Life with an abused dog
About four weeks ago, I adopted a dog from a local rescue.
This has been the most fulfilling and frustrating thing I've done yet.
Her name is Beanie. She's a three year old miniature dachshund.
It breaks my heart sometimes, because I can't pick her up easily. I have to slowly approach her, scratch her chest, and ease my arm around her and then hold her tight, because she'll try to jump/run away.
When she sleeps with me, I'm fairly certain the only reason she curls up behind my knees is because I'm warm.
If she jumps on to the couch (I try to help her, but she won't let me. I need to get her a little stool) she won't come sit by me. She sits in the opposite corner.
The worst part is when she falls asleep. She has nightmares a lot, and when I wake her up when she's yelping in her sleep (which is the only time she barks), she looks terrified of me..
But we're making progress- when I walk her around the apartment complex, I don't use a leash (Not that I could- she was never leash trained and freezes if I even put her collar on her) and she comes when she's called.
She'll eat treats out of my hand, where the first week or so I had to set them down near her and leave the area.
She eats her food when I'm home and awake now.
Ryan and I worry that she'll stay this reserved. I welcome any suggestions on how to help her open up.
I guess this is most frustrating because my first two dachshunds (the family's dogs) are very playful and noisy.
These are my first two dachshunds, Isabelle and Olivia, when I got to visit my family over Christmas break.
- -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, May 27, 2012, at 1:42 PM
- -- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, May 27, 2012, at 2:00 PM
- -- Posted by KH Gal on Sun, May 27, 2012, at 5:29 PM
- -- Posted by MargauxandSetiva on Sun, May 27, 2012, at 10:17 PM
- -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Mon, May 28, 2012, at 7:54 PM
- -- Posted by jessiemiller on Mon, May 28, 2012, at 10:19 PM
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