ClarkFarm
06-17-2006, 11:46 PM
I did something rather unexpected today... let me explain. We use an amish farrier for our draft horses. We pick him up and bring him to our farm and then afterwards, take him home again. We get along very nicely with him and his family and enjoy the time he spends at our home. He has helped us many times on a whim.
So when we took him back to his house again, I walked into his barn to see the newest horses he had gotten as I usually do (he is somewhat of a horse dealer though he does take good care of them and I have never seen one mistreated).
I didnt even see this dog at first until I sat down and she came literally crawling into my lap. She jumped when I reached to pet her and ran off to the corner then. I spoke with her softly for a few minutes and she very slowly came crawling back over, her tail tucked way up beneath her belly. I asked the amish man about her when he came into the barn and he said "if you want her, then take her." I asked him what the story to her was and he said she was of "no use" to him because she would not hunt. He then said that his father had put a baby raccoon in with her only to find them curled up together sleeping the next day. He told me that his father was trying to give the dog away. She is a registered coonhound, only 18 months old.
You have to understand that there are certain things I disagree with that the amish do but they are subjects not talked about. I know in my heart she has been beaten. I do not think it was by the farrier based on my experience with him and his family. He had gotten her from a different amish family who gave her to them only a short month ago.
So I brought her home. I put her in a kennel I use to separate new goats or ones that need some time apart for whatever reason. She is so frightened she just crouches in the corner. She flinches as well.
I did introduce her very carefully to my other dogs after a couple hours and she wagged her tail while it was tucked up under her belly, a good sign I thought. I only did this for a few minutes because I didnt want to overdo her first day here but I was curious to see what reaction she would have.
Well, I have helped rescue dogs before but not one to this degree. I honestly think I saved her from becoming a "puppy mill" breeder dog or even death. Many amish shoot their hunting dogs that do not hunt.
If anyone has any experience with a dog who behaves this way, please let me know. I would love to talk about the best methods in helping her overcome whatever fearful past she has.
I think I will be keeping her outside in the kennel until she has become used to us at least and then maybe progress to crate-training indoors. Of course, she needs vetted before then. She was submissive even to my youngest son who is only 2 and a half years old.
I am not sure if I will keep her permanently or try to re-home her if she would ever be ready for that. She is safe here though and I do not have any unreal expectations. If she remains shy, she can at least live in the fenced in backyard and play with my other two dogs.
Here are the couple pictures I took of her right after I put her in the kennel. I didnt even have the kennel cleaned out then since I wasn't expecting this so dont mind the goat poop! Notice how she avoids eye contact.
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58
So when we took him back to his house again, I walked into his barn to see the newest horses he had gotten as I usually do (he is somewhat of a horse dealer though he does take good care of them and I have never seen one mistreated).
I didnt even see this dog at first until I sat down and she came literally crawling into my lap. She jumped when I reached to pet her and ran off to the corner then. I spoke with her softly for a few minutes and she very slowly came crawling back over, her tail tucked way up beneath her belly. I asked the amish man about her when he came into the barn and he said "if you want her, then take her." I asked him what the story to her was and he said she was of "no use" to him because she would not hunt. He then said that his father had put a baby raccoon in with her only to find them curled up together sleeping the next day. He told me that his father was trying to give the dog away. She is a registered coonhound, only 18 months old.
You have to understand that there are certain things I disagree with that the amish do but they are subjects not talked about. I know in my heart she has been beaten. I do not think it was by the farrier based on my experience with him and his family. He had gotten her from a different amish family who gave her to them only a short month ago.
So I brought her home. I put her in a kennel I use to separate new goats or ones that need some time apart for whatever reason. She is so frightened she just crouches in the corner. She flinches as well.
I did introduce her very carefully to my other dogs after a couple hours and she wagged her tail while it was tucked up under her belly, a good sign I thought. I only did this for a few minutes because I didnt want to overdo her first day here but I was curious to see what reaction she would have.
Well, I have helped rescue dogs before but not one to this degree. I honestly think I saved her from becoming a "puppy mill" breeder dog or even death. Many amish shoot their hunting dogs that do not hunt.
If anyone has any experience with a dog who behaves this way, please let me know. I would love to talk about the best methods in helping her overcome whatever fearful past she has.
I think I will be keeping her outside in the kennel until she has become used to us at least and then maybe progress to crate-training indoors. Of course, she needs vetted before then. She was submissive even to my youngest son who is only 2 and a half years old.
I am not sure if I will keep her permanently or try to re-home her if she would ever be ready for that. She is safe here though and I do not have any unreal expectations. If she remains shy, she can at least live in the fenced in backyard and play with my other two dogs.
Here are the couple pictures I took of her right after I put her in the kennel. I didnt even have the kennel cleaned out then since I wasn't expecting this so dont mind the goat poop! Notice how she avoids eye contact.
57
58