mostly chow and not sure what - Paw Talk

new2dogs · #1 08-09-2004, 12:03 PM

undefinedArielundefined7Bold Hello! I'm new to this forum and to dogs. I just acquired a new dog last week from the pound, and in spite of the fact he's been sick with kennel cough, ear infections, an infection from his surger site from where he was fixed, and his difficulty in breathing, he's not tried to bite me once. I am able to stick my hand inside his food bowl while he is eating and he won't try to snap...but...I'm having a bit of trouble with him on the leash.

Before I got a gentle leader, he was excited at the thought of going for a walk, but at that time, he was walking me. Now that I have control over him, he decides he wants to sit down in the middle of our walk. He just flops down and stays! He is an adolescent, spent three months at the pound, was a stray, and has abandoment issues. It didn't help that I had company the same time I got him (he is a service dog in training and had he not been picked up that day, he would've been put to sleep) and he fell in love with them.

Since they left, he doesn't want to play either. Usually he's willing to allow cats/kittens/puppies/dogs to come all around him. The only time I really saw him show any signs of aggression was the other day when he growled at another dog...one I didn't realize he'd been silently meeting stares at. He's always on a leash, but as a result of that incident, he is always at my side or he doesn't get to go outside. That's when he started flopping down on our walks. I know he's been traumatized, but I know he's got potential too.

He can sit, stay, come, down, and say hello. He knows to stay off furniture. He gets nervous if I leave (fear I'll abandon him, I think), so I try not to stay out of his sight for too long at a time.

I'm new to all of this, and he's been to the vet. She did say he's got an excellent disposition and is promising. I'm not sure what the other breed in him is...especially since the pound didn't have his breed right to begin with. He didn't get any attention in the pound and he's insecure. Any ideas on how to gain his confidence? He's a picky eater and though he loves toys, he won't touch them now. I know he will take an incredible amount of patience and I'm willing to put in the time. I'm going to try to put his picture in. I came across this site yesterday and was impressed when I saw the postings here. Thanks.

Oh yeah, I am disabled and walk with a cane. I have other problems besides balance which is why he's being trained. He doesn't seem to mind being around me in spite of my problems...just doesn't like the fact I now control him instead of him controlling me. Also, I've had him less than a week.

CTChin · #2 08-09-2004, 01:50 PM

Hmm...Chow/saint? chow/newfie? maybe some shepherd.

He sort of looks like a leonberger:

http://www.leonbergerunion.com/index2.htm

click on BREED OVERVIEW and a picture of one comes up

new2dogs · #3 08-09-2004, 01:55 PM

You're right he does...and that's what the pound had him listed as. I sent his photo to that website over the weekend and they thought he was about 3/4 chow. They weren't real sure of the other mix, though New Foundland came up...I thought he was part Saint though. What do I know?

Somebody else thought part shepherd of some sort. Any ideas on how to handle "problem" behaviors with my 'little' guy?
Thanks!
Kathy

Chrisanne · #4 08-09-2004, 01:57 PM

That is definately a Saint, Mastiff, or Newfie face. I'd say Shep cross before chow though.

Beautiful.

Chinchilla_Girl · #5 08-09-2004, 06:08 PM

Really?? I saw him and thought "Akita-mix" Nice looking dog though!

IceyBlueSibes · #6 08-09-2004, 07:03 PM

I agree with Saint, Mastiff, or Newfie. He looks quite like the Leonberger also. But when I first looked at the picture, I saw Mastiff. Its hard to tell though because diff breed mixed together can make dogs that look totally opposite than what their actual breeds are! I've looked at some pics of dogs in the shelters that don't look like what they say they are.

He's a beautiful dog though...

Eli · #7 08-09-2004, 08:58 PM

Good luck with your new dog!!!! He's gorgeous!!!! give him lots of love and attention, and he will settle in!!

pihlaja · #8 08-10-2004, 06:53 AM

Whatever he is, he is VERY HANDSOME!

!

I think he will come around in time. He will adjust to you being the "alpha" on the walks and eventually will get used to it. Kirby (my husband's samoyed) and I had this problem at one time, too. When Kirby learned that I was the one in control on the walks, he didn't want to walk with me for a while. But in time, they get over it.

If him sitting on his walks becomes a problem (because of you being with a cane), teaching him the command "stand" could be helpful, too.

Kirby knows this command (in Finnish, of course, since it's hubby's native language

) for when we groom him.

I think you've found a wonderful friend who I feel will prove himself to be a wonderful, loving, devoted friend in good time!

Keep us posted on him and take more pictures! He really is beautiful!

new2dogs · #9 08-10-2004, 01:52 PM

Thank you, all of you. He's already become quite the devoted friend. I'm working with treats right now. I'm teaching him up, and what I'm training him to do is put his paws on the wall so that it's easier for me to get the lead on him. He seems to adore hotdogs, but what he likes most is a belly rub. If we've had a 'good' walk, then when we get home, he gets a ferocious belly rub. He squeals with delight when I do that. It's nice to know that my dog isn't the only one with FDS (flop dog syndrome). That's what I've named it, lol.

Charles Dickens aka: Charlie wants to play with me...but right now he's confused because sometimes I represent the 'evil one' because of the drops and stuff I put in his ears. Poor guy

I think you're right...I need to give him time to settle down. I'll post some photos of him real soon...especially if I can catch him with all his paws in the air, lol.

Has anybody else here adopted an adult dog from the shelter, and if so, what sort of problems did you encounter? I'm trying to socialize him also.

Thanks,
Kathy

pihlaja · #10 08-11-2004, 05:58 AM

Most of the adult male dogs I have ever adopted have seemed to prefer one sex to the other. And while unneutered, they also had some socialisation (i.e. aggressiveness) problems with other males. I had a few that COULD NOT handle loud noises whatsoever and some others that were deathly afraid of cars.

I think each adopted adult dog comes with his/her own set of problems, some worse than others. My advice with that is to take time to learn what the problems are and then think of a way to work past them. Slowly introduce him to new sounds and such. Drop a pot and see how he reacts. Play your music a bit louder than usual and see his reaction. I even had one that was SCARED when I turned on the TV!

Good luck with your beautiful boy.

He sure does seem like a gem!

new2dogs · #11 08-11-2004, 05:58 PM

Thanks! I've started downloading sounds from the computer, especially ones of dogs barking. He looks up, interested, but since he can't see the source, after a few minutes, he calms down and goes to sleep.

pihlaja · #12 08-12-2004, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new2dogs


	I've started downloading sounds

I did that with Seamus, and he went WILD when I played wavs of the different kinds of frog croaks.

He was running around the living room with an expression that said, "OH MY STARS! WHAT IS THAT!? WHAT IS THAT!?"

It really was funny.

new2dogs · #13 08-12-2004, 09:08 PM

Yeah, lol, I've gotten the same response!

beansale · #14 08-20-2004, 06:38 AM

One really easy way to tell if he's part chow is by looking at his tongue. If he has any chow in him at all, there will be black or purplish spots on his tongue. Keep working with him and good luck training your new friend to be a wonderful companion. I've thought of teaching my dog to be a service dog to me (I also use a cane), but he's just not quite that smart LOL. He's so cute, though. Hee Hee

new2dogs · #15 08-29-2004, 05:22 AM

Charlie has been doing great. Last night, without my meds, I fell into a deep sleep. Somebody tried to break in, and Charlies, bless his heart, barked to let me know. The person took off running. (If you heard his bark, you'd understand!)

The good news is that he seems to know when my sugar crashes. He wakes me up every few hours to make sure I'm okay. He stands guard over me, and guess what? He's playing again!

When he tries to use his teeth, I turn my back and quit. He does sleep with me, but I have night terrors, and if they get bad, he wakes me. I also have Fibromyalgia, so he's terrific with that. He allows me to lean on him a bit when I need it. He also goes to school with me, I take him to the library, to the grocery store, and haven't had a problem. He's been great.

When he sleeps with me, he likes to use my blankets too. I don't mind, lol. Oh, I took him to another vet, and he said he has saint, shepherd, chow, and sharpe in him...and he hasn't grown into his paws!

He does love me and I adore him. He's fitting in well.