George the rescue JRT - help!

[Bellaboo18]

I’d worry about whether he’d find a home as his age tbh. I think the best you can do is ring round small rescues and tell them your predicament. He sounds just like my sisters dog a JRT X with an awful past. I think a lot can be achieved with a dog like this if somebody takes him on with experience to manage his behaviour and give him the confidence he needs.

From working in rescue centres it's a myth that older dogs take longer to re-home. A lot of older people come to rescue centres looking for older dogs. They were actually the quickest to re-home as long as they didn't show aggression (to people). The hardest to re-home were puppies, it's not what people expect from a centre.

 

[meleeka]

From working in rescue centres it's a myth that older dogs take longer to re-home. A lot of older people come to rescue centres looking for older dogs. They were actually the quickest to re-home as long as they didn't show aggression (to people). The hardest to re-home were puppies, it's not what people expect from a centre.

My parents adopted an older JRT that had been at the rescue for a good few months and the rescue said it was because of his age (10) He’s pretty much perfect so I can’t think there was any other reason. I’m pleased to hear it’s not the same everywhere.

 

[Dobiegirl]

https://www.oldies.org.uk/?gclid=Cj...1arrQ5U8MeEDKP6NMUE6ZntnO5T6MEyMaAuWQEALw_wcB
Contact these people, they have fosterers too, they have rehomed a couple of old dogs for a rescue I fostered for and was finding it difficult to rehome.

 

[maisie06]

I know exactly what I'd do if he were a horse, it just feels different with him being a dog.

He definitely wouldn't be good for an elderly person, being so strong and reactive towards other dogs. I can't really imagine that anyone looking around rescues for a dog would want to take on an old dog with the issues he has.

This makes me very sad though - he is such a sweet, cuddly little thing, he just wants to be next to you on the sofa (with no other dogs, ha). He's amazing with my baby, he's more tolerant of him than Frank is. He's a real people person.

Someone mentioned above with the barking that it could be anxiety related - I dismissed this at first but actually, having observed him since collecting him from my friends' house this morning, I think there may be something in that, particularly in the car.

He needs a quiet home with no other pets, with somewhere to go for walks nearby without other dogs invading his space (or a person experienced with dealing with reactive dogs). And not many car journeys. It doesn't sound impossible... Just unlikely.

Having just said that he needs no other pets, he's now lying on my mum's Maltese' bitch's bed, with the other (male) Maltese (who is also reactive towards other dogs and WILL bite) on the other bed next to him! Both fast asleep! Unbelievable. It's like he knows we're discussing his destiny.

Does he HAVE to be walked if he finds it that stressful? I had a terrier like this, highly stressed and reactive, aggressive to other dogs when out but when he was an only dog and able to potter around the house and garden he was quite content, finally had him PTS at the age of 15 as he went totally senile, would he suit an older person with a decent garden?? If not I would fully support you to PTS.

 

[{97702}]

Any progress update PP? (I realise you do have a life as well of course 😊) Someone else suggested the Oldies charity to me that Dobiegirl recommended, they seem to be really good

 

[ponyparty]

No progress yet, haven’t heard back from that local rescue. Only just saw the comment about Oldies, will try them when I get chance - super busy weekend! Will of course keep you updated.

 

[ponyparty]

Right, I've checked out Oldies. It looks like if he's not registered with a rescue already, I'd have to register him directly and do all the home checks/interrogating potential new owners etc myself. I really don't have time for that, nor am I confident in taking that responsibility with a complete stranger, I keep thinking about those stories of bait dogs! I will wait for the carers at the local rescue to call me back, let's hope for something tomorrow.

Also pursuing a lead with a good friend of mine, her parents are retired but fairly active still and considering a dog. This would be their first dog, so not sure how they'd cope with the reactivity; with advice on management etc they would probably be ok, it's just whether they WANT that sort of stress, with a first dog.

I have to say that I REALLY think he needs to be in a home without other dogs. Since the Maltese came to stay, George has started snapping at Frank when he thinks there's food around again; he and Frank were ok after the first couple of weeks of him living here, but he started again while the Maltese were here. New dogs, new pecking order to be established I guess! He's also humping his blanket again and ripped the stuffing out of a dog bed; he did a fair bit of humping and destroying things the first couple of weeks but this settled. Having the others here must have stressed him out. We are my mum's holiday cover for her dogs so they stay with us semi-regularly - not really ideal if it's going to upset him every time. He and Frank are still vying for first place on the sofa/my attention; Frank doesn't like him and won't come up on the sofa if George is already on there, he goes and sulks upstairs. Very unlike Frank, he wants to be with us (preferably touching us, as well as under a blanket - typical Manchester Terrier!) all the time. George doesn't go upstairs, must never have been allowed, so it's Frank's safe space. At least he has somewhere to retreat to I suppose.

Re: not walking him, as someone suggested above - I feel so bad for him, he's spent his whole life not being walked, and was grossly overweight as a result. I have been taking him to the yard and walking him there on a long-line, but this is such a faff, I can't do it every day. I can't take baby with me as it's not pushchair friendly, so have to squeeze the walk into my already overstretched time once OH is home from work and I go up there to ride and sort the horses. And it means a car journey there and back for him too.

Anyway, yes, maybe a house with a big garden and lots of playing fetch would be the answer; my friend's parents have a massive garden, funnily enough! I don't dare get my hopes up too much about them yet though.

Let's see what this week brings... Will keep you posted.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Why do you feel bad? You don't have to stress a dog out because of some human ideal of what it 'needs'.
He's been used to living within certain parameters. Now at 11 all that is being changed. Dogs don't dream about/hanker after things they've never experienced.
Just because he didn't have an ideal home before, doesn't mean he has to be treated like delicate china now...if he humps something, tell him to knock it off, if he eviscerates a bed, give him a vetved or something without stuffing.

With things like doors, stair gates, crates, kennel runs, it's absolutely possible for people to have more than one dog and to keep them separate, again, not all dogs need or want to spend their time with others, especially an older one who has never lived with others before.

Dogs don't realise they've been saved from being institutionalised...if his world was small for 11 years, he's not suddenly going to enjoy it being big and different and exciting and noisy.

 

[{97702}]

I should think he has also picked up on the vibes that you don’t really want him around any more, dogs are quite sensitive to that kind of thing, so his behaviour will change as a result.

Quite honestly snapping about food is really nothing unusual, my four will growl and possibly snap at each other most days when they are being fed - usually because Millie eats far quicker than the others then tries to steal their food, so naturally they tell her no, that isn’t an option!

I can completely understand that you are stressed about this situation but I do feel that perhaps you are misinterpreting some quite usual behaviour as ‘bad’ behaviour when it is just the behaviour of a confused older dog who has been set in his ways for many years and has had his whole world - ideal or not - totally turned upside down.

 

[Clodagh]

I think you are being a little unfair on OP. She has a dog that she loves dearly and now a new dog is stressing him out. I feel bad that Pen gets upset by Ffee. I am not keeping mine seperate, they are never left together but I would hate to have to keep them seperate all the time, especially with a baby around it would end up being like Fort Knox.

Best to realise that OP tried to help this little dog but it is not working in her set up and to help her resolve it rather than making her feel that her dogs fighting, the new dog disturbing the household and to rejig everything for him is the only non selfish answer.

 

[{97702}]

I’ve already offered to re-home George....

 

[CorvusCorax]

No, not being unfair, just giving her some guidance on how to perceive his behaviour as pretty normal, nothing to get too worried about, no need to put herself out with stressy walks and squeezing in car rides to the field, to hopefully feel less stressed by it, to make his remaining time with her go a little more smoothly.

The dog doesn't know or care about the nice thing that OP did for him. How the OP perceives my post is up to her, I'm not 'making' her 'feel' anything, I'm offering short-term resolutions. Repeatedly exposing both Frank and George to things they don't like, ain't it.

 

[ponyparty]

CC, if he didn't clearly love going for a walk so much, then I wouldn't bother and I wouldn't feel back about it - but he does, when he realises he's going out he gets so excited, and once out he does all the usual doggy stuff, sniffing and marking and scratching and rolling in poo and all the joyous things a JRT should be doing. Just as long as there are no other dogs around! And since he's lost weight, my god he is fast.

Thank you Clodagh, it is impossible for me to separate them all the time - with the layout of my house and baby dashing around in his walker, its logistically impossible. It's difficult enough just at mealtimes! And watching my original dog's personality change due to (in his eyes) an imposter is really difficult; he never asked for me to take this dog in, I've given it a good go thinking they'll be ok in time but it's just not working - hence my thread asking for help.

Lev, if you want George, you can have him - I don't think he'd like living with 4 other dogs, but I am happy to be proved wrong, from the sounds of it you'd be more than able to manage. I just don't want him going to various different people to try him out, only for it not to work out and him have even more upheaval. You did word it something like "if it gets to the point where he's going to be put to sleep, I'll have him" so I wasn't sure if that meant you really wanted him or if that was just an "in case of emergency" type scenario. I'll pm you now.

I do appreciate the advice, all of you, thank you.

 

[CorvusCorax]

CC, if he didn't clearly love going for a walk so much, then I wouldn't bother and I wouldn't feel back about it - but he does, when he realises he's going out he gets so excited, and once out he does all the usual doggy stuff, sniffing and marking and scratching and rolling in poo and all the joyous things a JRT should be doing. Just as long as there are no other dogs around! And since he's lost weight, my god he is fast.

Well that sounds good, but I'm sure he won't mind too much in the short-term before you get him sorted. Are there any bored students on your street by any chance

 

[ponyparty]

Well that sounds good, but I'm sure he won't mind too much in the short-term before you get him sorted. Are there any bored students on your street by any chance

If there were, I'd be getting them to do babysitting duty while I went off and took the little guy for his walks!