I think they don't have a shelter.)

Humane Society of Aransas County
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX796.html

Goliad Pet Adoption
P.O. Box 304
Goliad, TX 77963
Phone: 361-645-1503
http://www.goliadpetadoption.net/index.html

 

[Barb04]

I would bring some food treats that the dog likes and just sit down on the ground as close as you can. Put some of the food on the ground and let the dog come to you. As the dog begins to trust you, you may very slowly be able to begin a sniff of your hand, and then going a little further as time tells.

 

[epundt]

Thanks for the info. I checked with the Aransas County Humane Society, they can't help me, the one in Corpus Christi is constantly full although I haven't checked with them. I'm going to check with Goliad, see what they have to offer. I've tried all of the above tricks, I buy chicken heart, boil and make a gravy for a special treat on her dry dog food. I give her about 1/2 cup, I call it "goodie stuff" on top of her dry dog food, and she sure know what that means. I can buy soup bones at the grocery store really cheap so I buy those, boil them and take her one every day. After she eats her food, she knows I have something extra for her. She keeps her eyes on the bag until I give it to her. I have to very slowly and gently let her smell my hand. Her head is the only part of her body she'll let me touch. I was going to scratch her back and she ran like a wild cat when I did. She is so skiddish.

 

[xpaeanx]

I hope you don't mean you cook the bones and then give them too her......


If you just take it slow like it sounds like you are, she'll eventually come around. Do you keep the food bowl right next to you, so she has to be close to you to eat? that helps a lot too....

I wish you the best with her!

 

[Sweet72947]

GSD rescues in Texas:

http://www.austingermanshepherdrescue.org
http://gsdrescuetx.com - GSD Rescue of San Antonio
http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/TX650.html - Camp Wolfgang
http://members.petfinder.org/~TX61/ - Central Texas Akita/GSD Rescue
http://ntxgsdrescue.org - North Texas GSD Rescue

 

[DaVinci]

Thank you for caring for this poor dog.

the best thing you could do is to just sit and talk softly to her this help gain her trust.

 

[epundt]

Yes, I cook the bones. They are really large bones like roundsteak bones, or knuckle joints. I never give my dogs rib bones or leg bones. The little dogs probably would not have a problem with them, but a large dog can cause them to splinter and that can do damage not only to the mouth, but the stomach if swallowed. Yes, the food bowl is at my feet and I sit on a very low bench. I would sit on the ground, but at my age, it's really hard to get back up. My dogs, including the abandond dog, never get raw meat. If they get meat treats, I cook it first. Raw meat can cause a stomach ache if they are not used to it. Also, very loose stoole that is hard to get our of carpet. I'm going to check the websites you suggested sweet, thanks to both for info. Eileene

 

[xpaeanx]

my only concern with cooking the bones, is that cooking them makes them brittle and splinter. you certainly don't have to feed your dogs raw meat, but cooked bones are more of a health hazard. and you said this particular dog lives outside, so if she does get a loose stool from the raw bone, there's no carpet to mess.

I hope some of those rescues sweet posted are able to help you out!

 

[lizzybeth727]

Actually, cooked bones can splinter no matter what the bones are and no matter who the dog is. Cooking bones makes them brittle, and you have to supervise the dog whenever he chews on them to make sure that it's not splintering (although it's safest just to not cook them at all). Raw bones are soft (relatively) and are usually a lot more enticing than cooked bones. Many people on this forum feed raw diets to their dogs, where they get raw meat and bones on a daily basis, it's actually about the healthiest thing you can feed.