Hello everyone,

Thought would pop be and let you know how Shally is coping with life in her forever home.

Day brought home: very nervous with her new surroundings, marked her teritory in the garden just to make sure, upset tummy, slept for 6 hours before wanting to go out. RESULT. Had a few accidents in day but in same spot. Had a good night and slept for 6 hours with no accidents. Stayed in our bedroom on her bed.

Day two: Woken up by sloppy kisses, seemed very pleased that the day had started at 7am. Went for her first walk in the woods and loved it so much did not want to get in the car, a little nervous around my husband so maybe thinking a man has been nasty to her in her earlier life- if only could meet him to tell him what I Thought. Only two accidents one because she had a upset tummy so put her on Chicken and rice and all seems ok now. Had another good night with her.

Day three: Again woken up by sloppy kisses. All great went for a walk around, met the post lady and liked her as she brought her a biscuit. Off to pet supermarket to get spray on shampoo as she is very smelly. Can't bath her as stitches in after being spayed. Getting used to my husband but still until. Loves my 10 years old daughter they love to give each other cuddles.

Trying to get her head around commands. Not to keen in coming back into the house and loves her new garden. She is beautiful and loved to bits.

Sorry picture huge. lol not sure what I did wrong. lol Sorry put Shanny on picture but she is still called Shally..

Hi ya,
Thank you for joining and putting on your update of Shally.
I have altered the photo for you .. the original photo was too big, so I made it smaller and added it again for you.

Shally looks so lovely, she looks smaller than I thought she was.
Lovely that she loves your daughter

Putting my behaviourist hat on now (thats what I do for a job - dog training).
Please use lots of good rewards to help her cope (chicken is best if she has a dodgy tummy). Also please worm her again soon, often the dogs come in with running tummies as they have had worms, she would have been done at MT, but will definately need another dose of something like drontal plus in a week or so.

Re your husband, could you try asking him to just give Shally her dinner all the time for a while until she gets to trust him more ... these dogs often have a fear of men, as they are usually the ones in the past who have dished out the punishment on them Please ask him not to 'push' himself on her, and to be patient and let her wait until she trusts him first. I personally would recommend that you ask him to simply walk past her and toss a bit of chicken at her everytime he walks past, not trying to touch, speak to or anything, just lots of walking near her and tossing the chicken .

I wish you all the best of luck in the world with her, she just looks so lovely

Thanks for advice Shirley always lovely to know you have someone to talk to. He gave her a small breakfast this morning then I went out and left them they were both in same room happy and she was going to him, Been to pets at home for treats, Shally also and was very well behaved. Even went up to another man to say hello. Stopped of for a run in woods on way home with Paul on other end of her lead. Funny thing was I could not get her out the car to go in house. Was so funny she just sat there and looked at me. Got a treat and shouted out and she soon gave in. Well who would not for a pigs ear. Any advice you have in getting her in from the garden when she in a stubborn mood would be appreciated.lol Apart from this I think she is doing really well and pleased with the progress she is making.

I hope that you have as much fun with Shally as we are having with Bracken. He is getting on well with his training unless there is a big bang behind him! Helen & Bracken.

Hi, Please don't think of her as having subborn moods, there is a reason for her doing this, and I would suggest this comes from her past. She will need a much longer time to settle and to realise that you are a kind family, 3 days is such an incredibly short time to have her doing all that you want her to. I would suspect that previously either alot of 'negatives' have happened in the house before OR she was never allowed in the house before, and as such has a fear of coming in. This will need alot of time to overcome.
I would recommend that you spend 5 minutes as many times as you can during the day doing the following:

Lead on Shally (you keep her on lead so that she cannot wander off in the garden and entertain herself).
Take her out of the doorway out of the house for about 5 foot or so (on lead), but leave your daughter (or Shally's favourite person, but I think you state that she already loves your daughter) in the open doorway to the house (far enough in the doorway to allow Shally to join her when she decides to), have your daughter playing with something, and laughing - BUT NOT calling Shally and almost totally ignoring Shally.
Do NOT try to walk/force her straight back into the house, do not point at or encourage Shally to go indoors AT ALL - but you want her to make up her own mind to want to go to your daughter.
When she actually does this THEN give her a large treat reward.
IE do not use food to lure her back in .. be totally patient and WAIT for her to want to do to see what your daughter is up to ..
then put some of her treats ON THE FLOOR, so she has to wander around the house/floor to pick them up.
You have her on the lead so that she cannot wander off in the garden and entertain herself.

So recap - you have her on lead, bait (ie daughter) is happily playing in house entrance, WAIT (could take seconds, could take minutes, could take longer) for SHALLY to decide to go to your daughter. Reward by throwing GOOD food (chicken, cheese) onto the floor in the house.

It is hugely difficult to advise on behavioural matters in a message like this, and I cannot see Shally's body language re going into the house, my advice can be misconstrued and done wrongly, and cannot show you exactly how to do this.

But .. Hope this helps.

Took Shally to vet on Wednesday night as her poo been runny since bringing her home and also her breathing is very rapid at times. Notice it more in the evening whilst she is resting its like she does not know how to breath slowly. Took her temp which was 102, gave her an injection, got antibiotics and stuff to help with the poo situation. She is alright in herself very active, settling in lovely to her new surroundings, eating and drinking ok, no accidents in the house the last fews days. so not sure what is going on? ah well will keep a watchful eye on her see how she goes.

Did you worm her again when she came to you? Most rescue dogs I know are full of worms even though Many Tears would have done it when she came in. I would recommend Drontal plus now and again in 3 weeks time. She may just have a very heavy worm burden . If your vets are willing they could also do a test for Giardia.

Any news on how Shally is now?

Hi,

Shally is great, settled well and loves learning new things.

Wormed her which upset her tummy again. Got sorted then a trip to beach on Saturday and with it being her first time drank some of the sea water and yes you got it.... runny bottom again.lol was bright red blood in it. Today she has had normal soft ones with no blood, so think we getting back to normal.

Was not impressed with her first bath but looked lovely and fluffy afterwards. She is a fab dog so so loving. Felt sorry for her on the beach as she wanted to go and play with the other dogs running around down there. Think a little to soon for that as think would run off and not come back. Not mastered that yet, think she just getting used to her name... she looks a me as if to say oh thats me. lol