[dagwall]

So the puppy I'll be foster sitting for until the 7th just got dropped off and she is NOT happy to be left by her fosters. She started crying the moment they left and is now alternating between running around trying to hide from Jubel (I moved him upstairs and have her with me in the basement now) to crying, to howling at the top of the stairs, to sitting in my lap crying. Poor thing, hope she calms down and settles in quickly.

Any suggestions of what to do for her other than what I'm already doing? She's pretty loud for a little 9# chi/terrier mix, sister of the two I watch about a month ago.

 

[dagwall]

Well she stopped crying after about 45 minutes or so and decided my lap was the safest place to be. I'm an online gamer (WoW is my addiction haha) and it was a raid night. Much harder than I expected to raid with a 9# dog in your lap who feels she MUST use your arm, preferably near your wrist, as a head rest. Very cute but definitively made playing well difficult. I got a few pictures I'll share later.

She ended up pooping and peeing in the basement last night, not for lack of me taking her out to potty but I think being scared in the new yard more than anything. I think for now I'll have to take her out on her leash and just wait her out to potty. Her foster mom said she was really good about going when she says go pee pee but she wasn't having any of that last night. I leashed her up this morning and took her out further in the yard than she went herself last night and told her to pee pee and just waited, she eventually peed.

Her fosters said she likes to sleep with them at night and has no trouble sleeping through the night no accidents so I tried to let her. She just wouldn't settle and started to cry and whine so she ended up in her crate for the night (which is huge, probably big enough for Jubel who is 50# to her 9#). She seems to like her crate which is good, shortly after I left her in there she started to cry a bit but it only lasted for about 5 minutes tops before she went to sleep, no problems through the night.

Hoping she settles in more today with my brother while I'm at work and Jubel is at daycare for the day. Jubel pretty much just ignored her after a few sniffs and Belle seems curious and scared at the same time. She's been living with a dobie so she's used to a larger dog, I think she'll get used to him pretty quick as he'll leave her alone if she leave him alone. Belle seems to be a bit of a fearful dog so this will be a learning experience for me as Jubel is not and the other dogs I foster sat for weren't either.

 

[dagwall]

Update:

In ignorance my brother scared the crap out of her when he got home from work. He went to let her out of the crate and she huddled in the back. So he pulled her out and carried her into the living room. She ended up peeing on him and jumping out of his arms to get away to run and hide. Then he calls me to figure out why she's scared of him. She only met him for about 5 minutes last night between him waking up and taking a shower and leaving for work. She was okay with him them when he picked her up so it his mind she'd be fine with him this morning. I told him not to force it, drops some treats for her and let HER come to him, if you have to get her out of the crate fine pull her out but don't carry her around. Also told him she will probably warm up to him a good bit after they go for a walk as it's good for bonding.

He doesn't want to leave her in the crate pretty much all day but doesn't want her hiding from him and possibly pooping and peeing in the house either.

 

[dagwall]

Jubel is either a very tolerant boy or Belle is getting a big 'ole puppy pass from him (or a combo of both). She's decided she really likes all this chew toys, nylabones, balls, and the deer antler the most. Her interest has sparked his as well. Jubel will sit and wait until she leaves the chew toy and walks away from it before picking it up to chew on it. The moment he does she charges back over snarling and barking and takes it back. The "worst" Jubel has done in response to this is to not let go of the chew. Anytime she does this I tell her "NO" and take the chew from her and give it back to Jubel and keep her away until he loses interest. Haha and this literally just happened again as I'm typing this.

Belle's gotten snappy in Jubel's face a few times now when he's gone to his toys or up to me for snuggles. So far I'm just telling her "NO" and pulling her away from the toy or away from me. Too soon to tell if it's helping yet, so far Jubel hasn't done anything to correct her but he isn't really reacting to her much either other than to look to me with a look of "WTF?"

Belle seems to be a very fearful dog with new people and dogs. Just about everyone we pass while out walking will get at least a bark from her, more often lunging, snarling, and barking. I've only got her until the 7th so not much I can do to help change that in the short time but it is annoying. Sad that the people we see are cautious of Jubel as we approach and probably wonder what I'm doing as I shorten up the leash on Belle and let Jubel walk on with his 6' of leash loose. Then they get close and I get a look of understanding as Jubel walks on without a care and Belle starts barking and snarling.

 

[Hambonez]

Well she stopped crying after about 45 minutes or so and decided my lap was the safest place to be. I'm an online gamer (WoW is my addiction haha) and it was a raid night. Much harder than I expected to raid with a 9# dog in your lap who feels she MUST use your arm, preferably near your wrist, as a head rest. Very cute but definitively made playing well difficult. I got a few pictures I'll share later.

I have the same. exact. problem. I've barely played WoW since I got my pup... who is about 9 lbs now.

Unfortunately I have no advice... just sympathy about the gaming thing

 

[Shell]

I think one of the best training devices for a fearful dog is a confident dog Walking her with Jubel is a great confidence builder as she should see that he walks past people and sounds and sights without trouble and she can learn that she can walk like that too.

My last foster was skittish (although not reactive like Belle seems to be) and within about 3-4 days, she was looking over at Chester's reaction to things and walking much more calmly after she'd look at him and see that he wasn't caring a bit about the scary dog/truck/construction sign/etc

I would not be letting her charge over at Jubel and take back a toy/chewy. Jubel might be giving her a pass or just be a tolerant dog, but that is a really bad habit and could run her into trouble in her next home. I'd put a harness on her and leash and not let her have the chance to go towards him snarling. (Walgreens carries simple harnesses for about $6 that work great). Personally, I don't let dogs have any chew toys or treats in the same room. Those are for while they are crated, in different rooms or in different parts of the yard as I don't want to deal with any resource guarding fights.

 

[dagwall]

I think one of the best training devices for a fearful dog is a confident dog Walking her with Jubel is a great confidence builder as she should see that he walks past people and sounds and sights without trouble and she can learn that she can walk like that too.

My last foster was skittish (although not reactive like Belle seems to be) and within about 3-4 days, she was looking over at Chester's reaction to things and walking much more calmly after she'd look at him and see that he wasn't caring a bit about the scary dog/truck/construction sign/etc

They've only been walking together for two days now as Jubel got sick the second night she was here and wasn't really feeling like a long walk Friday. But I'll see if she improves as the week goes on.

I would not be letting her charge over at Jubel and take back a toy/chewy. Jubel might be giving her a pass or just be a tolerant dog, but that is a really bad habit and could run her into trouble in her next home. I'd put a harness on her and leash and not let her have the chance to go towards him snarling. (Walgreens carries simple harnesses for about $6 that work great). Personally, I don't let dogs have any chew toys or treats in the same room. Those are for while they are crated, in different rooms or in different parts of the yard as I don't want to deal with any resource guarding fights.

She has a harness I keep on her when she isn't crated but if I left the leash on she'd chew it up. She's somewhat afraid of the backyard for some reason so I have to leash her to get her off the small porch to go potty. I learned the treats were a no-no last night. Started off fine having Jubel do something then a few repetitions of trying to teach her to sit then back to Jubel. Was fine for about 5 minutes and she decided she didn't like him getting treats too and started snapping at him, THAT got him to snap and snarl back at her but didn't actually touch her. Treats got put away and she went on time out for a few minutes in her crate.

I can stop her charging and snarling over chews most of the time but I never know when she's going to snarl when Jubel comes up to me to snuggle. She's been fine sitting in my lap as he hops up to sit with me and ran from the other end of the couch to bark other times. Don't know what sets her off as she's usually fine but sometimes not. Pretty sure I'm going to tell the rescue people I think she'd do better as the only dog, not sure if she does this with the Dobie her fosters have. Jubel might let her get away with it but I know a lot of dogs wouldn't. Got six more days to see if she improves I guess.

My responses in bold.

 

[Shell]

I agree that is sounds like she'd do best as an only dog. I'd say it sounds like she might not be well suited to a house with children either- simply because a fearful dog who reacts with snarls would require a lot of watchfulness and prevention around children (under age maybe 10 or so).

She might do fine with the Dobe in the other home only because she is very used to that home but it might be because they really don't interact that much. Luna's previous foster said she was good with cats....well, that was only because they crated Luna nearly all the time so she never got near the cats. The previous foster really had no concept of Luna's personality or needs due to the excessive crating.

 

[dagwall]

They told me the dogs play together and they have two kids but they do looked to be between 9-13 years old. When I walked Belle alone and ran into a neighbor and their dog she was snarly for about a minute then she was fine and we walked together. She actually did okay with a few of the people we ran into on that walk. Yesterday morning while walking with Jubel we ran into people and dogs Jubel and I often walk with weekend mornings and she was very snarly and the other two dogs were not happy to put up with it. Due to her snarls and Jubel still not feeling that well we just headed home.

 

[dagwall]

Well Belle goes back to her foster's home tomorrow and Jubel will be happy to see her go I'm sure. Removing everything, except myself, for her to guard has helped and she even seems to be getting that doing so results in her getting a time out in her crate...maybe getting it haha. In her stay here my brother and I have managed to teach her to sit, still needs some repetition for it to stick but she's getting it.

Still barking her head off at people and even more so dogs we encounter on our walks, oddly she seemed to do better on the walk she had WITHOUT Jubel. Both in respects of barking and pulling. She pulls so hard in her little harness I think she's managing to choke herself a bit as she's panting and gasping much more than the pace and distance of our walk justifies. She's also got little spots on her lower neck and chest rubbed a little raw from the contact points of the harness as she pulls with all her tiny might. I think she wants to walk ahead of Jubel but having both on 6' leashes with harnesses and him being about 5 times her size he'll always be ahead unless he chooses to hang back.

I did talk to the rescue's foster coordinater about feeling she'd be best as an only dog with her dog on dog resource guarding and overall shy/fearful behavior with new dogs and people. She thanked me for the update and asked me to keep her updated with anything else I felt she needed to know. A family did put in an application on her last weekend and they don't have any kids or other pets so that's good so far. They can't meet her until after the 10th so I guess we'll see if that goes anywhere.

Got a surprise from Belle this evening that I thought was pretty funny. When it was time for Jubel's dinner I put her in the gated kitchen while he ate his meal from a tricky ball. Left the kitchen and dropped the ball for Jubel and poof there is Belle right on my heels. I figure I must not have closed the gate all the way for it to lock, scoop Belle up and return her to the kitchen. The gate is closed so I set Belle down and watch... hop, hop, hop, and she leaps herself over the gate to try and get at Jubel's dinner. So into her crate she goes so Jubel can eat in peace. I'm just amused that she CAN jump over the gate that's stopped Jubel who is 5 times her size. Granted I'm sure Jubel COULD jump it if he really wanted to he's just never really tried, it seems to be an unpassable barrier in his mind and I'd like it to stay that way. Physically he's jumped over the back of a couch in the basement that is taller and thicker than the gates in the kitchen but he respects the gates.

It hasn't ALL been bad between Jubel and Belle though, they've played for a few minutes 2-3 times now and it's cute while it lasts. But they are both vocal in play and not really sure of each other. So it starts off with play bows and fun, then one of them gets vocal and the other isn't sure if it's still play or not, they both get vocal and more unsure if the other is still playing and then they just walk away. I'm happy at least that it goes from unsure to just walking away though. Belle also seems to have overcome her fear of my backyard in the last few days making potty breaks easier, she's even picked her preferred potty spot.

I was hoping this 10 day foster sitting would go really well and I could talk my brother into the next step of our own foster but that seems to be a bit farther down the road now. Nothing really bad happened and other than the first night of her being scared and feeling abandoned and NOT going outside she only had two accidents. She did pull out some carpet tuffs in about a inch square in front of a couch in the basement but I blame that more on my brother than her. She did it on his watch and likely while he was sitting about 3 feet away, his fault for not noticing and redirecting. Guessing he had her and Jubel down with him so the chew toys where picked up so she wouldn't snap at Jubel...she didn't have anything to chew/do so she found something herself.

It was a good experience that's shown me Jubel will be nice to other dogs in the house even if he doesn't like them and they really aren't that nice to him. The other three we've foster sat for so far he's been pretty neutral on and they didn't stay this long. I'd really like to see how he acts with a dog he actually likes staying with us.

Pictures will be posted in my foster sitting thread on the picture forum sometime this weekend.

 

[dagwall]

/facepalm

So Belle's foster called Saturday to arrange for coming to pick her up and asked how it went. I told her mostly fine other than Belle's resource guarding behaviors and that Jubel will be happy to see her go due to that. Her response "yeah she does that with Daisy[their doberman] too, what do you do for that?" She goes on to tell me that Belle had bit their son once and a few of the neighborhood kids... None of this she bothered to tell me BEFORE or AT dropping Belle off.

Thankfully due to Belle's fearful behavior to strangers and other dogs in general I wasn't going to let her near any kids anyways but knowing this before hand could have made her stay smoother. Some people are just so clueless it makes my head hurt.

Edit: forgot to mention, pictures posted in picture forum now.

 

[Hambonez]

That reminds me of that joke where a man is standing on a street corner with a dog, and another man walks up and asks "Does your dog bite?" and the first man replies "No" so the second man reaches down to pet the dog and gets bit. The second man exclaims "You said your dog doesn't bite!" and the first man replies "He doesn't. That's not my dog."

I hope they've got a trainer or something working with her. It sounds like the foster family is not equipped to manage the behaviors.

 

[Shell]

/facepalm

So Belle's foster called Saturday to arrange for coming to pick her up and asked how it went. I told her mostly fine other than Belle's resource guarding behaviors and that Jubel will be happy to see her go due to that. Her response "yeah she does that with Daisy[their doberman] too, what do you do for that?" She goes on to tell me that Belle had bit their son once and a few of the neighborhood kids... None of this she bothered to tell me BEFORE or AT dropping Belle off.

Thankfully due to Belle's fearful behavior to strangers and other dogs in general I wasn't going to let her near any kids anyways but knowing this before hand could have made her stay smoother. Some people are just so clueless it makes my head hurt.

Edit: forgot to mention, pictures posted in picture forum now.

Doh. People like that drive me absolutely nuts.

Be sure to tell the rescue coordinator about both the resource guarding that you saw and what the long-term foster told you. Unfortunately, biting humans is a big deal and could set the rescue up for liability issues so they might want to move her to a more experienced foster and/or arrange for professional training (maybe a board-and-train program?). But make it clear that is seems like a fear issue rather than out and out aggression.

 

[dagwall]

I already told the foster coordinator about the resource guarding and fearful behavior, the foster said she told the coordinator about the bite. She said her son had picked Belle up and didn't let her go when she started squirming to get loose and got bit. I didn't bother to ask how bad it was, basically if it was an actual bite or just her being mouthy while trying to get away.