[tabithafusak]

i have a new pit/boxer mix and i am trying to get her comfortable in her new home she was abused as a puppy which makes it very difficult and i got her from a rescue foster home.she was very horribly malnourished before her rescue and loud noises scare her more then normal. she is really scared of just about everything and is not potty trained i knew what i was getting into when i received her but i still wanted her. if anyone has any advice on how to open her up or what i can do to help relax her let me know. also any potty training or any other training tips id like to know! this is a challenge for me and i want help thank you guys!

[cigwyllt]

Poor little girl. She is lucky to have found such a caring and understanding home. I don't know anything about Pits (they are banned here in the UK) but I guess most traumatised dogs act in similar ways.

One thing that works wonders with JR's is to feed by hand. Sit on the floor without making eye contact and just toss pieces of food in her direction, dropping them closer to you all the time until she is coming right up to you to take the food. Even when she comes willingly continue the hand feeding for a while to encourage her to bond with you. Feeding in this way as the added advantage of showing that you are the controller of good things in her life!

If it is hard to get her to go outside attach a houseline (I use an ordinary dog lead with the handle cut off) onto her collar so that you can take control without having to grab her collar. I use a houseline when my little bitch is getting to stroppy with the other dogs and it works wonders. I can reinforce my commands and she doesn't associate the tug on the end of the line with me at all. You can use it to take her outside on a regular basis which is what you need with the toilet training.

[Todd]

The key with a formerly abused dog is to can any negative/firm corrections until she or he becomes a lot more comfortable. With this dog your focus should be on 110% pisitive training methods/positive reinforcement. Show the dog a lot of love and introduce it to people and other dogs in a positive manner so that it associates this will positivity. For example, after meeting a person or dog, reward her with a treat or toy and A LOT of praise. It is very important to be patient with her, It is obviously going to be a lot longer for her to get used her new enviroment and it's going to take a while for her to trust other people/dogs so be patient and don't try and rush things along. Make her comfortable with what she's doing. Take it one step at a time.

Are there any specific items, rooms, or situations she's fearful of? If so, she needs to essentially be desensitized to them through more positive reinforcement and positive training/exposure methods. For example, iof she's afraid of the vaccume, put treats on it and make things calm while she's around it. Eventually, even when it'running, she'll be fine with it. Remember just to not rush things along and be very, very patient with her,

As far as the potty training goes, you need to pick you method. Is it going to be crate training, paper training, traditional training? Whatever works best for you and your dog's specific lifestyle. Whatever method you choose, you must just remember to stick with all positive reinforcement/positive training methods with little firm/negative correction until her fear subsides. Be patient as well and try hard not to get frustrated.

There are also several natural remidies/meds out there that may help calm her down/ease her anxiety for the time being. Here's a link;

Dog Anxiety Natural Remedies | Herbs and Homeopathy for Anxiety in Dogs

good luck!

[Lara's mom]

Having taken in abused rescues to foster, I can only tell you what worked for me.

1) Loads and loads and loads of patience.

2) Speak quietly and never "sneak up" on an abused dog.

3) Interact with the dog at his/her own level. You are much less intimidating when you aren't towering over the dog.

4) Lots of one on one time, positive reinforcement and treats.

5) Reintroduce the dog to the world slowly, especially since there are fear issues. Learn to read the signs that the dog is getting overwhelmed and back off and try again later.

6) If you have a "fear biter", make sure you muzzle the dog when it is outside of your secure property. This protects the dog, you and any innocent passerby who may startle the dog. Likewise, use a muzzle if the dog is aggressive toward other animals.

7) If it is safe to do so, feed the dog from your hand a lot. This will teach him/her that human hands are not something to be afraid of.

8) Provide the dog with a quiet and private place so that he/she can go there to chill out or relax. Don't bother the dog in that spot.

I'm sure there is a great deal more but, that is all that comes to mind at the moment. No doubt other members will be able to offer additional advice.

Best of luck to you and your new little one!!!