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Originally Posted by 2dogs4me Now this is going to be a delicate balancing act- not to coddle him too much and to not rush him, get him socialized.....and to house break him - all at once!  What WAS I thinking??   |
You have said it quite nicely
Gage, my rescue, didn't come from a puppymill or a loving home, he came from an abusive home and an individual who has NO business owning any type of pet!! Gage was a very nervous, afraid of any and all noises in our home. All he did was hide in a corner and shake. If we put our hands down to pet him, he backed away, whimpering and shaking. I even laid on the floor and talked gently to him, didn't pat my hands on the floor to try to get him to come over or anything. Each night, while I'd sit on the sofa and watch tv, I'd have him in my arms or laying right beside me - I'd rub him, kiss on him, anything to let him know WE were not the enemies in his life. It took us several months before he trusted us and would come running when called. Potty training wasn't really a big issue but it did take a couple weeks or so to train him to the pee pads - and he goes no where else but there when he's inside (he will also go outside). We've had him almost 2 years now (April will be 2 years) and our worst fears of his abuse were confirmed this past Christmas - he had been beaten, kicked across the room, and picked up and thrown on numerous occassions all because he wouldn't get out from under the previous owner's feet! He is a very healthy furbaby despite what he went through before we got him. I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world!
Best of luck and God bless you for taking the baby in! I never, ever knew how much joy a resuce could bring until Gage