I've heard people talk about the concern of getting a "defective dog" when adopting from a shelter as a reason many people don't consider rescue adoption.
The term "defective" seems terminal to me. Once you are defective, you can't become EFFECTIVE, can you? If you buy a defective product, can it become effective? Not without some effort on your part!
Rogue was a "defective dog". She was likely a puppy mill dog because she is clearly Lab and Jack Russell, two popular breeds...and therefor popular with puppy mills as well. She was found with puppies in a Clark County ditch, the puppy mill capitol of Wisconsin, soon after new state laws went into effect that are finally shutting down puppy mills. It seems reasonable that she either escaped, or was simply released.
She contracted Lyme's disease and had some funky ears from hundreds of horse fly bites.
The sad thing is, she was adopted by someone and then returned less than 48 hours later. Their feelings were that she was an outside dog and not right for them. Their loss is our gain.
Shelters routinely have dogs and cats (I'm not a cat person, but cats need rescuing too) that are brought in with a range of problems. Some have medical issues such as Rogue did. Some have temperament issues (think about what they may have been through) and still others have other hindrances to adoption...too old, too big, too small, etc..
Certainly you have to find a dog that is right for you. If you live in an apartment, a St. Bernard is probably a bad choice and will not work out...that doesn't make the dog defective though.
When you look to adopt a dog (or cat), you need to think about breeds and what characteristics will work with your lifestyle. Do you have several hours a day to groom and exercise your dog (not walking, but hard exercise)? If so, a working breed might be a good fit. Border Collies are my favorite! Talk to your shelter, they are a great resource to helping select the right dog for you.
What I can tell you is that when you adopt a dog, you need to be ready to train it. You are making a commitment. No dog, purebred from a reputable breeder, or stray adopted from a shelter, will be the dog you dream of the day you bring them home.
As far as medical issues go, most shelters are fantastic about treating animals and rely on volunteers to assist with finances and caring. Rogue was being treated with antibiotics when we adopted her and we simply had to finish the medication which was given to us at adoption.
What most people fear, and understandably so, is that they will get a dog that has temperament issues. Many dogs are abused (I suspect Rogue was because of her reactions to certain things). Dogs, like people, need time to learn to trust their new owners and environments. They will need someone who understands that there is a history with them that they can't share with us, but that shapes their behaviors.
Rogue has a reaction to touching of her rear legs. We learned this when she nipped at one of the kids when they were playing. It was a reaction, that was clear. She immediately knew what she did was wrong and was simply reacting because of an instinct.
What caused this instinct? We have no idea. She lived in a ditch with puppies. Did raccoons bite her at night in the ditch? Was she routinely pulled by her hind legs by her previous owner? Anything is possible. We just needed to know that was an issue for her.
Now, I' not going to tell you to learn to live with that "defect", you can make great strides at correcting it, with just a little effort and patience.
Rogue sometimes lays in the chair with me at night. When she does, I pet her and gradually make my way back to her hind legs. She always looks back at me...apprehensive like...when I do this, but over a few weeks, she has gotten better. I can do this now without much of a response from her. Now we need to get that level of trust with everyone else in the house. In time, that instinctive reaction will simply disappear as more trust develops.
I'll be honest here, this might not be the best path to pet ownership for everyone. Adopting a dog is not like buying fish...they need a lot of attention and training. Shelter rescues sometimes come with some psychological baggage that will take some effort to correct, but once you do, you will be well rewarded with an incredible dog. This can also be true for purebreds from breeders. If you can't commit time and effort to a new dog (rescue of not) fish might be a safer bet!
In just one month of very low level training (15 or 20 minutes a few days a week), Rogue has learned to sit on command reliably, laydown (still working on it), head down (new), come (mastered with me), Hurry Up (almost there...this is command to go to bathroom behind garage) and kennel, which is the command to go in her kennel, which she does pretty well as long as we are by the kennel.
That's in just 4 weeks. She's also almost housebroke. In my opinion, that is remarkable.
Now, if we had gotten a puppy, it would be about 12 weeks old right now. How many 12 week old puppies could do all of this?
On top of all of this, Rogue is a huge ball of love. If you could sit in our living room at night and watch her, you would see that she lays as close to us as possible (on top of us usually), she can't get close enough to us...and she is calm around us. She's a fantastic dog with a long life ahead of her and the efforts we put into training now will yield a decade or more of benefits as she lives her life with us.
This is a longer post, but if you take anything away from this, I hope that it is that all dogs have the ability to adjust, and do so relatively quickly. There are no "defective dogs", just defective behaviors that can be corrected. There is a wealth of information available online to assit you with any behaviors you need to correct. Most dogs naturally want to please their owners, which makes training a lot easier then most people thing; but remember, it takes time. Dog's don't speak English...they don't know what "sit means", but with repetition, they learn the action that they need to do when they hear that word.
Most importantly, take your time. Everyone would love to have the dog that can walk off leash through the middle of a crowd the day they bring it home...not going to happen. When you get frustrated, stop. I've stopped lots of times. I never want Rogue to sense I am frustrated while training...training needs to be fun. Learn what works to motivate your dog. Is play time a reqard that motivates them? Is it treats? Once you learn their "currency" you know how to reward them and make training even more effective.
And never forget. Dogs want to please you. I believe this to be universal. You just need to learn to communicate in a way that is effective for your dog.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
More to come....
I apologize for no posts this week about Rogue. As the IT Manager at the UW-Marshfield/Wood County Campus, this is a busy week and I have been a bit consumed with end of summer projects. Don't fear! I have more blog post ideas for this weekend.
As an update:
Rogue continues to improve. We had a spurt of inside accidents again, which was frustrating, but when I look at her training to this point, about a month after she came home, her progress really is remarkable.
She sits on command fairly consistently.
She sometimes likes to play fetch, but seems to need Ike to do it first before she gets excited enough to want to do it.
She is doing better with come. This morning she was let outside with Ike and a squirrel has the misfortune of running through the yard. Rogue was off. One loud "COME" from me and she stopped dead in her tracks and came running back. That's great!
As I mentioned, housebreaking continues to be a challenge. Housebreaking takes a lot of patience. However, she has learned where to go (we designate an area behind the garage for the dogs and Ike is let out and goes to that spot every day). Today was the first day she went to the spot on her own without me walking her there. This is useful considering the 90 degree weather we have had lately will change to freezing temperatures all too soon.
Rogue is starting learn Lay Down, which is a bit tough for her...laying down takes her further from us physically, so she doesn't like to do it. However, we are also working on Head Down, so that when she lays down she can then be told to put her head down. Why? Because Rogue is a cuddler...and that is nice, but she has a habit of getting right in your face...head down allows her to be by us, but not right in our face.
Finally, Rogue is going to be famous. There will be an article in the Marshfield News-Herald in the next few weeks that discuss this blog, rescue adoption, etc... I'm very proud of this, because this Blog is meant to help others who would like to adopt a rescue, but are hesitant. The idea of getting a defective dog can keep people from taking the step to adopt.
My next blog post will be about Defective Dogs...and how they don't exist.
As an update:
Rogue continues to improve. We had a spurt of inside accidents again, which was frustrating, but when I look at her training to this point, about a month after she came home, her progress really is remarkable.
She sits on command fairly consistently.
She sometimes likes to play fetch, but seems to need Ike to do it first before she gets excited enough to want to do it.
She is doing better with come. This morning she was let outside with Ike and a squirrel has the misfortune of running through the yard. Rogue was off. One loud "COME" from me and she stopped dead in her tracks and came running back. That's great!
As I mentioned, housebreaking continues to be a challenge. Housebreaking takes a lot of patience. However, she has learned where to go (we designate an area behind the garage for the dogs and Ike is let out and goes to that spot every day). Today was the first day she went to the spot on her own without me walking her there. This is useful considering the 90 degree weather we have had lately will change to freezing temperatures all too soon.
Rogue is starting learn Lay Down, which is a bit tough for her...laying down takes her further from us physically, so she doesn't like to do it. However, we are also working on Head Down, so that when she lays down she can then be told to put her head down. Why? Because Rogue is a cuddler...and that is nice, but she has a habit of getting right in your face...head down allows her to be by us, but not right in our face.
Finally, Rogue is going to be famous. There will be an article in the Marshfield News-Herald in the next few weeks that discuss this blog, rescue adoption, etc... I'm very proud of this, because this Blog is meant to help others who would like to adopt a rescue, but are hesitant. The idea of getting a defective dog can keep people from taking the step to adopt.
My next blog post will be about Defective Dogs...and how they don't exist.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Chewing...and more chewing
Rogue is a chewer.
You saw the last blog post, Murder in Marshfield, were her stuffed monkey experienced her chewing first hand.
That night, her dog bed was shredded as well.
We've had some issues with her chewing and it is frustrating...but what can you do?
I set out to try and figure out the best way to stop the chewing and came across another Zak George video on YouTube that I plan to try. The basic premise? EXERCISE.
Rogue has done a good job with "drop it" when she picks up something she shouldn't have. That makes stopping her when you catch her chewing pretty easy...but its the chewing she does when she is alone that needs addressing.
Starting tonight, I am going to do 15 minute exercise sessions in the morning and at night. These will be play sessions meant to stimulate her mind as well as body. The idea is that this will calm her down so she is not so restless during the day and is therefore not tempted to chew as much.
To date, besides the monkey, the bathroom door, her kennel, various kids toys and shoes have been her targets...so this needs to be corrected ASAP.
I think it will take more than 15 minutes, but we will start there.
Here is the video I mentioned. I will keep this blog updated with the results.
You saw the last blog post, Murder in Marshfield, were her stuffed monkey experienced her chewing first hand.
That night, her dog bed was shredded as well.
We've had some issues with her chewing and it is frustrating...but what can you do?
I set out to try and figure out the best way to stop the chewing and came across another Zak George video on YouTube that I plan to try. The basic premise? EXERCISE.
Rogue has done a good job with "drop it" when she picks up something she shouldn't have. That makes stopping her when you catch her chewing pretty easy...but its the chewing she does when she is alone that needs addressing.
Starting tonight, I am going to do 15 minute exercise sessions in the morning and at night. These will be play sessions meant to stimulate her mind as well as body. The idea is that this will calm her down so she is not so restless during the day and is therefore not tempted to chew as much.
To date, besides the monkey, the bathroom door, her kennel, various kids toys and shoes have been her targets...so this needs to be corrected ASAP.
I think it will take more than 15 minutes, but we will start there.
Here is the video I mentioned. I will keep this blog updated with the results.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Murder in Marshfield
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT FOLLOWS
As I write this, my backyard is a crime scene.
Rogue has been spoiled with toys since coming home with us and she loves to play with them. Unfortunately, she sometimes gets carried away.
R.I.P. little monkey
The Cremation Service
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Rogue's Puppies
Many people have asked me what Rogue's puppies looked like. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the puppies at the time we adopted Rogue, but I did find the pictures of all three puppies on the CCHS Facebook page with their new families.
Rogue is a Lab/Jack Russell mix, and the puppies father is a purebred "sneaky neighbors dog".
All of her puppies where cream colored with a white stripe on the face and various white markings on their bodies. They were also tall, so we suspect dad was as well. They were nearly as tall as Rogue when we brought her home and they were only about 3-4 months old at the time.
All puppies were very healthy and active when we saw them at CCHS.
Here are Rocky, Rocca and Roscoe with their new families. If you are in one of these images, please drop me a note and say hi.
Rogue is a Lab/Jack Russell mix, and the puppies father is a purebred "sneaky neighbors dog".
All of her puppies where cream colored with a white stripe on the face and various white markings on their bodies. They were also tall, so we suspect dad was as well. They were nearly as tall as Rogue when we brought her home and they were only about 3-4 months old at the time.
All puppies were very healthy and active when we saw them at CCHS.
Here are Rocky, Rocca and Roscoe with their new families. If you are in one of these images, please drop me a note and say hi.
Rocca
Rocky
Roscoe
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Microchipping
Yesterday's blog was about Rogue getting loose and then lost.
EVERY pet owner should take the time to microchip their pets. It is very inexpensive and much more reliable compared to just tags.
As you see from the last Blog post, Rogue had all of her tags on, Rabies, license, ID tag...but they were left laying on the ground. They won't do any good there.
I was confident that we would find Rogue, because she had a microchip implant at the Shelter. When she was eventually caught, the police or shelter would scan her and see my name and phone number and call us.
What is a microchip implant?
Technically, it is an RFID Tag, slightly larger than a grain of rice, injected into the animal under the skin using a needle, much like a regular vaccination. In dogs, it is normally placed in the back of the neck, between the shoulder blades; though it can be placed almost anywhere.
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identifier.
RFID tags are very common and are used in many areas such as inventory management and product tracking. There has even been some experimentation with people. For example, how convenient would it be to go to the Doctor, have your hand scanned to provide the doctor with your entire medical record. RFIDs can do that.
Of course, there are major privacy issues. Who else could walk by you and scan your ID, getting any information tied to it (Medical, financial, etc...). Plus, we have that whole "mark of the beast" issue that comes up anyone even discusses something like this; so for now, RFIDs are pretty much limited to helping make sure our pets always find their way home.
There is a picture of a microchip below, as well as a video that explains the entire micro-chipping process in more detail.
EVERY pet owner should take the time to microchip their pets. It is very inexpensive and much more reliable compared to just tags.
As you see from the last Blog post, Rogue had all of her tags on, Rabies, license, ID tag...but they were left laying on the ground. They won't do any good there.
I was confident that we would find Rogue, because she had a microchip implant at the Shelter. When she was eventually caught, the police or shelter would scan her and see my name and phone number and call us.
What is a microchip implant?
Technically, it is an RFID Tag, slightly larger than a grain of rice, injected into the animal under the skin using a needle, much like a regular vaccination. In dogs, it is normally placed in the back of the neck, between the shoulder blades; though it can be placed almost anywhere.
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identifier.
RFID tags are very common and are used in many areas such as inventory management and product tracking. There has even been some experimentation with people. For example, how convenient would it be to go to the Doctor, have your hand scanned to provide the doctor with your entire medical record. RFIDs can do that.
Of course, there are major privacy issues. Who else could walk by you and scan your ID, getting any information tied to it (Medical, financial, etc...). Plus, we have that whole "mark of the beast" issue that comes up anyone even discusses something like this; so for now, RFIDs are pretty much limited to helping make sure our pets always find their way home.
There is a picture of a microchip below, as well as a video that explains the entire micro-chipping process in more detail.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Rogue's Great Escape
Last night was homecoming...well, that's what I call it. It's the Sunday night when all of the kids come back home for the week. It's a fun time.
We had a campfire and were hanging around outside. Around 8:30, when it was getting dark, I told Grace to tie Rogue up. She has a 50 foot training lead that we clip to her collar and then tie around a tree...just to be sure she stays near us in the dark.
Around 9:00 we were making all kinds of noise, kids were on the trampoline (and some adults) and I was sitting by the campfire and realized Rogue wasn't there.
I called and asked everyone to stop. Rogue was gone.
I found her lead, with the ring for her ID tags stretched out. The lead had gotten connected to the ring for her IDs, not the ring on her collar. One tug and she was free.
We called Rogue, no response. We all stood in the backyard, calling for Rogue. Tears started to flow pretty quick for Gracie.
We got in the car, leaving one team (Brianna and kids) at home in case she came back. We drove around the block, but saw no sign of her.
We then split into two cars to cover more ground. I in one car and Grace and Jodi in another. At about 9:30, I called the police department to report our missing Dog, in case they found her.
At this point, kids are crying and I'm getting really worried. I keep telling myself that she made it for a long time in a ditch with three puppies, she will be okay for one night.
Although she is new to us yet, this just didn't seem like something Rogue would do. Certainly she takes off after things, such as Rabbits, but she is always right by our side; it doesn't make sense for her to just take off.
After driving all over the South East part of town, I returned home. Brianna was in the driveway and said Rogue had not returned, but she heard something in the neighbors backyard; but wasn't checking on it herself! We headed out back.
We walked into the neighbors yard and I called Rogue. I didn't hear any reply, but I saw some raspberries move. I called again...
Then, there she was, behind the fence. Somehow she had gotten into the neighbors garden, probably chasing a rabbit, and gotten stuck. Why she didn't bark or whine when we called her, I have no idea, but she was trapped, at most, 75 feet from where we were sitting all night.
Needless to say, everyone was relieved. It goes to show that anyone can make a mistake when it comes to caring for a dog. Rogue was tied up at night, to keep her safe, but one small mistake allowed her to get free.
Fortunately, the fact that she was right by us and couldn't get to us reaffirms my feelings that her running off didn't make sense. I would have been much more frustrated if we had found her blocks and blocks away. While Rogue has a lot of training to go, she has made great progress, to the point that she is off-lead in the yard with me. That would have all changed had she taken off and not come back. Fortunately, we know her pretty well and were right that it "just didn't seem like something she would do".
We had a campfire and were hanging around outside. Around 8:30, when it was getting dark, I told Grace to tie Rogue up. She has a 50 foot training lead that we clip to her collar and then tie around a tree...just to be sure she stays near us in the dark.
Around 9:00 we were making all kinds of noise, kids were on the trampoline (and some adults) and I was sitting by the campfire and realized Rogue wasn't there.
I called and asked everyone to stop. Rogue was gone.
I found her lead, with the ring for her ID tags stretched out. The lead had gotten connected to the ring for her IDs, not the ring on her collar. One tug and she was free.
We called Rogue, no response. We all stood in the backyard, calling for Rogue. Tears started to flow pretty quick for Gracie.
We got in the car, leaving one team (Brianna and kids) at home in case she came back. We drove around the block, but saw no sign of her.
We then split into two cars to cover more ground. I in one car and Grace and Jodi in another. At about 9:30, I called the police department to report our missing Dog, in case they found her.
At this point, kids are crying and I'm getting really worried. I keep telling myself that she made it for a long time in a ditch with three puppies, she will be okay for one night.
Although she is new to us yet, this just didn't seem like something Rogue would do. Certainly she takes off after things, such as Rabbits, but she is always right by our side; it doesn't make sense for her to just take off.
After driving all over the South East part of town, I returned home. Brianna was in the driveway and said Rogue had not returned, but she heard something in the neighbors backyard; but wasn't checking on it herself! We headed out back.
We walked into the neighbors yard and I called Rogue. I didn't hear any reply, but I saw some raspberries move. I called again...
Then, there she was, behind the fence. Somehow she had gotten into the neighbors garden, probably chasing a rabbit, and gotten stuck. Why she didn't bark or whine when we called her, I have no idea, but she was trapped, at most, 75 feet from where we were sitting all night.
Needless to say, everyone was relieved. It goes to show that anyone can make a mistake when it comes to caring for a dog. Rogue was tied up at night, to keep her safe, but one small mistake allowed her to get free.
Fortunately, the fact that she was right by us and couldn't get to us reaffirms my feelings that her running off didn't make sense. I would have been much more frustrated if we had found her blocks and blocks away. While Rogue has a lot of training to go, she has made great progress, to the point that she is off-lead in the yard with me. That would have all changed had she taken off and not come back. Fortunately, we know her pretty well and were right that it "just didn't seem like something she would do".
Sunday, August 18, 2013
PROGRESS!!!
If you've ready through this Blog, you will know that Rogue is a rescue from the Clark County Humane Society
When Rogue was taken to the shelter, she had badly bitten ears. To read about how this happened, click here.
Well, it has been a couple of weeks for Rogue with our family and she is fitting in just fine. She's also healing well.
She continues to take antibiotics for her Lyme's disease and that should be completed in another week or so.
Then it will be time for booster shots and Rogue will be officially current on all health needs.
As for her ears, we really weren't sure if the hair would ever fully grow back and it still has a ways to go; but take a look at this picture from today. They are healing very well and she looks like she will be back to normal in no time.
If you look closely, you will see the hair that is growing in is lighter, almost white. Those areas were part of her wounds when we brought her home. We've simply left them alone recently, initially, we used Neosporin to help the healing.
When Rogue was taken to the shelter, she had badly bitten ears. To read about how this happened, click here.
Well, it has been a couple of weeks for Rogue with our family and she is fitting in just fine. She's also healing well.
She continues to take antibiotics for her Lyme's disease and that should be completed in another week or so.
Then it will be time for booster shots and Rogue will be officially current on all health needs.
As for her ears, we really weren't sure if the hair would ever fully grow back and it still has a ways to go; but take a look at this picture from today. They are healing very well and she looks like she will be back to normal in no time.
If you look closely, you will see the hair that is growing in is lighter, almost white. Those areas were part of her wounds when we brought her home. We've simply left them alone recently, initially, we used Neosporin to help the healing.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
More about Rogue's Past
Over the last week we have noticed a few things with Rogue that gives us some indication of her past. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it was a good past.
We've allowed Rogue on the couch with us. This was only going to happen once she was fully housebroke. She's not there yet, but we decided we couldn't hold back any longer. Of course, within a day of allowing this new privilege, we had two accidents in the house after going days without one...
In any event, when Rogue was on the couch with us, she was worse then my son Alex, who is the worlds biggest "squirmmer". She was climbing all over us, laying everywhere. It was fun, she is definitely a loving dog!
At one point I was trying to move her and I started to move her back legs when she nipped...very rare for her. She immediately knew what she did was wrong, but instead of saying No, I decided to see what would happen if I did it again...same thing. I suspect that something in her past happened and that surprise touching of her back legs is not something she likes.
A few other things we have noticed...
When she is scared, she hides. She will climb behind the couch or under a chair outside. She certainly has learned to love her crate and I suspect she really needs a safe calming place like her crate, more then other dogs.
Yesterday, when getting the mail, I also grabbed the Buyers Guide out of the paper box and was walking into the house. I rolled the paper up as I carried it and as soon as Rogue saw that, she laid down in a very submissive way and wouldn't move. I tossed the paper in the trash can and she was fine.
So, we know Rogue spent an unknown amount of time in a Clark County ditch in the hottest days of July, caring for 3 new born pups as a stray dog.
Clark County has over half of the estimated puppy mills in the state.
I suspect that Rogue may have escaped from her former home, possibly a puppy mill (since she appears to be part Jack Russell and Lab, two very popular dogs that you would expect to be present in a puppy mill). I have no doubt she was abused. Probably by hitting with a news paper.
I also suspect that she was either dragged by the rear legs, or maybe had some interaction with another animal while a stray to cause her to dislike touching of her rear legs.
These are the things you really need to spend time thinking about with a rescue. Nothing that I have listed here is major. Everything can be trained or reverse trained. While training can have tough moments, Rogue loves praise as a reward and I think that the more of that she gets the less these quirks will show.
Tomorrow I will post an update on Rogue's ears, which where badly bitten while she was homeless. It will be a good update!
Until then, Zak George has a great video on working with a nervous dog.
We've allowed Rogue on the couch with us. This was only going to happen once she was fully housebroke. She's not there yet, but we decided we couldn't hold back any longer. Of course, within a day of allowing this new privilege, we had two accidents in the house after going days without one...
In any event, when Rogue was on the couch with us, she was worse then my son Alex, who is the worlds biggest "squirmmer". She was climbing all over us, laying everywhere. It was fun, she is definitely a loving dog!
At one point I was trying to move her and I started to move her back legs when she nipped...very rare for her. She immediately knew what she did was wrong, but instead of saying No, I decided to see what would happen if I did it again...same thing. I suspect that something in her past happened and that surprise touching of her back legs is not something she likes.
A few other things we have noticed...
When she is scared, she hides. She will climb behind the couch or under a chair outside. She certainly has learned to love her crate and I suspect she really needs a safe calming place like her crate, more then other dogs.
Yesterday, when getting the mail, I also grabbed the Buyers Guide out of the paper box and was walking into the house. I rolled the paper up as I carried it and as soon as Rogue saw that, she laid down in a very submissive way and wouldn't move. I tossed the paper in the trash can and she was fine.
So, we know Rogue spent an unknown amount of time in a Clark County ditch in the hottest days of July, caring for 3 new born pups as a stray dog.
Clark County has over half of the estimated puppy mills in the state.
I suspect that Rogue may have escaped from her former home, possibly a puppy mill (since she appears to be part Jack Russell and Lab, two very popular dogs that you would expect to be present in a puppy mill). I have no doubt she was abused. Probably by hitting with a news paper.
I also suspect that she was either dragged by the rear legs, or maybe had some interaction with another animal while a stray to cause her to dislike touching of her rear legs.
These are the things you really need to spend time thinking about with a rescue. Nothing that I have listed here is major. Everything can be trained or reverse trained. While training can have tough moments, Rogue loves praise as a reward and I think that the more of that she gets the less these quirks will show.
Tomorrow I will post an update on Rogue's ears, which where badly bitten while she was homeless. It will be a good update!
Until then, Zak George has a great video on working with a nervous dog.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Housebreaking - Advanced Level
Rogue has graduated.
With very few accidents over the last week, we've moved from just learning to go outside, to also learning WHERE to go outside.
When you have kids running around, and occasionally find yourself rolling on the ground, you want to make sure you are in a safe area! Ike has been trained to "hurry up" behind the garage. Only rarely does he, for whatever reason, forget this rule. It has worked out great and kept many kids (and adults) from needing additional baths/showers.
Rogue, of course, didn't start going in the same area as Ike...maybe this is some sort of territory thing...I'm not sure, but we all need to get over that!
Yesterday I took the dogs out and called Rogue and stood in the area and wouldn't let her leave until she went. It took a long time too.
She was off-lead and comes pretty reliably when called now. She sat by me, stared at me and kept trying to leave the area and head to "her area". She responded perfectly to my calls each time she tried to leave.
Knowing that she had to go meant it was a battle of wills. I just waited; and so did she. After about 5 or so minutes, she started to sniff around. A few redirects when she started to sniff her way out of the area worked well. Eventually she went and got lots of praise and high energy rewards.
This morning I took her out again with Ike. She headed to her spot, but I called her and she came. She went right away. In the right area. Now for the tough part. Consistency, not just on her part, but on ours too.
We are also working on returning to the backdoor when she is finished, sitting and waiting. Ike has done so well for so many years. In the winter you can open the door, say "hurry up" and he goes right to the back of the garage, does his business and comes right back to the door and sits and waits. Rogue is going to take some work on this, but so far is doing great.
I also maintain that having Ike helps tremendously. I don't know how much dogs learn from observing other dogs, but it can't hurt!
With very few accidents over the last week, we've moved from just learning to go outside, to also learning WHERE to go outside.
When you have kids running around, and occasionally find yourself rolling on the ground, you want to make sure you are in a safe area! Ike has been trained to "hurry up" behind the garage. Only rarely does he, for whatever reason, forget this rule. It has worked out great and kept many kids (and adults) from needing additional baths/showers.
Rogue, of course, didn't start going in the same area as Ike...maybe this is some sort of territory thing...I'm not sure, but we all need to get over that!
Yesterday I took the dogs out and called Rogue and stood in the area and wouldn't let her leave until she went. It took a long time too.
She was off-lead and comes pretty reliably when called now. She sat by me, stared at me and kept trying to leave the area and head to "her area". She responded perfectly to my calls each time she tried to leave.
Knowing that she had to go meant it was a battle of wills. I just waited; and so did she. After about 5 or so minutes, she started to sniff around. A few redirects when she started to sniff her way out of the area worked well. Eventually she went and got lots of praise and high energy rewards.
This morning I took her out again with Ike. She headed to her spot, but I called her and she came. She went right away. In the right area. Now for the tough part. Consistency, not just on her part, but on ours too.
We are also working on returning to the backdoor when she is finished, sitting and waiting. Ike has done so well for so many years. In the winter you can open the door, say "hurry up" and he goes right to the back of the garage, does his business and comes right back to the door and sits and waits. Rogue is going to take some work on this, but so far is doing great.
I also maintain that having Ike helps tremendously. I don't know how much dogs learn from observing other dogs, but it can't hurt!
"The Teacher"
Monday, August 12, 2013
Acting Guilty
Sunday afternoon was pretty laid back at our house. There was some laundry done, a little cleaning and a lot of relaxing.
We were going to take some pictures of Rogue to post on Facebook. All of her puppies were adopted from CCHS and we thought we would post a photo of Mom to the Facebook posts that show her puppies with their new owners.
I got down on the floor and called Rogue so I could take a few pictures. She came in, then stopped dead in her tracks and laid down like this and wouldn't move. I had no idea why...she always comes running and usually right into your lap.
As I moved around I realized the floor was still wet from the shampooing I gave it on Saturday...then I realized that spot I was sitting in was more wet than the surrounding area...of course, being a parent, I instantly stuck my nose into the carpet and immediately realized why Rogue wasn't interested in coming any closer. Accident.
She's doing remarkably well. Positive reinforcement works great with her. The fact that she knew what she did was wrong is promising. She has done a good job of holding it through the night. We even let her free roam in the bedroom at night and have only had a few accidents. As long as she is out first thing in the morning and right before bed, she is fine.
What happened on Sunday, I can't be sure. With 6 people and 2 dogs in our house, its easy for things to get overlooked, like making sure she gets out every couple of hours. I think we need more training...not just Rogue.
The fact that she can't hide her guilt might be one of the best things about her!
I'll stay right here, thank you very much.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Opportunity Training
I am a planner. I have a spreadsheet for everything. I've even considered a spreadsheet to keep track of my spreadsheets...seriously.
So, it shouldn't surprising that I have a spreadsheet for Rogue; a training plan.
Last night I realized that there are times that training opportunities arise that I should take advantage of, even if they aren't on the plan yet.
Last night, as Rogue and I worked around the house and yard, I was talking to her. I would see her go potty and I would say "Good Girl, Hurry up" (Hurry Up is, for whatever reason, the phrase I have used when I let Ike out...and it has stuck).
When we were inside and I went upstairs or downstairs, Rogue would fillow me and I would say, "Good Girl, Downstairs". These are some of the commands that I have used with Ike and since she is doing the act, it just made sense to start rewarding her and introducing her to the command. There was no correction, no negative reinforcement. If she did something, I pointed it out and statted the command several times.
Likewise, when she went in her kennel, I would say, "Good Girl, Kennel"...of course then she would get out of her kennel and come over by me...but over time I think she will get the connection.
Ike is a Retriever and so we spent some time throwing Frisbees and tennis balls last night. Rogue was interested, so we tried it with her and her 50 foot training lead.
The first few times, she didn't return to me, so I guided her back on her lead while remaining upbeat and excited. After a couple of throws, she was returning back to me 75% of the time.
The coolest thing was that the very first time I told her "Drop it", she did. All I can imagine is that she learned this from watching me with Ike.
We also found out she likes to try and catch the ball when thrown to her, so we did this some as well. Again, accuracy wasn't great, she probably caught less than 10% of the balls we tossed to her (short distance, maybe 3 or 4 yards away from her), but she like the game.
So, while I have a specific command planed for each week, we are going a little off script and doing this will, hopefully, keep things interesting for Rogue too.
So, it shouldn't surprising that I have a spreadsheet for Rogue; a training plan.
Last night I realized that there are times that training opportunities arise that I should take advantage of, even if they aren't on the plan yet.
Last night, as Rogue and I worked around the house and yard, I was talking to her. I would see her go potty and I would say "Good Girl, Hurry up" (Hurry Up is, for whatever reason, the phrase I have used when I let Ike out...and it has stuck).
When we were inside and I went upstairs or downstairs, Rogue would fillow me and I would say, "Good Girl, Downstairs". These are some of the commands that I have used with Ike and since she is doing the act, it just made sense to start rewarding her and introducing her to the command. There was no correction, no negative reinforcement. If she did something, I pointed it out and statted the command several times.
Likewise, when she went in her kennel, I would say, "Good Girl, Kennel"...of course then she would get out of her kennel and come over by me...but over time I think she will get the connection.
Ike is a Retriever and so we spent some time throwing Frisbees and tennis balls last night. Rogue was interested, so we tried it with her and her 50 foot training lead.
The first few times, she didn't return to me, so I guided her back on her lead while remaining upbeat and excited. After a couple of throws, she was returning back to me 75% of the time.
The coolest thing was that the very first time I told her "Drop it", she did. All I can imagine is that she learned this from watching me with Ike.
We also found out she likes to try and catch the ball when thrown to her, so we did this some as well. Again, accuracy wasn't great, she probably caught less than 10% of the balls we tossed to her (short distance, maybe 3 or 4 yards away from her), but she like the game.
So, while I have a specific command planed for each week, we are going a little off script and doing this will, hopefully, keep things interesting for Rogue too.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Crate Training
Rogue was a rescue with no training whatsoever. Figuring out where to start is tough because we all want to start working on the fun stuff right away like retrieving, playing dead, etc..
The first thing we did was nothing. We focused on letting Rogue get used to her new home. We certainly provided some corrections when she went potty in the house or jumped on people...but we didn't focus on it.
After a few days we started focusing more on housebreaking Rogue, because nothing will frusterate you more than an indoor dog that is not potty trained.
We use the crate training method.
Rule 1 - The crate is a fun place. It is your dogs space! Keep kids out of the crate, don't use the crate as a punishment.
Rule 2 - expect this won't go smoothly the first time.
As I stated in an earlier post, our first attempt failed with Rogue. We let her check her crate out and she seemed okay with it. We crated her for about an hour that day while we ran errands...mistake number 1. Don't leave your dog the first time they are crated. First they are in a new place, they are trapped and suddenly you are gone.
We learned. I actually slept in the living room for the last 3 nights (my back is reminding me), while Rogue slept in her kennel with the door open. One night, I closed her door and stayed by her...and she did great.
We also determined that Rogue did better when the crate was covered with a blanket. The front is still open, but we put a blanket over the rest.
Yesterday, we left Rogue for about an hour again. When we came back, she was not barking and she did not try to eat her kennel this time.
When we let Rogue out of her crate, she does have a lot of energy, so what better time to take her right outside. As soon as she was outside, she went and we celebrated like we won the lottery. Since then, we have had no accidents inside (but we fully expect another one eventually). We are going on 4 days without an accident, and considering she was never an inside dog and that she has been with us only 8 days, I think that is outstanding.
Google Crate training for more information. This is a good video on it as well.
The first thing we did was nothing. We focused on letting Rogue get used to her new home. We certainly provided some corrections when she went potty in the house or jumped on people...but we didn't focus on it.
After a few days we started focusing more on housebreaking Rogue, because nothing will frusterate you more than an indoor dog that is not potty trained.
We use the crate training method.
Rule 1 - The crate is a fun place. It is your dogs space! Keep kids out of the crate, don't use the crate as a punishment.
Rule 2 - expect this won't go smoothly the first time.
As I stated in an earlier post, our first attempt failed with Rogue. We let her check her crate out and she seemed okay with it. We crated her for about an hour that day while we ran errands...mistake number 1. Don't leave your dog the first time they are crated. First they are in a new place, they are trapped and suddenly you are gone.
We learned. I actually slept in the living room for the last 3 nights (my back is reminding me), while Rogue slept in her kennel with the door open. One night, I closed her door and stayed by her...and she did great.
We also determined that Rogue did better when the crate was covered with a blanket. The front is still open, but we put a blanket over the rest.
Yesterday, we left Rogue for about an hour again. When we came back, she was not barking and she did not try to eat her kennel this time.
When we let Rogue out of her crate, she does have a lot of energy, so what better time to take her right outside. As soon as she was outside, she went and we celebrated like we won the lottery. Since then, we have had no accidents inside (but we fully expect another one eventually). We are going on 4 days without an accident, and considering she was never an inside dog and that she has been with us only 8 days, I think that is outstanding.
Google Crate training for more information. This is a good video on it as well.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
How Do I Train a New Dog?
Finally something I have a little knowledge about! To train your dog you only need a few things. A few basic training aids (clickers, treats, leads, dog crate, etc...), a plan (watch many videos, read books, websites and talk to people who have trained dogs before) and most importantly, you need TIME and PATIENCE. When you (or your dog) get frustrated, it is time to stop for a while.
When I was younger, in 8th grade to be exact, I got a Border Collie/Lab Mix. Actually the farmer I got him from said that he was a Collie/Lab (Mom) mixed with "Sneaky Neighbor dogs". It was pretty obvious that the sneaky neighbors dog had to be a Border Collie or at least part Border Collie (Mom was a Smooth Collie/Lab mix).
There are many different types of training philosophies when it comes to dog training. I do subscribe to any one as the right approach for every dog. I don't like stereotyping dogs (which is wrong, every breed can produce a bad dog if given the wrong owner), but there are some differences in breeds that need to be considered when it comes to training. Some breeds are driven to please, some have higher intelligence (Border Collies are incredibly smart), so are not so smart and some just have a sort of stubborn streak.
Positive reinforcement (making a big deal when they do something right) seems to work best. Zak George, a dog trainer with a wealth of dog training videos on Youtube subscribes to this philosophy. Here is a great video about how to make you outside dog an inside dog. This is probably most valuable to new rescue owners because many of the dogs at shelters were strays and may or may not have been in a home before.
Another philosophy, and the one I used with Tyler, is focused on exerting your dominance over the dog. Physically moving the dog into positions, negative reinforcement (NO!, Naughty, etc..). While this method does work, I feel Zak's style is better at building a relationship with the dog. Still, I have meet dogs that saw themselves as the Alpha Dog, even above their owner. Ceasar Milan, the Dog Whisperer, uses this method with "bad dogs".
Fortunately, Rogue has shown that she is receptive to me and doesn't exert any dominance. We will continue to focus on positive reinforcement training with her.
My experiences working with Tyler, Ike and now Rogue have been that using negative reinforcement encourages the dog to perform so they don't disappoint you. Ike is like this. While he is a very good dog and has good obedience skills, you can tell sometimes that he is doing something because he is being told and not because he WANTS to. My goal with Rogue is to make her not only perform on command, but want to perform.
I'll have several more posts talking about the experiences we have had using this method with Rogue.
For now, we are starting with basic house breaking and transition to being an inside dog.
When I was younger, in 8th grade to be exact, I got a Border Collie/Lab Mix. Actually the farmer I got him from said that he was a Collie/Lab (Mom) mixed with "Sneaky Neighbor dogs". It was pretty obvious that the sneaky neighbors dog had to be a Border Collie or at least part Border Collie (Mom was a Smooth Collie/Lab mix).
Tyler 1990-2002
I really got into training Tyler and spent lots of time reading books and watching tapes (this was pre-DVD and pre-internet!). Tyler was an outside dog for many years until I grew up, graduated high school and college and bought my own house. Then for the last 4 years of his life, Tyler was an inside dog...so you can teach an old dog new tricks, including house breaking.There are many different types of training philosophies when it comes to dog training. I do subscribe to any one as the right approach for every dog. I don't like stereotyping dogs (which is wrong, every breed can produce a bad dog if given the wrong owner), but there are some differences in breeds that need to be considered when it comes to training. Some breeds are driven to please, some have higher intelligence (Border Collies are incredibly smart), so are not so smart and some just have a sort of stubborn streak.
Positive reinforcement (making a big deal when they do something right) seems to work best. Zak George, a dog trainer with a wealth of dog training videos on Youtube subscribes to this philosophy. Here is a great video about how to make you outside dog an inside dog. This is probably most valuable to new rescue owners because many of the dogs at shelters were strays and may or may not have been in a home before.
Dog Training: How to Make Your Dog an Indoor Dog
zakgeorge21 - YouTube
Another philosophy, and the one I used with Tyler, is focused on exerting your dominance over the dog. Physically moving the dog into positions, negative reinforcement (NO!, Naughty, etc..). While this method does work, I feel Zak's style is better at building a relationship with the dog. Still, I have meet dogs that saw themselves as the Alpha Dog, even above their owner. Ceasar Milan, the Dog Whisperer, uses this method with "bad dogs".
Fortunately, Rogue has shown that she is receptive to me and doesn't exert any dominance. We will continue to focus on positive reinforcement training with her.
My experiences working with Tyler, Ike and now Rogue have been that using negative reinforcement encourages the dog to perform so they don't disappoint you. Ike is like this. While he is a very good dog and has good obedience skills, you can tell sometimes that he is doing something because he is being told and not because he WANTS to. My goal with Rogue is to make her not only perform on command, but want to perform.
I'll have several more posts talking about the experiences we have had using this method with Rogue.
For now, we are starting with basic house breaking and transition to being an inside dog.
A Mix of What?
Rogue is was a stray, so we know very little about her.
The vet at the shelter listed her as a Lab Mix. Since Labs are so common, it seems most dogs end up being a lab mix.
Based on what we saw at the kennels, it appears that the most common mixes were Labs, Pits, Australian Shepard's, Blue Heelers and Jack Russell Terriers, at least at CCHS
The more I looked at Rogue, the more I saw some Jack Russell in her. I found some pictures of Labs mixed with Jack Russell's. This would also explain her bursts of insane energy! What do you think?
The vet at the shelter listed her as a Lab Mix. Since Labs are so common, it seems most dogs end up being a lab mix.
Based on what we saw at the kennels, it appears that the most common mixes were Labs, Pits, Australian Shepard's, Blue Heelers and Jack Russell Terriers, at least at CCHS
The more I looked at Rogue, the more I saw some Jack Russell in her. I found some pictures of Labs mixed with Jack Russell's. This would also explain her bursts of insane energy! What do you think?
Goofy look and sprawled everywhere...just like Rogue
This guy even looks like Rogue!
Rogue
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
One Week Later
It's hard to believe Rogue has only been with us a week, but today is day 7.
I think she is doing remarkably well. In fact, we've gone over 24 hours without an accident inside the house and she is learning to go when we take her outside.
I thought it would be good to put a picture of her from the Shelter with one of her from yesterday (8/5/13). Clearly she is better at accessorizing now that she lives with us...
We are gaining ground everyday with obedience and house training. Rogue is a bundle of love.
I think she is doing remarkably well. In fact, we've gone over 24 hours without an accident inside the house and she is learning to go when we take her outside.
I thought it would be good to put a picture of her from the Shelter with one of her from yesterday (8/5/13). Clearly she is better at accessorizing now that she lives with us...
Rogue's Mugshot from the Shelter
Rogue a week later
And so Ike doesn't feel left out....a picture of the "Boss"
Ike
We are gaining ground everyday with obedience and house training. Rogue is a bundle of love.
What a Weird Dog!
Several times over the last week I have thought to myself, what a weird dog. Some of her habits and mannerism leave you mystified. Remember, rescue dogs have a history. Sometimes they were neglected or beaten.
Rogue has clearly never been in a crate and does not like to be left alone, at all.
Rogue was the recipient of a brand new pink kennel (Ebay has everything). We had a delay from the day we brought Rogue home until we got the crate. When it arrived, we focused on just leaving it open for her to explore. We put her toys inside, threw a couple of treats and let her check it out. She seemed fine.
We needed to crate her for the first time while we ran some errands and grabbed a bite to eat. We've already gathered that Rogue doesn't like to be left alone, so we probably shouldn't have been surprised when she started to eat her metal kennel! She did, afterall, try to eat her way out of the bathroom when we used that as a temporary kennel (I'll write about that later).
Rogue has clearly never been in a crate and does not like to be left alone, at all.
Rogue was the recipient of a brand new pink kennel (Ebay has everything). We had a delay from the day we brought Rogue home until we got the crate. When it arrived, we focused on just leaving it open for her to explore. We put her toys inside, threw a couple of treats and let her check it out. She seemed fine.
We needed to crate her for the first time while we ran some errands and grabbed a bite to eat. We've already gathered that Rogue doesn't like to be left alone, so we probably shouldn't have been surprised when she started to eat her metal kennel! She did, afterall, try to eat her way out of the bathroom when we used that as a temporary kennel (I'll write about that later).
Our Dog can eat metal...how about yours?
So it was time to regroup.
The first thing we did was cover the kennel with a blanket (pink, of course). This made it feel more protected and like a den...at least that was the theory.
We also added a pillow and her toys to help make it feel like "her place".
A den fit for a Princess!
Finally, we started letting her relax in her kennel while we were watching TV at night. She is always right by our side, so this only works if she is right beside us. Once she gets more comfortable with us and her kennel, we will start moving it further away to break the separation anxiety she seems to have.
She seems to be adjusting well.
Monday, August 5, 2013
The Adjustment Begins
How hard can if be to bring a rescue dog home anyway?
Well, it can be as hard as you make it. We did lots of reading and watched lots of youtube videos on various subjects before we got Rogue. We learned that the best way to introduce dogs is NOT to shove their faces together (we pretty much did this at the shelter the first time we meet Rogue). Instead, walk the dogs together (one person with each) and give them time to adjust. Let them sniff while you hold the other dog to prevent them from turning around and snapping. Allow each dog to sniff and be sniffed....then watch. We did this the second time Rogue and Ike met at the shelter.
Ike and Rogue did good.
When we brought Rogue home, we knew not to just bring her in the house to meet Ike. We kept her outside and brought Ike out and did the same thing we had done when we introduced them at the shelter the second time. Then we let them "just hang out" around each other and us.
After about 30 minutes, we took Rogue to the potty area of the back yard and she went. At the time I felt this was a huge victory that housebreaking her would be simple...I was wrong, but more on that later...
We then went inside, reasonably sure we would not have an accident right away. We let Rogue explore, following closely in case there were any issues with Ike or got into other things we had neglected to put away before bringing her in.
There were a few growls and snaps between the dogs that we quickly thwarted. We continued to watch them closely throughout the night. Overall, they did good. Rogue was even allowed to sleep in our room that night. We will be crate training her, but unfortunately she made it home before the crate. So for Wednesday and Thursday nights, we need to improvise.
We had also stocked up on supplies before bringing Rogue home. Collars, leashes, food, treats...and carpet Shampoo.
Actually, I made my own and if works great! If you want the recipe, it is right here:
1 Tablespoon Dish Soap (I used Dawn)
4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Hydrogen Peroxide (3% strength).
Mix together and add 1.5 Quarts of warm water.
You can add some essential oils to the mix as well. I added about 8 drops of "Hawaiian Beach" to mine. It doesn't necessarily smell like that when you shampoo; but it doesn't smell like vinegar either, and that's all I cared about.
I store mine in a Tupperware container that is easy to pour from. I use about 2 oz to each tank of water and it has done a remarkable job.
Over the next several weeks, I will make several batches of this shampoo, as you will see as I continue to post updates.
We will be house broken. It will happen. It's going to take time and patience, but we will get there.
Well, it can be as hard as you make it. We did lots of reading and watched lots of youtube videos on various subjects before we got Rogue. We learned that the best way to introduce dogs is NOT to shove their faces together (we pretty much did this at the shelter the first time we meet Rogue). Instead, walk the dogs together (one person with each) and give them time to adjust. Let them sniff while you hold the other dog to prevent them from turning around and snapping. Allow each dog to sniff and be sniffed....then watch. We did this the second time Rogue and Ike met at the shelter.
Ike and Rogue did good.
When we brought Rogue home, we knew not to just bring her in the house to meet Ike. We kept her outside and brought Ike out and did the same thing we had done when we introduced them at the shelter the second time. Then we let them "just hang out" around each other and us.
After about 30 minutes, we took Rogue to the potty area of the back yard and she went. At the time I felt this was a huge victory that housebreaking her would be simple...I was wrong, but more on that later...
We then went inside, reasonably sure we would not have an accident right away. We let Rogue explore, following closely in case there were any issues with Ike or got into other things we had neglected to put away before bringing her in.
There were a few growls and snaps between the dogs that we quickly thwarted. We continued to watch them closely throughout the night. Overall, they did good. Rogue was even allowed to sleep in our room that night. We will be crate training her, but unfortunately she made it home before the crate. So for Wednesday and Thursday nights, we need to improvise.
We had also stocked up on supplies before bringing Rogue home. Collars, leashes, food, treats...and carpet Shampoo.
Actually, I made my own and if works great! If you want the recipe, it is right here:
1 Tablespoon Dish Soap (I used Dawn)
4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Hydrogen Peroxide (3% strength).
Mix together and add 1.5 Quarts of warm water.
You can add some essential oils to the mix as well. I added about 8 drops of "Hawaiian Beach" to mine. It doesn't necessarily smell like that when you shampoo; but it doesn't smell like vinegar either, and that's all I cared about.
I store mine in a Tupperware container that is easy to pour from. I use about 2 oz to each tank of water and it has done a remarkable job.
Over the next several weeks, I will make several batches of this shampoo, as you will see as I continue to post updates.
We will be house broken. It will happen. It's going to take time and patience, but we will get there.
Rogue's Story
Rogue was sort of a celebrity at the shelter. She had a touching story that really exemplifies why shelters are needed so badly.
The summer of 2013 had some very hot spells where temperatures got into the high 90s and stayed there for over a week.
While we were sitting in the cool air of our air conditioned house, Rogues story was unfolding in a ditch about 30 miles away.
Rogue was found in a ditch in Clark County with three puppies. She had kept the puppies alive and healthy while she was wasting away in the ditch in that 90+ degree heat with high humidity. She was underweight, had contracted Lymes disease and her poor ears had been bitten terribly by horseflies. She was in bad shape, but her puppies were in excellent shape.
Rogue was brought to CCHS and the puppies and mom were well cared for. The staff at CCHS gave mom the name Rogue.
After being treated by the vet, Rogue started on a regimen of antibiotics to take care of the Lymes disease and on July 25th she was spayed (this is the day before we met her).
While we meet Rogue on Friday the 26th of July, it was on Saturday that Rogue was adopted by another family. I don't know their story, nor do I want to speculate, but they returned her to the shelter on Monday morning (just before we showed up after deciding, at the last minute, to go back to this shelter). All I do know is that they felt she was an outside dog.
Now, I have experience with "outside dogs" because my former Border Collie/Lab mix was an outside dog until he was about 8 years old...and was trained to be one of the best inside dogs you could ever want. So the designation of an "outside dog" doesn't scare me.
Fortunately, Rogue story at the shelter ends with her being adopted by our family the very same day she was returned.
In the prior month, Rogue has cared for her puppies in a ditch during the hottest part of summer. She had contracted lymes disease and her ears were eaten raw by horseflies. She was brought to CCHS, cared for, healed and adopted by a family that returned her 48 hours later. Then, finally adopted by us and brought home on July 31st.
Rogue had a very difficult July, but we are glad she made it and is now part of our family.
The summer of 2013 had some very hot spells where temperatures got into the high 90s and stayed there for over a week.
While we were sitting in the cool air of our air conditioned house, Rogues story was unfolding in a ditch about 30 miles away.
Rogue was found in a ditch in Clark County with three puppies. She had kept the puppies alive and healthy while she was wasting away in the ditch in that 90+ degree heat with high humidity. She was underweight, had contracted Lymes disease and her poor ears had been bitten terribly by horseflies. She was in bad shape, but her puppies were in excellent shape.
Rogue was brought to CCHS and the puppies and mom were well cared for. The staff at CCHS gave mom the name Rogue.
Rogue's Adoption Picture
After being treated by the vet, Rogue started on a regimen of antibiotics to take care of the Lymes disease and on July 25th she was spayed (this is the day before we met her).
While we meet Rogue on Friday the 26th of July, it was on Saturday that Rogue was adopted by another family. I don't know their story, nor do I want to speculate, but they returned her to the shelter on Monday morning (just before we showed up after deciding, at the last minute, to go back to this shelter). All I do know is that they felt she was an outside dog.
Now, I have experience with "outside dogs" because my former Border Collie/Lab mix was an outside dog until he was about 8 years old...and was trained to be one of the best inside dogs you could ever want. So the designation of an "outside dog" doesn't scare me.
Fortunately, Rogue story at the shelter ends with her being adopted by our family the very same day she was returned.
In the prior month, Rogue has cared for her puppies in a ditch during the hottest part of summer. She had contracted lymes disease and her ears were eaten raw by horseflies. She was brought to CCHS, cared for, healed and adopted by a family that returned her 48 hours later. Then, finally adopted by us and brought home on July 31st.
Rogue had a very difficult July, but we are glad she made it and is now part of our family.
Decission Time
After leaving the last shelter, we had dinner at the IHop next door. I only mention this because this meal has become known as the meal from IHop Hell by our family. Talk about a negative experience! I won't dwell on it here...really, I have moved on and I've gotten the butter our of my clothes that was dropped on me by the waitress...
Over the feast we enjoyed at IHop we discussed the days adventures. It was decided that Rogue was our top choice and Micah was our second choice.
That weekend, Brianna was leaving for camp for 2 weeks. A week later, Gracie joined her for a week at camp. I did say that I would like to wait until they returned from camp to bring a new dog home. Everyone agreed.
On Sunday we took Brianna to camp and on the way, we discussed the adoption of a dog in depth. I was going to bring up the listing for Rogue (see: www.petfinder.com) but it was gone. It appeared that Rogue had been adopted.
We dropped Brianna off at camp and headed home.
The next morning I called CCHS and asked if Rogue was gone. They confirmed that she was adopted on Saturday. I then asked if we could start the process of adoption Micah and was told that he too had an adoption pending.
After that call, Jodi and I had a discussion and decided to drive to Portage County that afternoon to visit Joey, even though I was still a little upset by their policy not to let Ike meet until we started the adoption process.
I left work after lunch, but when I got Jodi, I mentioned going to CCHS again. They had a lot of dogs we didn't look at and we all liked the facility the best. So we changed gears and went to Neillsville again.
When we walked in the door, I introduced myself and mentioned that I was the person who had called about Rogue and Micah and that we were here to start looking again.
The lady asked if I had gotten the email she sent a short time ago and I told her that I had not. She smiled and said, Rogue is back. Her adopters had her for less than 48 hours and returned her because she was apparently "an outside dog".
We took her outside and walked with Ike again. They did better. We walked back in and asked what we needed to do to adopt her.
We filled out the application and were approved for adoption. We decided to come back on Wednesday to get Rogue as we were not prepared to take her home that day.
After meeting Rogue, then losing her to another family...only to have her available again, we knew we had the right dog.
All of these dogs have stories to tell and love to give. Rogue's story is one of a rescue that endured a very difficult situation and is alive today to live out her life the way a dog should...as a member of a family.
Over the feast we enjoyed at IHop we discussed the days adventures. It was decided that Rogue was our top choice and Micah was our second choice.
That weekend, Brianna was leaving for camp for 2 weeks. A week later, Gracie joined her for a week at camp. I did say that I would like to wait until they returned from camp to bring a new dog home. Everyone agreed.
On Sunday we took Brianna to camp and on the way, we discussed the adoption of a dog in depth. I was going to bring up the listing for Rogue (see: www.petfinder.com) but it was gone. It appeared that Rogue had been adopted.
We dropped Brianna off at camp and headed home.
The next morning I called CCHS and asked if Rogue was gone. They confirmed that she was adopted on Saturday. I then asked if we could start the process of adoption Micah and was told that he too had an adoption pending.
After that call, Jodi and I had a discussion and decided to drive to Portage County that afternoon to visit Joey, even though I was still a little upset by their policy not to let Ike meet until we started the adoption process.
I left work after lunch, but when I got Jodi, I mentioned going to CCHS again. They had a lot of dogs we didn't look at and we all liked the facility the best. So we changed gears and went to Neillsville again.
When we walked in the door, I introduced myself and mentioned that I was the person who had called about Rogue and Micah and that we were here to start looking again.
The lady asked if I had gotten the email she sent a short time ago and I told her that I had not. She smiled and said, Rogue is back. Her adopters had her for less than 48 hours and returned her because she was apparently "an outside dog".
We took her outside and walked with Ike again. They did better. We walked back in and asked what we needed to do to adopt her.
We filled out the application and were approved for adoption. We decided to come back on Wednesday to get Rogue as we were not prepared to take her home that day.
After meeting Rogue, then losing her to another family...only to have her available again, we knew we had the right dog.
All of these dogs have stories to tell and love to give. Rogue's story is one of a rescue that endured a very difficult situation and is alive today to live out her life the way a dog should...as a member of a family.
Stop #3 - Humane Society of Portage County
Our third and final stop for the day was in Plover WI at the Humane Society of Portage County.
This was by far the nicest facility. Very clean with a very nice reception area where we were meet by someone who immediately asked how they could help.
We were shown to the dog area, which was very different from the other kennels. All of the dogs were viewable through a glass wall that looked into the kennel room. It reminded me of being a new dad and standing outside the nursery at the hospital.
We saw only one dog that seem to match our needs. Joey was an Australian Shepard mix, about 3 or 4 years old.
We waited as the one adoption expert worked with another family. We then asked to see Joey and mentioned that we brought our dog to meet him as well.
This is where things fell apart.
We were told that their policies do not allow other dogs to meet the dogs at this shelter until after the adoption application was turned in. We could meet Joey, but our current dog could not.
This floored me. We were considering bringing a new dog into our lives who will spend more time with Ike then anymore else. The match between dogs is arguably as important, if not more important, than the match between the dog and the rest of the family.
I explained that I was disappointed in this policy (both Clark County and South Wood County had no issue with dogs meeting). I did not want to have the kids select a dog, start the process (which to children means "we're getting the dog") only to find out that the dogs won't get along and have to start over. We opted to leave. This ended our day on a somewhat sour note.
I did contact the director of the Humane Society of Portage County and explained my frustration. He was very understanding and supportive and promised to suggest the policy be reviewed to the board of directors.
I certainly hope they change this policy, because a perfect match is hard to find and this only makes it harder.
This was by far the nicest facility. Very clean with a very nice reception area where we were meet by someone who immediately asked how they could help.
We were shown to the dog area, which was very different from the other kennels. All of the dogs were viewable through a glass wall that looked into the kennel room. It reminded me of being a new dad and standing outside the nursery at the hospital.
We saw only one dog that seem to match our needs. Joey was an Australian Shepard mix, about 3 or 4 years old.
We waited as the one adoption expert worked with another family. We then asked to see Joey and mentioned that we brought our dog to meet him as well.
This is where things fell apart.
We were told that their policies do not allow other dogs to meet the dogs at this shelter until after the adoption application was turned in. We could meet Joey, but our current dog could not.
This floored me. We were considering bringing a new dog into our lives who will spend more time with Ike then anymore else. The match between dogs is arguably as important, if not more important, than the match between the dog and the rest of the family.
I explained that I was disappointed in this policy (both Clark County and South Wood County had no issue with dogs meeting). I did not want to have the kids select a dog, start the process (which to children means "we're getting the dog") only to find out that the dogs won't get along and have to start over. We opted to leave. This ended our day on a somewhat sour note.
I did contact the director of the Humane Society of Portage County and explained my frustration. He was very understanding and supportive and promised to suggest the policy be reviewed to the board of directors.
I certainly hope they change this policy, because a perfect match is hard to find and this only makes it harder.
Stop #2 - South Wood County Humane Society
After leaving CCHS, we headed over to Wisconsin Rapids, WI to stop at the South Wood County Humane Society.
When we arrived, we were not greeted as we were at Clark County, but they also appeared to have a smaller number of staff/volunteers. We were pointed to a door and told "the dogs are in there".
When we entered, it was chaos. Lots of dogs, most of which were pitbull mixes, were going bonkers. There was one person cleaning kennels. The facilities were nice, but I think they would benefit from more volunteers to assist with dog walking, etc...
We had a chance to meet three dogs at this kennel. Unfortunately, they were so full of energy that Ike was not happy with any of them. I do think that they would have done better if the dogs had expended some of that pent up energy.
After 3 very brief introductions, we decided to move on to the next shelter.
If you live near Wisconsin Rapids, I would encourage you to volunteer some time to assist at SWCHS. This is a great facility and have many pets looking for homes. While they wait, they need to be walked, exercised and played with.
When we arrived, we were not greeted as we were at Clark County, but they also appeared to have a smaller number of staff/volunteers. We were pointed to a door and told "the dogs are in there".
When we entered, it was chaos. Lots of dogs, most of which were pitbull mixes, were going bonkers. There was one person cleaning kennels. The facilities were nice, but I think they would benefit from more volunteers to assist with dog walking, etc...
We had a chance to meet three dogs at this kennel. Unfortunately, they were so full of energy that Ike was not happy with any of them. I do think that they would have done better if the dogs had expended some of that pent up energy.
After 3 very brief introductions, we decided to move on to the next shelter.
If you live near Wisconsin Rapids, I would encourage you to volunteer some time to assist at SWCHS. This is a great facility and have many pets looking for homes. While they wait, they need to be walked, exercised and played with.
Stop #1 - Clark County Humane Society
Our multi-shelter expedition began with the Clark County Humane Society, located just outside of Neillsville, WI. We had many positive comments about CCHS and they did not disappoint.
When we arrived, we were greeted by friendly people who were busy tending to the many pets housed at the shelter.
We explained what we were looking for and were given some suggestions for dogs that may fit our needs.
Maddy was a mix of pitbull and Labrador. She was a doll. What was clear was that she was also part Rocket and when we got to play with her in the outside fenced in play area, she showed her level of energy. The best way to describe Maddy was as a 50 pound bowling ball with rockets strapped to her side.
Gracie, my 9 year old (almost 10) daughter immediately fell in love with Maddy and wanted her. It was clear from watching her that she needed more space then we could provide. She was a high energy dog that would need frequent exercise throughout the day, something that is difficult for us.
When we took her back to the kennels, all of the dogs were bouncing around, barking and generally going nuts...except one. We asked to see her, her name was Rogue. Rogue had been spayed the day before and was still feeling the effects of her anesthesia.
Rogue was very calm and gentle. She was a Lab-Mix according to the vet, and about 2 years old.
Rogue did great with the kids and did okay with Ike...there was some reservation between them, but we considered her an option.
We returned to the kennels and decided to look at puppies. There was one that caught our eye, especially the eye of my oldest daughter (14), Brianna.
Micah was a Blue Heeler/Jack Russell Mix. He was cute as could be, but I also recognized that those two breeds are high energy dogs; though I did conceded that having him as a puppy would allow us to train him without having to work around bad habits and negative past experiences.
We decided to move on to the next shelter, have both Rogue and Micah on our list of possibilities.
When we arrived, we were greeted by friendly people who were busy tending to the many pets housed at the shelter.
We explained what we were looking for and were given some suggestions for dogs that may fit our needs.
Maddy was a mix of pitbull and Labrador. She was a doll. What was clear was that she was also part Rocket and when we got to play with her in the outside fenced in play area, she showed her level of energy. The best way to describe Maddy was as a 50 pound bowling ball with rockets strapped to her side.
Gracie, my 9 year old (almost 10) daughter immediately fell in love with Maddy and wanted her. It was clear from watching her that she needed more space then we could provide. She was a high energy dog that would need frequent exercise throughout the day, something that is difficult for us.
When we took her back to the kennels, all of the dogs were bouncing around, barking and generally going nuts...except one. We asked to see her, her name was Rogue. Rogue had been spayed the day before and was still feeling the effects of her anesthesia.
Rogue was very calm and gentle. She was a Lab-Mix according to the vet, and about 2 years old.
Rogue did great with the kids and did okay with Ike...there was some reservation between them, but we considered her an option.
We returned to the kennels and decided to look at puppies. There was one that caught our eye, especially the eye of my oldest daughter (14), Brianna.
Micah was a Blue Heeler/Jack Russell Mix. He was cute as could be, but I also recognized that those two breeds are high energy dogs; though I did conceded that having him as a puppy would allow us to train him without having to work around bad habits and negative past experiences.
We decided to move on to the next shelter, have both Rogue and Micah on our list of possibilities.
The Search Begins
Welcome to Rogue's Blog. This is the story of how one rescue dog went from wondering stray to home pet extraordinaire.
We are a family of 2 adults and 4 children. We have one dog, Ike, an 11 year old yellow lab. Ike was purchased as a purebred back in 2002 after our border collie/lab cross died at 11 years old. At that time we had two dogs, the other was Rocky, a Cockapoo.
After a divorce, Ike went to live with Dad and Rocky lived with Mom. Rocky, just a year older than Ike, developed many health problems soon after. He was put to sleep just before Thanksgiving in 2011.
Ike, now a single family dog, enjoyed a rough life of eating and lounging on the leather couch. As we saw him starting to show his age, we started discussions about adding a second dog again. After many family discussions, we decided that we would start the search for our second dog. We decided that there were too many dogs stuck in shelters to justify purchasing a purebred, so we opted for a rescue dog.
We started our search with a round robin trip to area Humane Societies on July 26th.
This blog will provide a timeline for our selection as well as information about what it was like selecting a rescue and what it was like after the adoption.
We encourage anyone looking for a new pet to first check their local pet shelters. While this blog is about a dog, you can find cats and other animals at your local shelters, just looking for a new home.
We are a family of 2 adults and 4 children. We have one dog, Ike, an 11 year old yellow lab. Ike was purchased as a purebred back in 2002 after our border collie/lab cross died at 11 years old. At that time we had two dogs, the other was Rocky, a Cockapoo.
After a divorce, Ike went to live with Dad and Rocky lived with Mom. Rocky, just a year older than Ike, developed many health problems soon after. He was put to sleep just before Thanksgiving in 2011.
Ike, now a single family dog, enjoyed a rough life of eating and lounging on the leather couch. As we saw him starting to show his age, we started discussions about adding a second dog again. After many family discussions, we decided that we would start the search for our second dog. We decided that there were too many dogs stuck in shelters to justify purchasing a purebred, so we opted for a rescue dog.
We started our search with a round robin trip to area Humane Societies on July 26th.
This blog will provide a timeline for our selection as well as information about what it was like selecting a rescue and what it was like after the adoption.
We encourage anyone looking for a new pet to first check their local pet shelters. While this blog is about a dog, you can find cats and other animals at your local shelters, just looking for a new home.
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