Rescue Cavalier - reluctant to go out

As a few of you know, i have recently adopted a beautiful rescue cavalier called sadie. She is very tramatised, because of her history, and so frightened. I,am showing her lots of love, but she is worrying me because she is reluctant to go out for walks, which was never an issue with her fosterer, she had two dogs of her own, a saluki and a black lab, who she bonded very closely to. sadie is eating and drinking, but she just won,t budge, she will do her business and pull to come home, after only walking a couple of feet. she seems really scared. I have tried treats to tempt her. i don,t want to get cross with her, because shes so fragile at the moment. she seems depressed. I did ring the fosterer yesterday, as i was so worried, as she was walking sadie three times a day.Ruby is fine with sadie, as i work full time, they both go to a good friend who is retired, and has two small dogs, and she is reluctant to go out, has all this been too much for sadie i feel so guilty, that its causing her more anxiety. If anyone has any suggestions, i would be glad of some advice. I just want her to be happy again. karen, ruby and sadie:(

I dont have any suggestions but just wanted to show some support. I know with time, things will work out.

Thanks nicki,had a better day with sadie today, she actually followed me out the front door this morning with no coaxing, i took a huge risk, and let her walk without a lead, she managed 15mins walk, then we started to get close to traffic, i put a lead on her, i was very happy, then this evening had a brilliant response from her, managed to get her to the park, where she ran like a whippet, i was gobsmacked at how fast she could run, i was ecstatic!!!!! my little rescue cavalier is coming out her shell,i hope tomorrow is the same, i was getting very worried. karen, ruby and sadie :D

I'm so glad you have been able to coax her out!

I have shy rescue dog experience, with hunting beagles. These poor shy little dogs had never been inside a house before, they would hide at first. I had one or two that wouldn't walk on carpet! Normal things like hearing a toilet flush would scary them. I found that with dogs like this it took time time time. Depending on her history and personality it might take a LONG time for her to become comfortable and confidante doing some things. I'm telling you it was very rewarding. I only had one foster failure (I could not let him go) he was THE worst scared shy fearful dog I have ever met however he NEVER showed any sign of fear biting. I knew there was a sweet dog in there. It took me a week to even get him to come inside then weeks and weeks to get him moving around the house like a "normal" dog. Then months and months to get him house trained. I loved that dog so much he became my shadow followed me step for step. I lost him more than 4 years ago and I still miss hearing his tags jungle behind me. The affection for me that dog had made me look into breeds who LOVES their human family, small and sweet ahhhh that's a cavalier.

It is a little weird that she walked fine with the foster but you never know why just work with what you have. I would be VERY CAREFUL walking her off lead, the last thing she needs is to be lost.

Melissa

We adopted an ex puppy farm dog two years ago, her name is Dotty! Dotty had been with foster parents for a short time before she came to us. Dotty had never been in a house or around people or seen anything apart from an inside of a cage.
Adopting dogs from a deprived background can be a traumatic experience for them, because even though we believe and know we are giving them a better future, all they know is the life they had no matter how bad it was.

Sadie was probably starting to get settled with her Foster Parents, then all of a sudden uprooted and put into another situation. Sadie is probably feeling insecure, when you take her out, she might be wondering what is going to happen to her, Are you going to leave her?? You know you are not but she doesn't!

I would advise you to take her out little and often, so she gets used to going out with you but most importantly bringing her back home.
We had very similar issues with Dotty, so we use to take her for a few 100 yards, even if it meant carrying her, then walking back home.

Dotty became very fixated with my husband (an unsolved mystery :)) If Graham went out, she became agitated, pacing and crying. Again, Graham would go out, walk around the outside of the house then came back, and gradually increased the time of him being out. When Graham goes out now, she is more relaxed, still does go and have a look for him but there is nowhere near the amount of stress.

We now have Coco who was abandoned, we believe her previous owners spolit and loved her. Coco is perfect apart from the fact she is totally fixated on me, the moment she knows we are going out there is hell to play. We are going through a similar process of little and often. Unfortuantely Coco has a grade 5 heart murmur, so I am worried she does not get to stressed. Last weekend, I got her a little Dog Bag that I can put on my shoulder, this has completely changed things, she wants to stay in the bag, even in the car, which I supppose is some kind of security blanket.

I am not suggesting you get a bag but just trying to illustrate how insecure these poor little rescues are no matter what there background.

It is going to take time and patience but I am sure Sadie could not be in better hands.

Has anyone tried those anxiety wraps? They are weighted jacket like things. Just wondering?

Melissa

I havn't but I have been told sometimes putting on some kind of tee shirt helps, so it sounds a similar idea. I can't use this idea for Coco because of her sm!

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Originally Posted by karen baker

Thanks nicki,had a better day with sadie today, she actually followed me out the front door this morning with no coaxing, i took a huge risk, and let her walk without a lead, she managed 15mins walk, then we started to get close to traffic, i put a lead on her, i was very happy, then this evening had a brilliant response from her, managed to get her to the park, where she ran like a whippet, i was gobsmacked at how fast she could run, i was ecstatic!!!!! my little rescue cavalier is coming out her shell,i hope tomorrow is the same, i was getting very worried. karen, ruby and sadie :D

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Awe..good news! Glad to hear she is finally relaxing & enjoying herself. :dogwlk:
Hope today was another " thumbs up" :thmbsup:

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Originally Posted by Tania

Unfortuantely Coco has a grade 5 heart murmur, so I am worried she does not get to stressed. Last weekend, I got her a little Dog Bag that I can put on my shoulder, this has completely changed things, she wants to stay in the bag, even in the car, which I supppose is some kind of security blanket.

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Hi,
what is a dog bag? It sounds like something I need when We travel.
thanks
Kitty