hmmm-be careful what you hope for...

[toydogmom]

Okay, I have kind of a strange issue going on and I'm hoping for some advice. About 1 1/2 months ago I took in a TFT (toy fox terrier) that had been abandoned and living outside.

Now, not for purposes of tooting my own horn, but just to add information--I'm middle-aged and I have a long history of working with rescue dogs, competing in obedience, tracking and was a therapy dog tester for therapy dogs inc., for several years. The point is I'm not a complete novice at this. However, Brutus is my first toy breed. I also have two larger dogs.

We think Brutus is around 7 or 8 months. He's recovered nicely from the frostbite (ears and paws), malnutrition, and various skin ailments. At this point he's 90% housebroken, does well in his crate, walks on leash, blends in nicely with my two other dogs and I've begun with basic commands of sit and down.

Nows here's the issue, Brutus has possibly the strongest will to please me that I've encountered in a dog. At this point I'm not so sure that he's learning "commands" per se as just studying me hard enough to anticipate my wants. It's even a little spooky sometimes. However, he has absolutely NO interest in anyone else. He goes out of his way to avoid my husband and son (both of which are calm, quiet, well-trained dog people). And he'll occasionally even bark at them when they enter the room. We're working on these issues, and I am taking Brutus with me whenever I leave the house to meet new people.

My concern is that if Brutus is learning to please me rather than obey commands, it might be very difficult to leave him with anyone if I have to go away for a few days or if he has to stay at the vets. My two big guys are extremely well-trained and well-mannered and generally love everybody.

As of now, my husband can give cookies to my two other dogs and Brutus will refuse to approach him to receive his. If my husband tosses the cookie or places it on the ground and walks away, Brutus still refuses to take it. Nor will he take it if I'm holding him and my husband offers it.

I'm sorry this post is long and little confusing: my main concern is getting Brutus to the point that he knows some basic commands well enough that other people can deliver them and have him respond.

 

[Dekka]

I don't think the issue is knowing commands. If you say sit, and he sits, then he 'knows' it. The issue is he doesn't comply with others. For example if someone you love asks you to help them move, you will happily comply. If someone you don't like, or a stranger askes, you will not.

What you have to do is to get Brutus more socialized with other people, which is what is sounds like you are doing. But it is interesting Dekka will ignore my husband if I am there. But he says as soon as I leave for school Dekka is stuck to him. So you might want to have your husband feed him. You ignore him. If he doesn't take food chucked at him by your hubby. Then just leave him (being a small dog I would make him wait days for food, but one day would be fine) As soon as he starts taking food from your hubby then start with other people.

What treats have tried to get him to take (liver, cheese etc?)

 

[toydogmom]

Thanks Dekka,

I was actually hoping you'd be one of the people answering.

First, as far as "knowing" the commands this is where it gets a little blurry. I can give Brutus a down command in a certain situation and he'll execute perfectly (it's really cute), but then a few hours later in the same situation, with the same tone and hand signals body language I can give the same down command and he'll start running through "sit" "down" "up" (hind legs) over and over to figure out which I mean. I know it's just time and practice, but just when I think he's got it in one situation the gymnastics come out.

Second, I've tried leaving him with my husband for half a day. When I left he was in his crate. He's on a really specific schedule so when it was time for my hubby to get him out it was almost impossible and he ended up leaving the crate door open and ignoring Brutus. After about an hour Brutus skulked out and ran behind the couch and hid until I got home. Which was how he managed to stay loose for so long when he was stray--he would dash under things, he's really fast, and no one could catch him (it's like trying to catch a rodent).

I've also tried just leaving the treat from my hubby and not giving him any other food until he ate it but he's perfectly capable of not eating--I think he got good at fasting when he was stray. Because he's just fully recovering his health, I'm scared to wait more than 24 hours before feeding him.

I've used hot dogs, dried liver, cheese, carrots, tiny frozen balls of raw ground beef, slices of raw chicken (yuck)--all of which he happily goes through hoops for if I'm the one giving the treat, otherwise he ignores it.

I understand that the secret to rescue dogs is consistency and time. And in the past I've found that it can take anywhere from one to three years for a dog to fully recover. So I'm not expecting a miracle fix, but I am pretty concerned about the direction things are going.

 

[lizzybeth727]

If I were you, what I would do is completely ignore Brutus. Your husband can be the one giving him everything he needs in life - attention, food, everything. Have your husband feed him (wherever Brutus is comfortable, maybe in the crate?), and if Brutus doesn't eat in about 10-20 minutes, take the food away. Try feeding him 2-3 times a day, and if he is hungry he will eat it. I understand that he's had health problems and whatever, but a dog will not refuse food to the point of starvation. (My 7 pound chihuahua will sometimes go on "hunger strikes" for no apparent reason, and won't eat anything for 2 or 3 days; as long as she's still drinking and doesn't seem to have any other problems, I figure she's fine.) You can have your husband give your dog all the attention/petting he needs, too, so that all the good stuff in life comes from your husband, not yourself. Once Brutus starts to become more comfortable with your husband, you can go back to being yourself around him, and he will surely not forget you.

Pottying is a little different - you could leave the leash on Brutus and have your husband just use the leash to get him outside, or, if it's easier, you could take Brutus out yourself. Just if you do it, be very boring - no treats, very little talking at all. I know this will be very difficult for you, but it shouldn't take more than a week or two, and like I said, he will definately remember you when you start giving him attention again.