New foster-Magpie

[Kathleen]

I just picked up a new foster dog, a very delicately built, but overweight mini female named Magpie. She was originally taken in by a rescue north of here, temperament tested, vetted, etc and then adopted out to an elderly woman with a care-giver. They had her for a month and just turned her back into the shelter, saying the dog had bitten the caregiver. I'm not sure what happened there, but this dog is supremely insecure now. She does snap at the slightest provocation and is openly hostile to my own dogs and cats. She also appears to be toy possessive (the toy box is near her crate and she's trying to protect the toys).

Right now I have an ex-pen around her crate to give her more security with my own dogs around. Wish me luck. I think this girl is going to be a big challenge, and I'm her last hope. If I can't help her, she's likely to be euthanized.

[Kari]

Fingers crossed and rays headed Magpie's way!  :xfinger:

[doxielady5569128]

You'll have to post some pictures of her when you get a chance.   Wishing you luck!  Hope all the dogs become fast friends. 

[papbouv]

Good Luck

[Madderoos Mom]

What a fine good heart you have.  I don't know if I could have taken on a dog like this-Bonnie is enough challenge for me- So you know I have my hat off to you.  I'm hoping with love and stability, this little one will grow out of her fears and become a wonderful addition to your family.  Thank you SO much for rescuing.

[PattyInAK]

Hang in there for her, Kathleen, as long as you can.  Who knows what happened to her, she just needs someone to give her a break.

[JetEd73]

There are no bad dogs, just bad owners.

You can fix this problem.

[sollysmom]

Good luck with Magpie  :xfinger:.  You deserve a gold star for taking her on, and I know you'll do a good job with her.

Darcel

[Delia and girls]

Oh, Kathleen...I'm with Sandy...my hat's off to you. I hope all goes well. Keep us posted.

[Kathleen]

Well, she's not quite what I expected. Once she settled down, I took her out of the xpen on leash, and she was much calmer when she wasn't "caged". She's very defensive and reactive though. I was looking at a patch of skin where it looked flaky and she bared her teeth at me and shifted so I couldn't see it anymore. She's got a LOT of hair loss, and apparently wasn't like that before she was adopted, so stress has taken it's toll on her.  Hopefully some good food and security will get it growing back.

This morning I let her out of her crate and she ran up on the couch, rolled over on her back submissively and started peeing. When I tried to pick her up to take her outside, she tried to bite me.   So, I walked away and encouraged her to come outside, and then when I got her back in, I put a leash back on her for inside her crate and x-pen. I'll have to grab the leash and take her straight outside in the morning and when I get home from work. She's fine when she's just wandering around though, she'll follow me outside to potty.  She's not crate trained properly either.  She barked and howled for about an hour before she settled down to sleep last night (I'm a little bleary this morning.)

So, I'm still trying to figure out exactly what her issues are. She hates being touched when she's stressed though. She loves being picked up and cuddled (her breath is rank though, blech, and her nails are incredibly long).  She looks like she's been bred, and she's very interested in the status of my other dogs.  I'm fortunate that both of my girls are submissive, because this is an alpha female when she's outside and comfortable.  Inside, she's a totally different dog.  I'll try to get some pictures of her tonight.  I was told she's a tweenie, and if she weighs 14 pounds like they said, I'd be shocked.  She's very slightly built.  I'd guess her ideal weight is under 10 pounds, and she really doesn't look THAT overweight-maybe a pound or two.

[JetEd73]

Im not even going to pretend to be nice about this.

I'll bet my left testical that the people that gave Magpie up had no business having children much less owning a dog. My personal opinion is that most people should have to have a license to have children and pets....<and this is coming from someone with heavy Libertarian tendancys. I was shocked to see the number of people with ill-behaved ill-mannered dogs when I attended my first dachshund rally. They have no idea of how to handle a dog and look at them as possessions and not family members. They have absolutely no idea of what they do to a dog that is nothing more than a possession.

My money says that just giving Magpie a stable loving home will cure her of her worst behaviors. The problem is when she goes back out to another "family" that has no idea of how to properly treat a dog as a family member.

[doxielady5569128]

Poor Magpie, Sounds like she had a horrible life before she came to you.    Hang in there, I'm sure you are doing a GREAT job with her.   She won't change overnight, but you will see small gradual changes if you just keep teaching her that she can trust you and you love her.    Good Luck!  Let us know how things progress. 

[DeeanDave]

Bless you, Kathleen, for taking Magpie in.  We'll keep positive thoughts and prayers for you and Magpie in helping her.

[peterparker]

Poor Magpie, it sounds like you are going to need a lot of patience to sort that little gal out. It can be done. Hooray for you!!!

[Kathleen]

Well, this is the little lady.   She's absolutely desperate for attention tonight and has a hard time sitting still. I took her and Reilly for a walk together and got a very nice surprise.  She heels like an absolute champ.  You can see the hair loss in the second picture.  Poor baby is nearly naked on her tummy and thinning badly on her head.

[papbouv]

Wishing you luck with the new fur kid Magpie have you considered a Thyroid check a low Thyroid can cause aggression problems and Hair loss just a thought. I know some do not think about it but since she has both thought I would toss it out there and medication is really inexpensive. Good Luck Papbouv

[cheryl186]

Kathleen, God Bless you for taking Magpie in.  She is a pretty little girl.  Good luck.  Love and patience will do wonders for her.  Papbouv, the thyroid check is a good idea! 

[AnnieofNJ]

What a cutie.  Poor pupper has had quite a life.  Now she needs all the love and patience you can give her.  Bless you for fostering her.

Annie & the New Jersey Doxie Gang

[Dianne]

Oh Maggie-pie...I know that look!  That's the look Judy had when she first arrived here.  In your little brain, you are thinking, I want to trust you, you seem nice and there are other dogs, and a warm bed...but; I am not ready...yet.

Kathleen, be patient with her.  I think you are on the right track.  Keep moving slowly and let her adjust and find her place. 

Some fine haired smoothies have bald bellies and fine hair on their ears.  Patches' ears were black bald and leathery when we got him; but, with better nutrition he sprouted ears covered in black velvet.  Judy has extremely fine fur and her head and ears are OK; but, oh, my...she has a hairless belly 

Good luck with the little one. 

[Kathleen]

Dianne, I laughed when the poor girl rolled over.  She's absolutely naked under there.  According to the shelter, she wasn't like that six weeks ago, so I'm guessing stress and poor food.  I had ordered the ingredients to "grow hair on a doorknob" a few weeks ago and they've all come, so I'm going to mix that up and give it to Magpie (and Millie-she's who I ordered it for to start with).  I've been told you can see a difference in about a week, so hopefully I can get her covered for the rest of winter again.   Brrr, I hate to think of that tummy exposed to the cold outside.

I've had her for two days, and she's a little love.  The concern over her temperament was completely unfounded, in my opinion.  I gave her nails a try last night, but she's still a little unsure, so I gave up on it and I'll take her to a groomer or my vet this weekend and get them as short as we can, then go from there.  I'm going to start working with her on the dremel-I've found that to be a lot easier on them and me once they get used to the sound and vibration.

[JetEd73]

and get them as short as we can, then go from there. 

Thats the mistake right there.

When you hit the quick and it hurts the dog, the dog in turn learns to associate nail trimming with pain and only increases the chances that it's going to put  up a major fight next time around.

[doxielady5569128]

Porky Pie has a completely bald belly and really fine hair on his ears.  He has always been that way.  I would have your vet check everything out though, just to be safe.   When we rescued Bandit he was (and still is) terrified of getting his nails done.  Since he had been starved for so long his nails would crack and bleed just from one little clip of the nail.   His improved nutrition helped him a lot, but he is still scared.   You just have to be really patient with them and talk in soothing tones.   You have the right idea in cutting just a little at a time until she gets used to it.    Bandit likes to listen to classical music (lullabies) while he gets his nails done.  Maybe that would help Mag.    

Good Luck!!  It sounds like you are doing a GREAT job with her.   She'll come around, it just takes time.

[Kathleen]

Thats the mistake right there.

When you hit the quick and it hurts the dog, the dog in turn learns to associate nail trimming with pain and only increases the chances that it's going to put  up a major fight next time around.

Well, too late.  She already fights every time, so I don't know how it could be worse.  In any case, I ended up dremeling them with the help of a friend to hold her on Saturday.  They're better and not twisting her poor feets as badly, but still very long.  I tried doing them a little more yesterday and she bit the dremel (while it was going!!  Ack!), so I stopped.  I need to wrap her in a towel until she stops fighting it so hard.  She's MUCH worse with the clippers though.  Dremeling needs to be done every few days until the nails are where they need to be, because the vibration helps the quick recede more quickly, I've found.     Here's a few more pictures of the little girl.

Pwease pick me up!

Well, if you won't pick me up, I'm going to tell you how upset I am about that!

[Kari]

Oh GOSH! She had the L@@K down pat!!  :crazyeyes:

[Frankys_mom]

oh, she's real pretty.  I'm sure she'll come around, she just needed the right mommy (or foster mommy).
Delilah gets bald patches by her ears ( temple area) from time to time.  Seems to be stress induced for her and the vet couldn't find anything medically wrong.

:thumb: