Rough night with adopted 7 year old aussie

[saddleup]

Just brought home a sweet female 7 year old, rehomed to me after she was returned to her breeder for sketchy reason. The owners had her since she was a puppy. She is very anxious and understandably so. I figure I slept two hours. Sigh. She’s traveled across the country to be here, and I know it will take time.

Tricks, hints, advice on making her transition easier on her? I’ve always started a new doggie partnership with a puppy. Puppies I know. An adult dog with baggage is a bit of a mystery to me.Owners told breeder she was reactive with other dogs, and I’ve not tested that yet, but she was fine at the breeder’s place and the vet clinic where they checked her out before I picked her up. No reactivity. I lost my 13 year old Aussie six months ago, and am experienced with the breed, just not with adopting an adult dog.

It makes me so happy to have a dog again. I want to do right by her. I know there are lots of rescue experts on here.

[Salty]

We have a dog who has many problems due, I think, to PTSD. There’s a YouTube video called Music for Dogs During Thunderstorms, by Relaxed Animals for All. It works so well for our dog when he’s anxious that I feel like going door to door, proselytizing about it.

It’s playing right now. There’s a huge loud storm outside and the dog is asleep. Normally, he’d be pacing, drooling, shaking, and tearing the house apart.

I want to try it in the barn next, to see if it will make my elderly pony less grumpy.

[Marla_000]

First change for rescues is to
Upgrade their nutrition.
Too many dogs are on cheap, high carb kibble which can make them seem yappy and nutty.
So a good, high quality food.

I also add a good multi- vitamin and mineral daily Nutri-vet makes a palatable one.

Let your dog deflate for a week or so. Always talk quietly to her and around her.
Check out her manners and past training. Start spending quality
Time w/ her showing her how to be your best girl.
Congrats and Lucky You!!

[Raincityrider]

Poor girl is probably just out of sorts from all the changes. Here’s to you for giving her a caring home. What behaviors is she exhibiting? Is she set up as similar to possible to her regular situation at the breeders ie crated at night if that’s what she is familiar with, similar exercise opportunities etc?

Here are things that I’ve used to help ease a sensitive dog through a stressful transition. None of them are a silver bullet, just supportive while tincture of time and consistency kicks in enough that doggy finds life manageable again.
-pheromone diffusers
-Zylkene (hydrolyzed milk protein- seems to work for some dogs and not at all for others from my limited experience)
-calming sounds/ music (sound oasis has a white noise machine specifically for dogs)
-thunder shirts (my girl was also a chilly sort so she already liked wearing “pajamas”)

You are so early on in the process, I hope your new girl surprises you with how quickly she settles in once she understands the new routine.

[Annie10]

3/3/3 is a good rule of thumb.
3 days for them to take a deep breath and start to look around.
3 weeks to start to settle in and realize you aren’t eating them
3months to become part of the family.

Of course each dog goes at their own pace and without meeting her and knowing what went on where she where she came from you can’t say for sure. But I’ve found 3/3/3 to be pretty true, and I just let them go at their own pace until they tell me they ready for more .

[luvmyhackney]

If she is like my cattle dog cross, just ignore her. Sounds mean, but she needs time to decompress.

She will come up to you if she wants affection.

Offer plenty of chews, I free feed at first, and a covered crate in the living space plus additional crate where sleeping covered with a blanket.

Start a routine and stick with it to give her some structure to get familiar with.

[saddleup]

She’s sweet as can be, but will ramp up her anxiety and pant and whine. She is used to a crate, but complains…a lot, which took a long time to settle. And today there’s some very loose stool, but not quite diarrhea. She is on the same food she came with from the owner, but who knows?

I know all of this is anxiety related. And I’m more than willing to give her all the time she needs. I’ve cried a bit just out of anger that her life is turned upside down like this. I’m trying not to judge the owners, because life happens. But the report the breeder got from the kennel/day care facility is that the owners got a new puppy and are done with this girl.

I’ll look into the soothing music. I’ve got my old dog’s thunder shirt. I’ll give that a try, too.

Thanks

[Marla_000]

My current rescue GSD was a bag of nervous anxiety when I first got her at the shelter.
She had also had puppies taken
From her.
I read up on certain missing
Diet related things and found
MaxxiCalm- has B1 and Magnesium and several other
Things for anxiety.
I also stopped the cheap kibble
And started on a human grade meat,eggs, salmon plus a multi vit/ min.
A good diet really helps, IMO.

[Jenerationx]

@saddleup

I know all of this is anxiety related. And I’m more than willing to give her all the time she needs. I’ve cried a bit just out of anger that her life is turned upside down like this. I’m trying not to judge the owners, because life happens. But the report the breeder got from the kennel/day care facility is that the owners got a new puppy and are done with this girl.

Ugh… I hate that this happened to her, but it sounds like she’s landed in the right place with you.

[sophie]

@saddleup

But the report the breeder got from the kennel/day care facility is that the owners got a new puppy and are done with this girl.

Aww. That made me so sad for her.

Congratulations on rescuing her, I don’t have much to add (except I do use calming music when we have to leave our puppy home for a few hours, it does work), but I wish you the best with her.

[Annie10]

Benedryl works well in situations like this.

[Demerara_Stables]

When we adopted our GSD, his crate was his safe place. Maybe try setting up a crate with a blanket over it and a bed inside so if she wants somewhere dark and “safe” to go, she can chill in there? We didn’t even close our guy in, he just went in on his own. She might do the same?

[mht]

@Annie10. Just be sure to check some Benadryl products for Xylitol.

[Lizrd]

All I have had is rescued Boxers and they come in all different levels of needing time to adjust. I feel like aussies are pretty sensitive in general, and this girl is probably quite confused right now. I am so glad that you posted and that you are empathetic to her needs. She’s a lucky girl to have you and I bet in a few months you will feel she rescued you and these initial days will be a distant memory. I am positive she will thrive with your patient approach.

One thing that has worked for me with my more sensitive Boxers has been to truly try to give them space. Sometimes we are inclined to smother new pets with attention and worry and a lot of movement in the household. Some families even bring in a ton of visitors to meet their new family member. That doesn’t work for many dogs because they are completely overwhelmed. My suggestion is to leave her alone a bit by providing her quiet company in the house. Be a companion, but an undemanding one. I bet in no time she is going to think she has hit the jackpot with you! You are doing the right thing to give this sweet girl a welcoming home … and when the time is right we need a photo and a name…

[Bluey]

An aussie breeder sold a puppy to a fellow herder, that became very sick and died.
Puppy spent a year in a kennel barely being fed and watered, not socialized to dogs or humans.
Family found the papers, contacted the breeder, that called us and we took dog in.

She flew in a dilapidated cheap old plastic crate falling apart.
Once home our vet was out for the horses and looked her over, she was very skinny and full of fleas and ticks and was dusted for that.
Trying to examine her, she was like a dirt rag, no bones, you held her up and if you let go, she would again collapse.

Eventually she came out of it and was the best, sweetest dog we ever had, a star in obedience class, took care of every batch of chicks, got in their cardboard box with the heat lamp, laying down and panting would nose all chicks under her.
Working cattle she didn’t need help, one or several riders didn’t make a difference, she handled it all and always demanding respect but never overbearing, even the bulls minded her.

I expect OP will do fine with her Aussie, they are really wonderful adaptable dogs, hard to believe the story of someone just giving her up, Aussies do make you love them.

I hope all goes well for you and you can post some pictures when you feel like it, please.

[saddleup]

I haven’t posted a photo before. Hope this works.

[Annie10]

Aw she’s gorgeous!

[Bluey]

What a beauty, hard to believe someone dumped her without a very good, sad reason.
Hope you both can get on the same page and she works for you.

Some times we had clients come to our basic obedience classes with new older dogs just for the socialization and better ways to communicate with each other.
You could try that, worked very well.

[saddleup]

I’m assuming I don’t have the whole story because I agree it’s hard to imagine giving her away. So far so good anyway.

[Jenerationx]

OH MY!!! She’s gorgeous! Hope she settles in and realizes she won the housing lottery.