I rescued a standard poodle and need advice

Question
Hi Kim,

I rescued a standard poodle that has been nearly starved and abused.  Her hair was so matted and she was so scared when I got her.

In the past two days I have seen such a change in her.  I just completely clipped her all over and then have been really loving on her, even getting up in the night to just talk softly to her and pet her.

My question is, she has never been an inside dog and I want her to be.  How do I introduce her to the house?  What would you suggest for weight gain?  Would you think it would be safe for her to take her to a groomer soon?  

I have always wanted a standard poodle and I love her so much!  I have never had a dog that I wanted to thrive as much as her.  

Thank you in advance,
Key

Answer
Hello Key and Congradulations on your newest addition to your home.  

When introducing your dog to a new situation, go slowly and don't rush.  Bring something with your dog that has her smell on it (such as a favorite toy) so that she has something that is familiar to her.  Let her go through each room one at a time.  Let her get used to a room before introducing her to another one.  Put some treats on the floor and let her go over and eat them.  Pet her and reassure her that she is ok and not going to be harmed in these rooms.  Eventually she will feel normal in the house.  

You may need to watch her for awhile while loose in the house as she won't know that she can't potty inside.  If she does have an accident, don't yell at her, but walk over and gently lead her outside to where she has pottied before.  Praise her when she goes outside to potty.  Also, be sure to clean up any messes with a Pet Approved cleaning product.  
Wal-Mart has a good product called "Kids N' Pets" that works great on pet messes.  It has enzymes that "eat" the odor out of the floor.  By removing the smell from the floor, your dog won't want to come back to those spots again to potty.  

Here is a diet that you might try with your dog.  It is healthy and has vitamins and minerals that are good for your dogs skin and coat and has a good flavor that might be appealling to your dog.   

1 lb Hamburger, Chicken, Lamb or Turkey meat (cooked and drain about 1/2 of the fat off)
1 can Sardines in Olive Oil
1 cup Spinach blended with the oil of the sardines
1 egg scrambled
1 1/2 cup Special K or Total Cereal
1 Apple Blended (or you can use 1/2 cup of Applesauce)
1/8 tsp Garlic powder
1 grated carrot
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked using broth (either a meat or Veggie variety) for better flavor

This recipe is for a large dog, but if you think this is more than you would use in a week, it freezes nicely.  I would give her about 1/2 of this mixture and about a 1/2 portion of her food then gradually add more of her dry food.  I would suggest a dog food such as Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Nutro Natural Choice, Nutro Max, Bil-Jac food, or Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers soul.

As for going to the groomer, the best thing you can do to get her used to the idea of being groomed is to go and visit the groomer first.  Call the groomer and set up an appointment just to visit for the first time.  Let the groomer pet her, give her treats and play with her.  On your next visit to the groomer, see if the groomer can take her into the back and maybe brush her a little bit or trim her toenails, and if she was really good, more petting and treats.  Make the groomer (and you can do it with the Vet also) a fun place to visit and Vet and Grooming Appts won't be too terribly traumatic on her.  

Again, Congradulations on getting your precious girl and if you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim