Opinions?

[Horsefeathers!]

Most of you are aware that we are fostering Peaches... a three legged Dobe. She's a very sweet, outgoing dog and easy to love. She's also pretty smart if not very well trained. She's intelligent enough that she can learn quickly.

Here's my problem... :-?

Peaches is not good on a leash. She jerks me nearly right off my feet. I have handled leash lungers before and I have no doubt I could fix that with her, but I'm recovering from a broken ankle and she's a pretty strong dog. I am just not sturdy enough right now to plant my feet firmly to keep her from yanking me. I once tried a head halter thing and she freaked so badly that I decided it wasn't even worth it to try. She was going to hurt herself. She's from an abuse case, though I don't know the nature of the abuse, but she does seem to have serious issues with feeling physically restrained. I put a martingale collar on her and it works well and she deals with it ok. I have also tried Court's suggestion of a no pull harness and it does help with walking, but there's that initial yank I have to deal with before she realizes it's there.

A few weeks ago, she jerked me pretty hard and something popped in my injured foot and it's hurt pretty bad since. The doctor is sending me to physical therapy for it to see if it'll help (I don't know, ask him :-? ). This morning, Peaches jerked me so hard, I lost balance and REALLY hurt my foot. It had been healing so well before all this yanking and lunging. I have to call the doctor yet again tomorrow and see if I can get in for more xrays. My foot and lower leg are swollen way up and it's blackish like it's bruised.

I can't do this. I haven't emailed the rescue coordinator yet to make other arrangements because I feel guilty. These are problems I could easily overcome and live with if I had TWO good feet to work with her. She's not impossible to handle.

Does this make me a failure? We are only fostering Peaches; we haven't adopted her, so it's not like I'm abandoning one of my own, but then, in a way, it sort of feels like it. I have a friend with a fenced yard and three of my former fosters who is willing to foster her for a while. I have to email the rescue coordinator and see if that's ok with her. If not, Peaches will have to go back to the foster home she was initially in :( . She's in no danger of going to a shelter or being put down.

Am I wrong? Should I feel so guilty? What would you do?

[courtnek]

I guess the no pull harness didnt help then? Sorry.....

you gotta do what you gotta do HF....If you cant handle her physically to walk her (til your foot heals) maybe dont walk her? I think you said you had a fenced yard right? Do whatever feels right to you. Sometimes these things just dont work out....

best of luck no matter what you decide.

8)

[Horsefeathers!]

Court, I have to be able to walk her. She goes with me to work and a lot of other places and it's very important that I'm able to walk her on a leash. I can't just leave her home 24/7. The harness helps once she realizes it's on. It's just that initial lunge before she realizes it. That's about to do me in.

I don't mind the effort that goes into handling and teaching her. I'm just physically unable to keep going this. I'm afraid I'm about to rebreak my ankle. :(

[AllAmericanPUP]

I hear ya.
I broke and dislocated my ankle on mother's day and I am still healing from it, and have to have another(this is the 3rd time) surgery...

I don't take my dogs on many walks because it hurts my ankle...they are pullers too....

I can't really think of anything..
People swear by prong collars, but I don't know much about them....

Sorry I have no advice :(

[BuddysMom]

Here's my 2 cents ... DON't feel gulity ... and DO call (or email) the rescue and get yourself some relief!!

[Horsefeathers!]

I don't know that a prong collar would be the thing for Peaches. :oops:
She was seized in an abuse case (from what I understand), but I don't know the nature of the abuse. I do know that if you "pop" her collar, it frightens her and she screams and hunkers down. I've been really trying to boost her confidence and not give her any reason to be afraid. With this dog being as sensitive as she is, I don't know that she'd respond positively to a prong. Beside that, I'd still have to go through the initial lunging even if only once or twice and I'm afraid another time or two is going to do me in.

What's weird is that Peaches has a perfect OFF leash heel :o . She will walk right beside me and sit if I stop. Still, I can't have her off leash everywhere I go because
1) the law requires dogs in public places to be leashed and
2) I don't trust her recall 100% yet, though she hasn't given me a reason not to.

I don't know if maybe someone strung her up by a collar or leash at some time in her life, but if you reach for her collar, she cowers. You can have a leash on her all day long and she's happy as a clam as long as you aren't directly trying to grab her by her collar. It's like she has this fear of having something tightened around her throat. She takes the martingale well, but not if it's "snapped."

I'm hoping the rescue coordinator won't mind letting my friend take her for a while. It's only a mile from me, she has a nice fenced yard and only three other dogs. I'd still see Peaches several times a week and be involved with her. If, after a while, she still hasn't been adopted, I don't mind having her back. My friend really actually loves Peaches and wanted to adopt her, but due to some circumstances ($$), we didn't think it was a good idea. If she fosters Peaches for us, it won't cost her a thing (I'll be providing food and heartworm prevention and hopefully the rescue would pick up any big bills that arose) and Peaches gets to spend time with someone who is absolutely ga ga in love with her. It's just my foot needs a break (or rather DOESN'T need one). Peaches has visited my friend with me several times, so it's not like she'd be shipped off yet again to unfamiliar surroundings.

Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better? :oops:

I'm certainly not trying to give up on her and I know she's smart enough to learn. I just need more time to heal. :oops:

[BuddysMom]

Oooooh poor Peaches! And poor you!! the Friend situation sound perfect for awhile anyway ... good luck whatever you decide and keep us posted!!

[Guest Anonymous]

courtnek napisał(a):

I guess the no pull harness didnt help then? Sorry.....

you gotta do what you gotta do HF....If you cant handle her physically to walk her (til your foot heals) maybe dont walk her? I think you said you had a fenced yard right? Do whatever feels right to you. Sometimes these things just dont work out....

best of luck no matter what you decide.

8)

Well said. You have to do what is best for YOU and the dog. The faster you achieve better health, the faster you will be back and able to continue doing what you do. I do not understand why you would feel bad or guilty about the decision you have to make because there are others in rescue waiting to help just for times like this.

[gooeydog]

It sounds like going to foster with your friend is a pretty good plan. If that doesn't work out or you want to keep trying with her for a bit more, you might want to give one of these type of leashes a try, they have a built in bungee, that is supposed to absorb the shock of a dog hitting the end of the leash.
http://www.cleanrun.com/category.cfm?Category=164

I'm sure you'll do what's best for both of you, good luck :)

[hicksstar]

Dont feel bad, you have to do what is right for yourself and the dog. :)

[Malamum]

This may be a silly question with an obvious answer but can Hubby walk her till your ankle is healed or the lunging is resolved (whatever comes first)?

Otherwise I think her going to stay with your friend is a good idea. Nothing to feel guilty about by doing that.

[Horsefeathers!]

Malamum, I take her with me to work most days and other places, so I have to be able to walk her. Hubby can't take her to his work and we can't just leave her home 24/7. It wasn't a silly question at all.

I got the ok from the rescue coordinator to let Peaches stay with my friend for a while. I'll still be in close contact and I'm not feeling as bad about it as I was.

Goo, I like the idea of that leash. It sounds like a very good idea, but I think I'm going to wait until my ankle is much better before trying anything new. I still think one of those might be handy to have around. When I am able to move around better, I think it might help keep me from being re-injured. Thanks for sharing that.