Re: nervous dog

In Reply to: nervous dog
Category:   Behavior Problems
Posted by:  jodie
Posted on:  January 28, 2003 at 03:58:21

: I bought a 3 year old jrt about 4 months ago. The person whom i had bought it from (i did not know him) openly addmitted to abusing the dog, ie;kicking here as she was under his feet etc, and so I could not bear to leaving her there. Anyhow her behaviour since then is very nervous, skittish and trembling. I have given her alot of tlc. Even though she has improved there are still certain things which bother me about her. She wont come to me calling her at times and she has a bad phobia about coming through the back door. Is there anything else i can do to help her overcome her being mistreated and for her to know she has come into a loving and family orientated home.

Response:

Dear Jodie,

Bless your heart for taking in a terrier who was mistreated by it's former owner; she is lucky to have found a home with you.

A mistreated dog certainly needs TLC but your terrier also needs rules to help her feel secure and confident. Teaching the rules to a dog who was mistreated/abused is best done by someone who can actually observe the dog and it's humans. I'm sorry but we can't do that for you on this Forum. :-)

I highly recommend that you hire a behaviorist; he/she can personally observe your terrier and then provide specific instructions on how to deal with her not coming when called/her phobia about the back door. Additionally, the behaviorist will teach you how to teach your terrier the rules with regard to her history.

Thank you for taking the little one in and for being willing to do what ever it takes to help her trust a human again.

Best wishes,
Leslie