Official Zaphod Picture/Update Thread
- Thread starter RD
- Start date
Unfortunately as he relaxes and settles in, the lack of socialization and stability in his life is becoming more painfully obvious.
Noises bother him greatly. If he can see the source of the noise, he's fine (clickers, me stomping my feet, kicking a can around, etc. Anything except for cars. He hates those.) but if it's an unknown noise with no apparent source, like the garage door opening or my fool neighbor flying his helicopter just a few hundred feet above the ground, he runs right into his crate and shuts down - doesn't respond to my voice or requests for him to come out or look at me. I can touch him and he doesn't even seem to feel it. This is going to be a LOT of work
I'm going to order the Control Unleashed book for myself for my birthday, I think that'll help me teach him to work through things like this.
When he's not spooked by loud sounds, he's very confident and responsible. He's positive that the garage (his crate in particular - that's his safe place) is his now and if he hears anything suspicious, he paces the area, goes outside, rumbles a bit and comes back in to sit by the door. I love how watchful he is and I'm pretty **** sure he wouldn't let anyone in if he didn't know them well. But a word of advice - if you want to break into my garage without Z all over you, just use a helicopter or open up the automatic door.
Noises bother him greatly. If he can see the source of the noise, he's fine (clickers, me stomping my feet, kicking a can around, etc. Anything except for cars. He hates those.) but if it's an unknown noise with no apparent source, like the garage door opening or my fool neighbor flying his helicopter just a few hundred feet above the ground, he runs right into his crate and shuts down - doesn't respond to my voice or requests for him to come out or look at me. I can touch him and he doesn't even seem to feel it. This is going to be a LOT of work
I'm going to order the Control Unleashed book for myself for my birthday, I think that'll help me teach him to work through things like this. When he's not spooked by loud sounds, he's very confident and responsible. He's positive that the garage (his crate in particular - that's his safe place) is his now and if he hears anything suspicious, he paces the area, goes outside, rumbles a bit and comes back in to sit by the door. I love how watchful he is and I'm pretty **** sure he wouldn't let anyone in if he didn't know them well. But a word of advice - if you want to break into my garage without Z all over you, just use a helicopter or open up the automatic door.
I think ALOT of those issues will be worked out just by being with you daily, getting out and about, and seeing nothing bad happens with those strange noises.
Since you said he was in the shelter since august...........THAT is a long time to be caged up, and a long time with just the same old routine everyday.
I am confident in you BOTH.........I know you will take this boy as far as he can go RD
Since you said he was in the shelter since august...........THAT is a long time to be caged up, and a long time with just the same old routine everyday.
I am confident in you BOTH.........I know you will take this boy as far as he can go RD
Dad hates him. I think he has to leave if I can't resolve this soon.
Dad went out in the garage today and Zap went NUTS. I came out and figured it was just his cage-aggression rearing its ugly head again (he wasn't very friendly inside his cage at the shelter). Brought him out and he continued to bark and growl at dad, despite my attempts to correct him or distract him. I tried to get dad to stick around and help me desensitize Zap to him, but he said he'd had enough of it and went back in the house.
I think Zap is just intimidated by him, my dad is big and has a gruff voice. But i think it also has a lot to do with dad not spending much time at all with the dog. I can respect that he doesn't want to pet him and be all over him, but he's probably been in Zap's presence for an hour total over the past week. And he expects the dog to love him??
He takes it personally, though. He's been around Z enough to show him that he's not a "bad guy" and in a way I think he's hurt that Zaphod doesn't love him already. It's not like getting an 8 week old puppy that is eager to bond with people - Z has his person and doesn't particularly care to befriend anyone else, people have to "earn" his affection... I just need to figure out how to get dad to tolerate being near Z without him barking his fool head off.
Ugh I'm bawling my eyes out... this is NOT what I wanted to happen. Aggression towards the other dogs, I could almost excuse, but if dad isn't willing to give him much more of a chance after this, he'll never get far living here.
I think he has to leave if I can't resolve this soon.Dad went out in the garage today and Zap went NUTS. I came out and figured it was just his cage-aggression rearing its ugly head again (he wasn't very friendly inside his cage at the shelter). Brought him out and he continued to bark and growl at dad, despite my attempts to correct him or distract him. I tried to get dad to stick around and help me desensitize Zap to him, but he said he'd had enough of it and went back in the house.
I think Zap is just intimidated by him, my dad is big and has a gruff voice. But i think it also has a lot to do with dad not spending much time at all with the dog. I can respect that he doesn't want to pet him and be all over him, but he's probably been in Zap's presence for an hour total over the past week. And he expects the dog to love him??
He takes it personally, though. He's been around Z enough to show him that he's not a "bad guy" and in a way I think he's hurt that Zaphod doesn't love him already. It's not like getting an 8 week old puppy that is eager to bond with people - Z has his person and doesn't particularly care to befriend anyone else, people have to "earn" his affection... I just need to figure out how to get dad to tolerate being near Z without him barking his fool head off.
Ugh I'm bawling my eyes out... this is NOT what I wanted to happen. Aggression towards the other dogs, I could almost excuse, but if dad isn't willing to give him much more of a chance after this, he'll never get far living here.
I think it was just the fact that this behavior was not a one-time occurrance, that it's not something he does to everyone, just to dad. It's hurtful that every time dad walks into the garage, Zaphod is aggressive to him. The dog doesn't know that, obviously, but because of that behavior my big boy's cool points with dad are now in the negatives.
Zaphod seriously scared him this time. Dad doesn't trust him not to bite and that leeriness is only making it worse and enabling the dog.
He doesn't want to try the food thing. He doesn't even want to get near him.
I have an idea for getting Z used to dad, but it'll require me bringing him into the house, locking up the BCs and just keeping him in the same room as dad for hours. I've spent hours with Zap so he knows who I am, but he's never been around dad for hours at a time. If dad would've gone for it, I would have had him tether Zap to him. But he thinks he'll get bit. *sigh*
I'm so frustrated right now. This dog has come a long way already and I do not want this to be the end of his stay here.
Maybe I'm not cut out for a rescued dog. There are so many people and dogs here that a newcomer needs to get along with, maybe I really should just stick to getting young, eager-to-bond puppies from responsible breeders.
Zaphod seriously scared him this time. Dad doesn't trust him not to bite and that leeriness is only making it worse and enabling the dog.
He doesn't want to try the food thing. He doesn't even want to get near him.
I have an idea for getting Z used to dad, but it'll require me bringing him into the house, locking up the BCs and just keeping him in the same room as dad for hours. I've spent hours with Zap so he knows who I am, but he's never been around dad for hours at a time. If dad would've gone for it, I would have had him tether Zap to him. But he thinks he'll get bit. *sigh*
I'm so frustrated right now. This dog has come a long way already and I do not want this to be the end of his stay here.
Maybe I'm not cut out for a rescued dog.
There are so many people and dogs here that a newcomer needs to get along with, maybe I really should just stick to getting young, eager-to-bond puppies from responsible breeders.
Dont' give up now! Try explaining to your dad again just why you think Z is acting why is he is acting and have your dad go wait in the backyard or some and then bring Z out. You said last night that Z has claimed the garage for his own and he's happy enough with where he's at that he's going to get pissy over it for a while.
But I think showing your dad that the garage is part of the problem and that Z really is a cool guy outside of it will help your case alot.
But I think showing your dad that the garage is part of the problem and that Z really is a cool guy outside of it will help your case alot.
Hey, don't give up yet! Lizzie sounds a LOT like Z. What's worked for Lizzie when trying to get her to like someone (she's as much a one-person dog as Z and doesn't need to make new friends from her point of view)......
Will you dad be willing to do anything? Throw a ball, play tug - even if for just a minute? I'd definitely help - may take a while - but it would help.
Let you dad put his food bowl in the crate and take it out when done. Put a few "left-overs" on a plate and let your dad hold the plate while Z eats off of it.
(((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))
Will you dad be willing to do anything? Throw a ball, play tug - even if for just a minute? I'd definitely help - may take a while - but it would help.
Let you dad put his food bowl in the crate and take it out when done. Put a few "left-overs" on a plate and let your dad hold the plate while Z eats off of it.
(((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))
I hope so, Zoom.
The garage is an ok temporary setup (it's heated, he has a cushy bed, food etc and it sure beats being dead!) but because Zaphod thinks he has it all to himself, he's more snarky about it than I think he would be if he was in the house, where he has to share his space with a few people and (eventually) other dogs. But i'm not sure if that'd be setting him up for failure, barking at dad in dad's own house. Maybe the insecurity of being in a house for the first time would take his mind off of hating dad.
Dad wants nothing to do with him now, Jen. Even refers to him as "it" now. He's really pissed and I doubt Id be able to get him to cooperate. I just need to desensitize Zaphod to his presence, and once he can be around Z without the big fool scaring him (he's a threatening looking dog when he does this) he'll be more open to trying to befriend Z.
The garage is an ok temporary setup (it's heated, he has a cushy bed, food etc and it sure beats being dead!) but because Zaphod thinks he has it all to himself, he's more snarky about it than I think he would be if he was in the house, where he has to share his space with a few people and (eventually) other dogs. But i'm not sure if that'd be setting him up for failure, barking at dad in dad's own house. Maybe the insecurity of being in a house for the first time would take his mind off of hating dad.
Dad wants nothing to do with him now, Jen. Even refers to him as "it" now. He's really pissed and I doubt Id be able to get him to cooperate. I just need to desensitize Zaphod to his presence, and once he can be around Z without the big fool scaring him (he's a threatening looking dog when he does this) he'll be more open to trying to befriend Z.
.... Wow. I think dad would be thrilled if Z gave him the slime of love.
Frankly, if my parents brought home a dog that decided to hate me, I'd harbor some hostility towards the dog too. So I don't blame dad. I don't blame Z either, he's never had a place of his own before and it's only natural that he is going to be an overzealous guardian of the garage until he gets used to living here. But he needs to see dad as someone to protect, not an intruder.
Dad is used to dogs who are well socialized and a good judge of character, who can sum up their "feelings" about a person within a few minutes of meeting them. Zaphod hasn't been around enough people to know how to tell who's good and who's not. Right now he has two categories - people he knows/loves (me, sometimes mom) and people he doesn't know/dislikes (everyone else). He needs to learn the difference between a friendly, benign stranger and one that's a threat or intruder. But for now I just want to focus on teaching him that dad isn't a stranger at all.. I just hope dad will cooperate. *sigh*
Frankly, if my parents brought home a dog that decided to hate me, I'd harbor some hostility towards the dog too. So I don't blame dad. I don't blame Z either, he's never had a place of his own before and it's only natural that he is going to be an overzealous guardian of the garage until he gets used to living here. But he needs to see dad as someone to protect, not an intruder.
Dad is used to dogs who are well socialized and a good judge of character, who can sum up their "feelings" about a person within a few minutes of meeting them. Zaphod hasn't been around enough people to know how to tell who's good and who's not. Right now he has two categories - people he knows/loves (me, sometimes mom) and people he doesn't know/dislikes (everyone else). He needs to learn the difference between a friendly, benign stranger and one that's a threat or intruder. But for now I just want to focus on teaching him that dad isn't a stranger at all.. I just hope dad will cooperate. *sigh*
Yeah I still haven't quite figured out his antipathy towards her...he says it's because she's stupid and ill-behaved. Not really, but she pales in comparison to Sawyer, or at least used to. He was the same with Aubrey though, when she was still in her super wiggly older puppy phase, he didn't like her at all. Heck, he didn't much care for Sawyer when he first came home, though he's conviniently forgotten that fact that now and professes that he's always loved him, except for the hair.
My dad is selective about the dogs he likes, too. He likes Eve because she is so loving, but he thinks she's poorly behaved because she's so excitable (he's never seen her at work, lol! ) and prefers not to be around her. Dakota is more or less a perfect dog, not to mention he's an adult and Eve, Dash and Z are all very immature, so he's wayyy spoiled.
) and prefers not to be around her. Dakota is more or less a perfect dog, not to mention he's an adult and Eve, Dash and Z are all very immature, so he's wayyy spoiled.