Re: Need home in Sacramento CA for Missy

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 00:06:26 -0000, "Lone Hansen"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>
>"sighthounds etc." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
>news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 10:19:41 -0000, "Lone Hansen"
>> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>>>
>> I'm sure you posted this when you first got him, but I have a mind
>> like a sieve some days...do you know anything about Sonny's
>> background?  I'm wondering if he was taken from his litter before 8
>> weeks or so; that might account for his snarkiness with Ezra, and
>> perhaps for his reluctance to play.  Or maybe he just doesn't know how
>> to play, but will learn in time.  That's strange that he gets angry
>> when Ezra invites him to play.  It does sound like maybe he left his
>> litter too young, so that he isn't very good at reading dog body
>> language.  I hope this improves with time.  And short attention
>> span...perhaps he needs medication for ADD.  <G>
>>
>> Well, you don't necessarily need a professional trainer to work with
>> your own dog, especially if you've gone to classes before.  It can be
>> helpful, though, to have a "pro" around to just take a look at what's
>> going on and get someone else's ideas.  However better to go it on
>> your own than to use the wrong trainer, and it sounds like the trainer
>> in your town would be the wrong trainer for both your dogs.  We're in
>> a similar position trainer-wise; a disadvantage of not living in a
>> city, I suppose.  It sounds as if you're making progress with Sonny,
>> at least in some things.  Sending good thoughts that he keeps
>> progressing and gets a clue about the joys of playing with other dogs.
>>
>> Sally
>>
>>
>    - All we know is that he was used as a guard dog at a construction site.
>Then when the work was done, the workers left without him. He was there
>alone for 2 months with a guy in the neighbourhood taking pity on him
>feeding him once in a while, before he came into rescue. He was about 15
>kilos underweight, filled with lice and missed a lot of his fur and has bad
>teeth. He does have a very short attention spam, nothing sticks and nothing
>can keep his interest for more than a few minutes.

Wow.  No wonder he's got problems.  

>    I never used a trainer with Ezra. I contacted a few but none of them
>would touch her, they all said that she was too dangerous and too far gone.
>Since then we have looked around a bit but all of the places we have been,
>they have either been to frightened of her, too crowded (she doesn't do well
>with dogs jumping all over her) or had classes at for us impossible times.
>Since I don't drive Morten has to be home to drive, but he works evenings
>each second week. Oh well I think she has turned out all right, she listens
>and has all basic commands down well. In fact I have only attended puppy
>class with my first dog and that was only a couple as Morten was the one who
>took him.

You've done great with Ezra.  I think that if a person is dedicated to
working with the dog and has some basic knowledge of how dogs learn,
common sense and patience, a lot can be accomplished.  

>    Sonny will get better, I know what he likes and doesn't like, so I just
>avoid the things he doesn't like and work on things like being near and
>touching him when he eats, holding his collar and things like that. One
>thing is sure, he will let me know when he doesn't like something. he is a
>sweet guy, there are just some things that he doesn't like.

I'm sure he will improve a lot.  It would just be nice, and he would
probably be so much happier, if he and Ezra could get along and play.

Sally