Feral puppy: Am I good fit to help this dog?

[hiero2]

Originally Posted by br242

thats what i thought. how feral can a dog be after 3 months?

im pretty concerned that even if i get her leash trained, she will always be scared of me. ive seen some videos online where they look at feral dogs post 1 year of training. and the dog is still scared of the owner

Aha, I see now why you've been concerned about the "feral" aspect at such a young age. Being "feral" at 4 months doesn't make much sense in a dog - even if they had NO contact with a human prior to this. Their instinct is to be social with humans. You can find a few dogs who don't have much "social" drive, but that is rare.

I don't think you should have many problems countering fear in such a young dog. After 6 months, it can be a bit harder. After a year, it can be a lot harder. By 4 months, basic personality has come forward, but there is still so much room for growth. And a lot is dependent on the individual dog.

I've seen feral cat families pick up permanent fear behavior at even younger ages - but cats and dogs learn differently and respond differently. A kitten can learn a permanent fear response by seeing their parent respond with fear one time. Puppies tend to be more "paws-on", rather than observing.

Regarding the leash, I also have to wonder about previous abuse - but the answer there is to keep the leash experience today a positive thing. Get out the leash, give a reward. Keep the treats flowing until you get close to your goal some weeks down the road.

I haven't really added much to this conversation, I think - but I did want to validate what others have said - and to wish you luck in this adventure!

[JrzDefector]

Originally Posted by hiero2

Aha, I see now why you've been concerned about the "feral" aspect at such a young age. Being "feral" at 4 months doesn't make much sense in a dog - even if they had NO contact with a human prior to this. Their instinct is to be social with humans. You can find a few dogs who don't have much "social" drive, but that is rare.

I don't think you should have many problems countering fear in such a young dog. After 6 months, it can be a bit harder. After a year, it can be a lot harder. By 4 months, basic personality has come forward, but there is still so much room for growth. And a lot is dependent on the individual dog.

I've seen feral cat families pick up permanent fear behavior at even younger ages - but cats and dogs learn differently and respond differently. A kitten can learn a permanent fear response by seeing their parent respond with fear one time. Puppies tend to be more "paws-on", rather than observing.

Regarding the leash, I also have to wonder about previous abuse - but the answer there is to keep the leash experience today a positive thing. Get out the leash, give a reward. Keep the treats flowing until you get close to your goal some weeks down the road.

I haven't really added much to this conversation, I think - but I did want to validate what others have said - and to wish you luck in this adventure!

Yeah, I've read that the window for socialization for kittens is only a few weeks. My friends who foster kittens from feral mothers are basically handling them and socializing from the moment their eyes open. Dogs generally have a window of at least a year. As you said, dogs have the instinct to be social with us - that's how they've evolved.

Yeah, make the leash a good experience - find the highest-value treats your dog responds to. REALLY get creative - my one friend literally was feeding her dog raw buffalo tongue. But I've found that the cheap generic brand "sausages" grocery stores sell near the hot dogs are pretty motivating. (But salty - make sure there's water on hand!)

[mic111]

I think you sound like a good fit for the dog. The only thing you are missing is a more confident dog. Can you borrow one from a friend or neighbor and take them both out on the leash together? Get a harness so the dog does not feel the tugging on the neck and can't pull out of the collar if they try to bolt. Keep it short if needed and bring lots of good treats. Like rotisserie chicken, not store bought dog treats. If the dog does OK then stay out longer. If need be, and if the dog is small enough, carry the dog outside to a safe place to do their business. Sometimes it is the act of going through the door that terrifies them.

For a dog this scared it is probably best to not work with them on socialization with you. Ignore the dog as much as you can except when the dog approaches you. I know it is counter intuitive but dogs have their fear chemicals heightened (much like people with PTSD) and it takes a while for the chemicals to work their way out of their system. Then they make progress. But first they need to not have things happen that produce the chemicals.

The dog will not always be scared of you. I have a dog like this and it took months for the dog to approach me. He would make progress, then regress, then make progress, then regress. But he is the best dog now, very velcro and a delight to behold.

It really isn't a more experienced skill set to help a dog like this. It is just a completely different one than used for a normal dog. I joined a shy dog yahoo group that was very helpful. There are also books on shy dogs. Pretty much everyone comes to the same conclusion to just leave the dogs be to let the stress chemicals work their way out and then let the dogs progress at their own pace. Delight in the victories but don't push the dog.

Originally Posted by br242

Terrified of leashes and freaks out. she is fine walking around the house with the leash. but if she sees me pick it up or feels it she goes completely bezerk.

This is key. It is not the leash the dog is afraid of it is what a person does with the leash when they hold it. This dog may have been hung by the neck by a trainer holding the leash (don't be too surprised, this had been done right in front of me by a trainer). This dog may have been dragged out into scary situations by a person holding the leash. The way to overcome this is to break it down. First get a harness. Then figure out a way to transport the dog outside that doesn't involve being dragged on a leash. Maybe in a carrier or being carried by you. You can attach the leash to their harness as you walk outside to a safe quiet place. Always go to the same safe quiet space at first. You can try an extendable leash to see if that makes a difference. You can try a long line (25 ft of rope) to see if that makes a difference. The dog can stay a good distance from you with either. They may not transfer their fear of a 4 ft leash to something that looks and feels much different to them.

[yumi01]

Originally Posted by br242

did your dog just use the bathroom all over your house for an entire year?!?!

Hi,

I just wanted to know how you and your new dog is doing? Can you please provide an update? Thanks.