Working with traumatised dogs
Drax at Many Tears Rescue in August 2019
On Saturday 3rd August 2019, a very shut down, malnourished and traumatised Irish Wolfhound came to live with us from Many Tears Rescue. He came from Ireland and very little was known about his background. It was likely he was around 10 months old, and had grown up in a puppy farm environment. He was petrified of people and in a terrible state. I started a Facebook page to record his progress, initially just to keep a diary for myself but it has since grown into a useful resource for people hoping to help dogs that have similar fear-based issues and have undergone trauma.
Join the Facebook Page here.
To summarise, the advice I give to anyone living or working with a traumatised dog is . . .
DO NOT underestimate how long this will take. This often takes years rather than weeks or months. The pace is set by the dog, not you.
DO NOT be goal-orientated as you risk trying to achieve what you want rather than what the dog needs.
DO NOT rush. To quote Karen Overall “If you think you’re going too slow, SLOW DOWN.”
Drax in our garden March 2020
Work with an experienced, qualified and accredited clinical animal behaviourist (CCAB or ABTC) from the outset. Don’t wait for problems to arise, be proactive and get it right from the start.
Speak to your vet about doing home visits and discuss the potential for psychoactive medication to help. Using medication is not a cheat or a failure and can hugely improve welfare.
Be prepared not to go on a walk or to have visitors.
Do not force your dog into situations in an attempt to make progress. That is flooding and should be avoided at all costs.
Ensure your home is set up for the dog to settle in. Ideally a quiet space that is not a thoroughfare with their own access to an outdoor toilet area.
A secure garden is a must, as is constant supervision in any outdoor space. Up to date microchip details, a collar with a phone number and a tracker will also be a good option.
Keep a diary so that you can chart progress and rethink plans if things are going backwards.
the first six months
I have put together a series of videos which show just how slowly we have taken things and how well Drax has responded to this. He is happier, healthier and learning to trust humans but we still have a long way to go. Progress is steady and I have plans of things we need to work on or improve, but my life with him is NOT goal-oriented. If it was, I risk trying to achieve the things I want for him and not what he needs which is quite simply safety, food & fun.
