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Rescued Lab...Need some tips!

4K views 21 replies 17 participants last post by  Justin Allen 
#1 ·
First of all, I wanted to say thanks for all of the useful information that I have found on this site. I just registered today...but have been reading for weeks!

Here is a little bit of information about our new Lab, Brooks. About a month ago, my wife and I were leaving our little suburban town for the afternoon. It was about 100 degrees outside, and as I drove through the sage brush flats, I noticed a yellow lab sitting in what little shade there was. The area we live in is often the place where poor dogs are dropped off to fend for themselves. As I passed him, I thought to myself...if you turn around...you are going to have a new dog...Well I made it almost a half mile before I decided I couldn't keep driving. When we got back to where he was, I pulled over and got out. As soon as I called to him, he immediately got up and ran about 200 yards the other way. This went on for about an hour before my wife and I had to leave. A couple of hours later when we returned, he was again in the same spot. And again...he ran away. About this time, a neighbor stopped to say he had been doing the same thing for several days. He had left a bowl of water and food, but neither had been touched.

Later that evening, my wife called animal services to seek their assistance. Eventually, the lab's hiding place was found. He had been using a caved in culvert near some railroad tracks to seek shelter. It took 5 of us almost 4 hours to eventually rig together a 30' tent pole (wife's idea), with a noose taped to the end. When he was finally out of the culvert, we could see what kind of shape he was in. The animal services people were required to take him to the pound for an owner to claim. Obviously, a week later...no owner.

We adopted Brooks, and have had him home with us for three weeks now. He spent the first 40 hours hiding under our bed. We did not want to force him out in anyway. Just waited for him to become curious. He initally befriended my wife and was glued to her for the next week or so. At first, he would not play with either of us in anyway, but now acts about right for his age (approx 1 yr). We have been going for nightly walks together, working on being a polite dog. He has done great with normal obiedience commands and progressing very nicely, at his own pace.

So...at long last...time for some of my questions...

My wife and I have been sharing in the training role. Does this cause complications now or later? I would like for him to behave himself not only when she or I am there, but also respect our teenage children if they have him out for a walk, or hopefully later on a hunt.

My biggest concern right now, is he seems to have zero desire to retrieve. I have done almost anything I can think of to encourage this. But he is such a docile dog, hardly anything gets him excited. Is it possible that the previous "owner" broke his spirit to a point that he doesnt have this drive left in him?

Hopefully some of you made it this far into my post! I didnt realize how long winded it was going to be. He is a great dog, and we are lucky to have him in our family. We had been discussing getting another hunting dog, to replace my GSP that had to be put down a few years ago. This wasnt the route I was planning on going, but just couldn't imagine leaving him to fend for himself. Any help getting us headed in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again!

Copperton Guy
 
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#2 · (Edited)
First of all, thank you for giving Brooks a chance in life and a loving home. You and Mrs CG are good things in a wicked old world.

Secondly, in common with all rescue dogs, you've got what you've got. He'll come with some baggage both mental and physical and a lot of it will manifest itself at odd times in inconvenient and puzzling ways. All you have to do is roll with the punches and not get too fussed by it. Just go through the usual sequences of training, making sure each step is solidly in, and go on to the next,; some he'll probably get very easily others he might struggle with, but bear in mind that he's had a rough time of it and even three weeks isn't enough for him to trust you. Like you yes, but trust has to be earned.

The non retrieving isn't surprising, even dogs from a hunting breed line (which he may not be) often have to be shown what's what. I deal with quite a few Springers who hunt like Dervishes but aren't too bothered about retrieving. My own choice is to do so with a technique called "clicker" which is very easy on the dog and you. It's just a gut feeling of mine that being in any way harsh on Brooks at this stage won't turn out well given his history and behaviour when you first had him. Once he's got the idea you can progress with his retrieving profile with what might be called "normal" training. There are books and videos available that show clicker, just Google them up. The one I recommend is by Jim Barry and can be bought off Amazon. POSITIVE GUN DOGS. I learned a lot from it and teach virtually all the basic obedience tasks with clicker.

It's probably best in these early stages for one of you to do the initial training of a concept (as it might be retrieving) but for both of you to do the reinforcement and repetition work. You should be fine. Softly softly catchee monkey.;)

Again, well done.

Eug
 
#4 ·
Thank you and Good for you and your family for giving a dog a second chance, he will give it back it back ten fold. Coming from an owner of a rescue dog who was also a stray or dumped, my suggestion is to work slowly on building a bond and trust with the dog. Not knowing any background you really have to start the dog out just like a puppy and build from there and be willing to accept that some things may or may not be the norm however with the right plan you may be surprised. Lots and lots of love goes along way too.

How about a pic?
 
#5 ·
First off, great story im glad to see people taking a chance when they know the situation is not ideal. As stated by Colonel Blimp, this dog will come with some baggage that a purchased pup may not. I would continue down the same path that you seem to be on now. The big thing is to gain the trust of the dog, he most likely sees humans as a bad thing. As you and your family get his trust and acceptance, introduce new situations to him. “same as socializing a 8 week old puppy”

Also as stated above, once you have gained the trust of the dog, low pressure training would be my approach. Too much pressure and he will most likely just shut down on you..
Just to give you hope, I train with a guy that has a “rescue” dog. She was locked in a kennel alone with no human interaction for the first 6-8 months of her life. He has been working with her for about a year and plans to run started/juniors this fall.

Please keep us posted on your progress.


Thanks,

Dustin…

P.S. you are already a step ahead.. you found a yellow dog. They are better than those black and brown ones… :D
 
#7 ·
Dog Canidae Dog breed Labrador retriever Retriever


Sorry it took a few days to add a picture of Brooks. Here he is resting after a swim in the lake. We took him camping this weekend and his confidence continues to grow. He took to the water fairly well, as long as he could touch the bottom. He did jump off of the rocks a couple of times to be in the water with my wife. Patience will be the key...hopefully I have learned some of that from my kids!
 
#12 ·
Handsome boy! Thanks for giving him a chance!
 
#13 ·
Re Homing or Taking a Rescue Dog.
It’s not any easy decision, in fact much more complicated than deciding to get a new puppy.
The vast amount of rescue and re-homing centres around the country would suggest that this less complicated decision about getting a new puppy should probably take more thought?
Without the great work that these people in rescue and re-homing do mostly voluntarily, and with little or sometimes no funding is admirable and without that structure in place, many very good dogs would not be with us today. These organisations are not only to relocate a rescue dog they are also a support and information service, and in many situations offer advice , direction and alternatives to existing owners without the dog being re-homed.
There are many factors to be considered when a dog is placed in rescue or offered for re homing, much the same way as a child would be in the adoption process which is far more complicated than a planned or even un-planned new born baby in the stable family home.
Deciding on a dog to be used in the shooting field requires even further consideration and not all are equipped or in a position to fulfil the necessary requirements. This can be even further complicated if the dog has developed certain issues in its previous environments, however the rewards when accomplished are immense.
We have two cockers within our pack, one of which is a Rescue dog, and the other is a Re-home who have become a ‘challenging pleasure’
You may wish for many things for the rescue dog that you have and all said and done everyone wishes you well.
 
#14 ·
As others have already said Thank You for what are doing.

I am on Shawn's page. While this dog may not be a puppy in size it may have a puppy brain and you may need to get real creative to the prey drive to kick in.
 
#15 ·
Back when I was a single-dog family, I used to foster for a local rescue. One of the dogs I fostered was a 9 month old YLM named Max. Even though Max was fairly young, he'd spent a lot of time in the shelter before being transported up to Minneapolis and the rescue I worked with. He had no idea what toys were and displayed no prey drive the first few weeks I had him. I'd stake him out while I worked with my own dog, but he never seemed interested in what we were doing. I tried a lot of different things with him, but nothing seemed to click. One day, I was playing around after training, throwing fun bumpers for my dog into a little pond. I was using Dokken DFTs, Rocky was super amped up and I was having a great time. Suddenly I realized that Max was going crazy on the stake-out every time I threw the DFT. (He'd shown no interest in them before.) I let him loose and threw another one into the pond. Both he and Rocky launched after it. I don't remember who won the race, but after that, he was a retrieving machine. I placed him into a hunting home a short time later. In Max's case, it was the excitement of the moment that triggered the prey drive.

It's hard to predict what will trigger it in your dog. The best advice I can give is keep an open mind and keep it fun and don't be afraid to try different things. If the prey drive is there, it will surface.
 
#16 · (Edited)
You are a good family to give this beautiful dog a home!! A loving family and TIME will allow a lot of good changes in his personality. I am betting you won't believe how far he comes in another month, and a year from now you won't believe he is the same dog. We bought a washout lab almost 20-years ago now--for a pet and hunting dog. He had had a lot of pressure and was pretty burned out. First two weeks we had him, he didn't move without being asked and his personality was a big zero. After a few weeks, one day he took off running around the yard, cutting trees and jumping over things. Where did this dog come from!? People who met him when we first got him, and then saw him again in a year couldn't believe the change. Two years, and he was almost breaking at the NAHRA tests. Loved him to age 14 1/2, spoiled him rotten, and had a great time learning from him. Breaks my heart to think where your dog has been, and to know there are many other animals in similar situations. Good luck! Once he knows he can trust you, he will come out of his shell.
 
#17 ·
You are a good family to give this beautiful dog a home!! A loving family and TIME will allow a lot of good changes in his personality. I am betting you won't believe how far he comes in another month, and a year from now you won't believe he is the same dog. Breaks my heart to think where he has been, and to know there are many other animals in similar situations. Good luck!
What Ann said, he is beautiful..and...love /trust, can sometimes work miracles.
Takes time to build that.

Even if he never is a great field dog, doesn't mean, not one little bit...he can't be a great dog.
 
#19 ·
What a beautiful dog!
 
#20 ·
There is no love like the love from a rescued dog.

Good for you and lucky for him.
 
#21 ·
Thank you to everyone for the kind words an helpful tips. Just like most of you have said, Brooks is starting to open up quickly! Very different dog than the one we had just a week or two ago. As he opened up, we took him everywhere we went, introducing him to many situations and environments. The more confidence he gains, the more he wants to see...He still wants to be close to us and won't wonder far at all, but loves to walk the neighborhood and go to the kid's soccer and baseball games.

Tonight was fun for everyone. After returning from a weekend at the family cabin and lake, we gave Brooks a little haircut and a bath. Afterwards he was ripping around the yard like never before. We threw him three short retrieves and he exploded after each one. I thought that was a fantastic start and ended right there. He was jumping up and down looking for the bumper. Hopefully he will have the same attitude in the morning!

Thanks again for all of the support. I know we have a great begining to a wonderful family dog. Hopefully tonight was the first sign of his hunting possibilites.
 
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