FRUSTRATED AND CONFUSED

[science_doc]

Hi everone,
Again I am new to dogs and all the long time rescue people can probably identify with my feelings today. As some of you may know we adopted this beautiful lab/husky mix pictured next to my name from a local humane society last March for our very FIRST dog, LOL. We foolishly brought this super stubborn, smart, and prey driven dog home to live with our two cats which needless to say ended in heartache for us and a new home for the dog. Luck for her I was smart enough to avoid returning her to the pound and instead worked with a local no kill rescue group as well as offering to foster home her until we could find someone who could care for her properly.
We went to visit her in her after 1 month in her new home and were shocked, not because they were abusing her in any way, in fact she looked really healthy and happy, BUT they had completely stopped obedience training the dog. Everything we had worked so hard to teach her was gone and I guess that in their home she is in charge, literally. I realize that if they want an out of control dog that's their choice, but it pained me to see her so wild again. I told them before they adopted her that she had no recall skills but was starting to learn and instead of continuing her education, they just keep har chained or on a leash at all times, because the first night they had her they let her out without restraint and she took off. Then they finally built the dog run they had promised to build before they adopted her. When I talked with the rescue group I stated to them I thought that she should go to a home with a fenced in yard due to need for obedience training, but they just poo pooed me and said they had norther/large breeds with no fence, etc. I am also worried, because it took me 2 months to get this year old dog to stop mouthing and yesterday she would not get her teeth off my hands or feet. Anyway I know that I am just ranting, but more than anything I'm scared for this poor dog. I know that an untrained dog has potential to do something bad which could result in the destruction of the poor animal. I know that I might have caught her on a bad day (perhaps even another change of living caused her set back so it's my fault) and things may not be as bad as they seem, but now more than ever I want to give a HUGE thanks to all the rescue foster parents out there who deal with these problems day in and day out for years. OK that's it done with spilling my worries on all of you thanks for the ears (well really eyes) :cry:

[Aroura]

I can see why you would be so frustrated.
I would be as well. Even though it isnot your dog anymore you still care about it and I would also be very annoyed if my training of a dog went down the drain to some hopeless owers who don't understand the need for it and are to lazy to enforce it!
On the other hand, at least you should be happy they do not abuse it, and that it is in better hands than it was before it reached yours.

[science_doc]

Thanks for the kind words of support :D

We are thinking about sending the new owners a thank you card for letting us visit and in the card mention that we know that this dog seems really wild when you first bring her home but with some professional assistance (telling them about obidience classes as a non-offensive hint) she really settles down. We were thinking this subtle hint to get them more on the right track? Who knows it might not work, but at least then we will feel like we have done everything in our power to help the little pooch out.

[science_doc]

Okay we have written out the Thank Card with the subtle message, now please everyone cross your fingers that the new owners get the hint :roll: