new dog owner basic questions

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I will be picking up my new family member (dog) Friday from my local
Humane society. She is 6 year old lab terrier mix who was brought in
originally because her old owners kept her outside which allowed her to easily
get fleas and shaved her teeth down to flat nubs. She because of all this is
very shy. The reason I have to wait until Friday is because she was never
spayed. So the society automatically does that which is nice. So since then I
have visited her a few times just to get her to know me and visa versa.  She
started off real shy but she is starting to lighten up a bit. On our first walk
around the complex we went up a walking trail they had. When we got to a
part that went into the woods she planted herself and would not go into the
woods. Second time she was ok. With the knowledge of how shy she is i want
to make sure the trip to my apartment and the introduction to her new home
goes smoothly and comfortably. I am aware that while some dogs love car
rides others dread it. So knowing this I want to make sure I know how to
make her comfortable with the car ride if she is not. If she is not comfortable
around my car and in my car, what can i do? Similarly if she does the woods
thing where she plants herself what can I do? I think she really has come to
like me as the few times I  visit her whenever she gets scared she backs her
whole body up against mine. She is not one for treats. As even the society
says she doesn't care for them. She just wants her food and water.
So what suggestions can you give me? Thanks.
Adam

ANSWER: Hi, Adam, and kudos to you for adopting your new dog from the Humane Society, and especially one that may have some issues. It's likely that she wouldn't have been adopted if it hadn't been for you. Why people get a dog and then chain it up in the back yard is beyond me; dogs are pack animals. They want to be with their humans, not rotting away at the end of a chain.

If she is having her surgery on Friday, then she will probably still be drowsy when you pick her up, which will make getting her home much easier. I would recommend that you get a crate to put her in in your car, for your safety as well as hers. You will not want to allow her to jump up into the car on her own, because that could rip her incision - you will need to pick her up and put her in there.

She should also have a crate at your house (it can be the same one - no need to buy two crates if you don't absolutely have to). This will help her feel secure and get used to your routine. As she becomes more and more comfortable at your house, she can start spending less and less time in the crate, but in the beginning, she should either be in the crate, or on a leash near you. Do not give her full run of the house all at once. That could overwhelm her and increase her insecurity. Be advised that, although she seems to like you and be comfortable with you, she could still spook and bolt out the door or get away from you on a walk, so whenever you have to open the door, have her leash firmly in your hand, and when you take her for walks, the same holds true. After several weeks, she should start to settle in quite nicely. I'm guessing she will also start to enjoy treats. A shelter environment is very stressful, so it's not surprising that she was hesitant to take treats while there. It's a wonder she would even eat. On the subject of food, if you have not done so already, I would encourage you to take a look at my dog food page, which is located at http://dogfoods.angelfire.com, to learn how to choose the best food for your dog. During the first couple of weeks, you will probably want to keep her on whatever food the shelter had her on, but that is probably a cheap junk food, so I'd switch her to something better as soon as I could, if I were you.


If she balks on you, the best thing to do is to ignore the behavior, and use firm, yet gentle, tugs on the lead to get her brain moving forward again. Say, for example, she plants herself at the door to your home. Do not look her directly in the eyes, but see if you can get her to come to you by using a gentle voice and tapping your hand on your leg. If she stands there and looks at you like you've lost your mind, then begin quick tugs on the leash until she takes a step forward. Do not pull or drag her, but do not allow her to move backwards either. If she fights, let her, but when she stops, start the tug-tug-tug-tugging again. The moment she takes a step towards you, put slack in the leash, and use a happy voice to praise her and try to encourage her forward. Repeat as necessary.

It is very important that she be wearing a collar that she cannot get out of. I would suggest a martingale style collar, which has a limited slip which prevents 'backing out' of the collar.

I don't think you will have any issues that you cannot handle with her. It sounds like you have a pretty firm grasp of what you are doing.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much for your quick response. It was really helpful. What do you
mean balk at me? A crate hmm. Going to need to be a large crate for a 30
pound dog. I am planning on doing some light walks around my car also. I
will go visit her the day before her surgery as well. This way she knows it and
is ready. hmm. I am also trying to think of how to get to her my apartment. I
am picking her up friday and the Surgery is Thursday. Sorry if i Was confusing
on that. I live in the third floor ofa walk up. Im pretty sure that if she wouldnt
have had the surgery she would be fine with the stairs. But as you said its
probably not a good idea to force her up the stairs. Shes a 30 pound dog so
the crate will weight probably about 40-50 with her in it is my guess. Any
other reccomendations? Thanks again.
Adam

Answer
When an animal 'balks,' it means they plant their feet and refuse to move. Sorry for the confusion.

A size medium crate is probably big enough for her, if she's only 30 pounds, depending on her height. The dimensions of a medium size crate are 27 x 20 x 19 inches. I prefer the plastic kind with the wire door, mainly because they are easier to clean and most dogs like them better because they are more den-like. They aren't heavy like wire crates, either.

The stairs may not be a problem, as long as she will go up them normally and not try to run or jump. You should ask about that when you pick her up, though. What you >>could<< do is ask them if they could give her a little bit of acepromazine (commonly known as 'Ace') about 10-15 minutes before you pick her up. That will help mellow her out a bit, as well as helping to prevent her from getting sick during the car ride home.

Just rig up a pulley system and strap her into a harness and hoist her up!

KIDDING!!

You will need someone to help you if you plan on carrying her up while she's IN the crate - you won't be able to do it by yourself.