Accidental Dog Psychology

I seem to have mentioned my old JRT on here quite a bit recently and so have started thinking about him and his training. Just to recap, he was a rescue who was going to be PTS because he was basically psychotic. It was because of the way he had been reared. I got him when he was 18 months and he died when he was 17. I loved him to distraction. Even now 14 years after his death I still think about him.

Accidentally, I hit on two major rehabilitation tools that might be useful to somebody else.

Firstly, the dog was a little *. I got to the stage within the first few days of not caring if I ever saw him again (honestly, he was that bad) After putting on my usual 2 sets of gardening gloves in order to get his lead on I took him for a walk into the countryside and let him off the lead. He ran off. I was pleased. Then he came back, and he walked all the way home with me without a lead.

He must have got such a fright by being on his own that he ran back to the comfort of the only other person/being that he knew. You can only do this if the area is sufficiently remote, and when you let the dog off lead you must walk away and not look back.

Next, I took him to visit my cousin. My cousin was (now deceased) a Meatloaf double who shared a flat with loads of other bikers. I took the dog in, sat down and watched as he threatened the entire residents of the place. New people arrived every now and then until the dog was so exhausted with threatening people that he suddenly jumped on my knee for a rest. It was the first time he had ever jumped on my knee. I think that was when Butch and I really started to click.

Now, I'm aware that many people don't have dodgy cousins to visit but-if you can find a place to take your new rescue dog, where the only thing the dog knows and trusts is you - it can have a big impact.

These 2 strategies were totally unplanned and totally accidental but were massively effective. I bet other people here have some great training tools that they chanced upon too!

Wow thats an amzing story! What a great read. Mine is also a rescue but am so lucky that have never had any problem, as said here loads, learning to ignore the behaviour works a treat and well done to you. I'm pleased that you are bonding so well, and look forward to any fab advice and experience everyone encounters x

Aww thats good advice its like kind of forcing the dog to make a choice be on your own/be with me I love the story and you never no it might come in handy thank you Wendy