After Six Months: Will Abused Dog Ever Recover?

[Lissa]

@PunditLisa

According to the dog whisperer (Cesar Millan), you have to be a calm, assertive pack leader. That means putting her on the ground and not coddling her when she is acting afraid. Put her in the presence of other calm, stable dogs, and ignore her completely when she comes running to you. Do not give her eye contact or pick her up. Only when she behaves appropriately do you pay attention to her. Continue talking among the people and share your calm energy with her, but leave her on the ground because she’s an animal, not a human. What works to reassure people (talking encouragingly and stroking her) is not appropriate with dogs because you inadvertently reinforce that unstable state of mind. Do not share affection when they are in any state of mind except calm submission.

My trainer said something similar-- that giving him affection when he was scared was a tacit approval of fearful behavior. Other sources I have read said that by giving them affection and reassurance, you’re showing them that you’re their “rock”-- their constant source of comfort through all of life’s storms.

According to Millan, by constantly acting as the calm, assertive pack leader (including disciplining the dog with a stiff touch or a shht! sound) , the dog will eventually relax. That will open the door for her to socialize with other animals. Remember that a dog cannot socialize properly in your arms as this is not how dogs interact with each other. Being up in your arms gives her status over the other dogs and has already created an unstable introduction.

He doesn’t have any problem with other dogs. He’s friendly and playful with them. I take him over to play with my family’s dogs and he does really well with them.

Other things he recommends is putting her on a leash and walking confidently with her at your side or behind you. If they show reluctance or skittishness, continue to walk forward, not allowing them to give in to their fears and certainly not picking them up. Exercise is integral to dogs and gives you an opportunity to establish yourself as the calm, in-control pack leader. Eventually, if you keep moving forward, they will take your lead and will walk confidently because YOU are walking confidently.

He locks all four legs and freezes. I’d end up dragging him if I kept walking forward. Nor do I think he’s always reading my body language and being scared by my concern for him, because he’s frozen around things I didn’t expect, like a trash can, and I only notice he’s frozen when I feel the tension on the leash.

Millan is a great believer in the notion that dogs live in the present and not in the past. A dog doesn’t sit and feel sorry for itself because it was abused before. PEOPLE feel sorry for the dog because that is the way people are. Dogs aren’t like that, so don’t use this is an excuse for accepting skittish or timid behavior. They can and will change with appropriate guidance.

That’s what I certainly hope.