Not impressed

[Jordan]

!One of the men I've met on walks for many years lost his two Springers over the past year one old age and one to kidney faiure. Met him a couple of weeks ago out with a new dog Pedro,  a lab X. Well actually we met Pedro alone in the woods some 10 mins before owner turned up. He had only had him 3 days from local shelter so didn't think too much of it but it looks like this is going to be the norm.....Padro running around on his own with owner nowhere to be seen!  Hes a nice  dog but he had a scuffle with Domino over the ball the other day so worry now when we come face to face with Pedro cause hes a big dog and I know owner isnt likely to be nearby. He doesn't wear a collar and I've heard hes had set toos a few times with other dogs. Domino seems happy enough when they meet so hopefully they will settle to be good friends but I'm not impressed that owner doesn't seem to be concerned when I  questioned Pedro running around on his own.  His two Springers were always well behaved but he'd had them as pups , this is a3year old rescue. 

[kristina]

mmmm Jordan,seems to me this owner is still in Springer mode his dogs were always good so I guess he just presumes this new one will be the same or maybe he hasn't quite got the grift of him yet or just that he wants a dog to walk regardless of how that dog is.You and I both know that dogs are different you took on Domino and have worked wonders with him,I have Xena who is such a total new ball game for me I am still trying to figure her out,this guy has taken on a 3yr old rescue with probobly no history and is just expecting the same as he had with his Springers he needs to get his act together with this dog.Kristina

[Adrianne]

in my mind the dog should be settling in at home for a good couple of weeks before running off lead in a confused state, they may look settled into your home after being in a shelter but the reality is many dogs take months to truly settle in, they have to learn who to trust and understand first..without trust a dog lives by instinctive behaviours rather than learned behaviours, that can be worrying if the dog is nervous or scared.
if there is an incident where he attacks another dog, it doesn't mean he will always do do - as time goes by and he does settle into his new life - he wont be so driven by his emotional state.

[Kimmikins]

It seems to me that he's still in "adult dog" mode, and hasn't adjusted for the fact that his dog is an adult dog from a rescue. I expect different things from Scrumpy Jack compared to Sara, because I've had Scrumpy since he was 2months old and Sara from when she was 18months. I'm more aware of my surrounding when walking Sara than I am with Scrumpy, and more focussed on providing guidance and creating good experiences for her....not that I don't want SJ to have good experiences! But I know that he is pretty good at making them on his own, with the odd input from me, whereas she is more likely to act like a dumb-dumb!

[kristina]

Adrianne that post so reminded me of many years ago when I took our little Springaling from the rescue,they said she was about 10 months old!!! I reckoned around 2yrs myself,she had been badly treated her tail broken and had lived on potato peelings.Took us a good year to gain her trust she actually never left our garden for months as we could not get a lead on her,she was the one who decided one day to join in a walk with my then old boy as she would watch us go out of gate into the fields,from then on she was fine and proved to be the most lovely little girl she was.I know a lovely man who has taken on a 7yr old rescue which has huge issues this beautiful dog was tied up all his life knows nothing about anything,very nervous at all and everything but this guy is working hard with him and Xena and I meet him from time to time on our walks and indeed he is so much better.Kristina

[Jordan]

Pedro runs around like hes saying WooHoo freedom, he does keep checking back with new owner then off he goes again but i think he lacks confidence beneath it all. His reaction to seeing Domino is raised hackles but i think its excitement then uncertainty with a lip lick and turning head away before dashing off again. Hope owner realises he needs some guidance, hes a lovely dog really.

[Adrianne]

he sounds like a nice boy, if nothing else..his owner just needs to recognise that the dog has looked back for him ...if it gets rewarded he will be encouraged to remain involved with the owner on his walks.if it gets ignored the dog wont bother to do it, and then he will be making all his own decisions, and the owner will wonder why the dog isn't listening???!!
if you want your dog to listen to you - you start by listening to him.

[Jordan]

Will try to encourage owner to follow your advice next time we meet.