# New dog, Help!!



## DustyR (Jan 26, 2009)

Need some expert advice from any dog owners out there before we take our recent rescue collie back to the re homing centre.

Only had the dog a week and she has settled in the home wonderfully no problems at all. She has a very affectionate attitude and is very gentle.

We do not know anything about her background and her age guessed at about 3 yrs.

However, when taken out on the lead she pulls like mad, but we can train her out of that,( we hope) its when she sees another dog she gets fretfull and when they come to say 'Hello' she freaks out . It looks like fear aggression and we dread taking her for a walk as we have to avoid every dog we see now.

She also crouches down whenever a car comes past but we think that is the herding instinct, she does not chase things though.

We dont want to give her up so soon but is there any hope of curing this sort of behaviour?


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## newleaf (Jan 11, 2007)

*Dog Training*

Keep going, eventually you will be rewarded with a fantastic dog. Remember the more you put in, in the way of training and love, the more you will get out multiplied a thousand fold.
Try and discover what she likes best, food, toys or attention, and then when faced with difficult situations distract her with her favourite things.
Dog training classes are a must because amongst other things socialising with other dogs will help a lot.
My son was faced with a similar situation and it took time and patience, but he got there in the end.
I very much hope it works out for you.


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## sparky20006 (Apr 18, 2011)

A friend of ours has a labby and she couldn't be in the same room as a man (literally) when they first had her. She was REALLY aggressive and would growl and try to bite.

Now 3 years down the road she is the most loveable mutt you could imagine. She is all over everyone. Puts her head on everyone's lap and will NOT leave their side (man or woman ) all night. She constantly paws you for attention.

If they had listeened to the vet she would have been put down years ago.

No training - just patience worked with her.

Paul

PS - Without a doubt the best dog in terms of intelligence and loveability and loyalty was also a rescue border collie that we had many years ago. We still speak of her. We even trained her to go and find the house keys and drop them through the letterbox to us as we had a habit of locking ourselves out when we were younger :roll:


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## badgerxos (Dec 9, 2012)

Well done Dusty for taking on a rescue dog - they really are soooo grateful that you can't help but love them.
We got a retriever/collie cross at about two years old and have had him for five years now. He has the reverse problem - he wants to dominate every other dog he meets, so I can't really advise on your problem.
One thing that we have noted, however, is the affect of being on a lead - they tend to get rather defensive/agressive. If safe to do so, you could try taking your dog off the lead when it meets other dogs who are similarly off the lead - ours normally just does the 'social sniffing' routine, whereas if he is on a lead he will bark and strain to be up and at them. One of the extending leads is perhaps a good intermediate position, where you still have control, but the dog feeels free to associate with others.
Good luck, Andrew


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

For the pulling. Every time she starts to pull just stand still until she sits or takes a step back. Don't try this if you have any thing else to do that day! 

For the dog aversion get her to sit every time another dog comes close.

My last dog was a terror when he met other dogs until I tried the sitting technique. He never got to like other dogs but he would sit still until the other dog had passed.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

most certainly

we use a head halter with Shadow so he does not pull at all With 7 stone of dog pulling you have no chance

he hates other dogs, didnt use to but now I would not trust him, It's easy to avoid dogs if you have the control

Maybe she is afraid of cars, time and socialisation will cure that

Give her time, love, praise

a week is nothing 

don't even think of giving up yet, you owe it to her

Check Dogmatic for the head halter comfortable, well made and they work a tad expensive but IMO well worth it

Aldra

Ps we have had G. shepards for over 30 years, all different in behaviour 
We started with leather but as he loves to swim have now gone for manmade


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## brynric (Oct 17, 2009)

We've had Beth for about 8 years now, she came as a rescue dog with a range of difficulties but some she's got over and some we live with. She barks at other dogs if they're near the house or van, but she quite nervous of dogs at other times. We find that defensive quality quite useful at times, she looks like a guard dog in the drivers set when we're shopping.
Badgerxos makes a good point about the lead, Beth is much better behaved off lead ... But I still am wary with cats and traffic.


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## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

Our Pommie is a big girl - 35kg now and very strong. If we hook her lead on her collar she can (and will) pull and she is too strong for me then. We tried her on a head halti, but she hated it (as did our previous dog) though it stopped her pulling, but also made her want to roll over on grass and itch her nose on the ground. Someone suggested a chest harness, which we got and it is brilliant. She walks so nicely with it and hasn't pulled me anywhere, even in all the snow. Halti Chest Harness

Our last dog, Charlie, was a collie cross and, while loving with people he knew, was a nightmare with strangers. He was always very unpredictable when a hand was reached out to stroke the handsome lad. It didn't matter that we'd always ask people not to do it, some would always try, often saying "dogs love me". He'd also take offence to some dogs. We could never work out a reason why and we couldn't train him out of it. Sometimes you can't, but as long as you know your dog and keep them under your control, you can live with these temperamental ones and still give them good homes and lovely lives.

Pommie, despite being a rescue dog, is much easier than Charlie was, although we still haven't solved the problem of recall, having found nothing to get her back if she has something more interesting in mind, because of that Rob walks her over the fields on a 100ft lead - which draws some odd looks! I take her to the local dog play field, which is secure, and where she can play and socialise with other dogs. She's a greyhound ridgeback cross and just loves to be chased (but is the fastest there by far, so is never caught!).

I do hope you stick with your dog, but only you will know how you can manage. Sometimes they just don't work out and that's always a hard decision.

Lesley


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## Suzysetter (Jun 19, 2011)

Hi
Tellington Ttouch worked wonders for my irish setter when she suddenly
would not let judge go over her in show ring. A lady called Fiona came out to the house, so kind, knew her stuff etc she is based Ringwood. I believe the main training center is down south., maybe have a look on line and see what you think? 

They are so worth the effort. 
I believe the gentle leader is better than the halti head gear for more control. 

Fiona suggested the mekutti harness as with two ended lead can use one for direction control...sorry sounds odd...but one end of lead hooks on to side of harness and under neck, other end on top of back...so no pulling on neck and side lead acts as sort of brake as is in front of them. Sorry not
explained that very well but it does work, well it did for us.

I wish you all good luck and hope you have many happy times together.
Sue


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

true Lesley

but no way is a week enough

gve her more time DustyR

You dont even know her yet

Aldra


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Oh this is my story as everyone on here knows Louis was 6 years ago a rescue dog and had been cruelly treated. I know becuse I had to be there while my friend took him away.
No teeth and so many old injuries.
He came away with me and then got over protective. 
He barked and still can at anyone.
He cowes when lorries pass and crawls right into fences.because he never had a collar or lead on and the Dog Wardens bought him home so many times so he was free to run among traffic. 
It is the past life that has ruined them so the best thing is to start as if he was a puppy and train all again.
You wont win but you will have a better behaved dog.
Louis is the hardest dog I have trained.
I went to training classes once and was told to go away until I calmed him down, but by then I had worked and got a reasonable level.
I have bought bark collars and it runs out of the batteries in one day £7.00 a time.
But I love the little devil and he is asleep by my feet now. Good luck -dont take him back keep trying and you will feel you have done a wonderful job as she may go to home that wont be tolerable and keep being re homed. Love her you will be rewarded and off lead he is adorable and loves running with other dogs 
:wink:


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Suzysetter said:


> Hi
> Tellington Ttouch worked wonders for my irish setter when she suddenly
> would not let judge go over her in show ring. A lady called Fiona came out to the house, so kind, knew her stuff etc she is based Ringwood. I believe the main training center is down south., maybe have a look on line and see what you think?
> 
> ...


It looks very interesting I will have a go at this -- http://www.ttouch.com/


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

I've been walking dogs professionally for the last 12 years and seen many rescue dogs that initially have problems.

I've walked dogs you trip over they are so small and dogs as big as Irish Wolfhounds and every dog is different in nature and temperament.

The easiest way I've found to stop any size of dog pulling is to use a harness, picture below is typical of the type to get, and once they are used to them the dog very soon stops even trying to pull.

Have a look at this site - it will give you some idea of what to expect living with a Collie - it may not be too easy at times but it will in the long run be rewarding for both you and your dog -

www.pnwbcrescue.org/.../Living with a Border Collie.htm

And Rory, pictue top left, says if you want a friendly dog to meet up and play with your new best friend he's willing to give it a go!


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## cypsygal (Dec 19, 2009)

*10 years on, still trying ...*

My Dobe, Max, is a resuce. We are his 3rd home, and he was fine to begin with, apart from the barking, but after about 10 months got protective, and that spelt trouble. To cure the barking I approached a local trainer; she said if you don't love him yet, take him back - there are so many resuces to choose from. I was, frankly, shocked! I had expected the trainer to see £ signs - interesting though, in the context of this discussion. 
Well, Dear Friends, we ignored the 'professional' advice and got a second opinion. A really good ex Police/Air Force dog handler came to advise. We joined his group and Max did all his Kennel Club Good Dog Citizen awards up to Gold. He's a big boy, 39kg, but I can walk him in a controlled way following this training.
A changed dog - but never an easy dog - he is too damaged by his early experience to be confident about life (sad, innit). However there is so much to appreciate about him - and I have learned so much. In fact, we won the 'most improved pair' cup one year. So often it's education for the owner that is the most important factor. Partly mea culpa.


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

Good on yer to take on the dog in the first place so don't give up, it will take time for the dog to adjust.


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

For the pulling, as mentioned in an earlier post, the Dogmatic halters are really good and made a lot of difference to a stubborn dog I had.
For the dog aggression. Don't panic. It's probably fear related. The halter may help as it can relax a dog. What you need to do is try to keep your dogs attention on you. If he's food orientated use that, with the command "watch me" . Keep the treats coming and try to keep the dogs attention on you, not on any approaching dogs. If you able to keep the dog calm, then lots of praise.
You may want to look into clicker training. Collies can be noise sensitive so introduce a clicker carefully and gently. Take a look at YouTube vids by Kikopup. If you are not confident in this see if there is a trainer in your area that clicker trains. Do not go to trainer who talk about dominating your dog and suggesting alpha rolls. It's cruel and unneccassery.
Give the dog a bit longer. A week is such a short time and the poor thing is probably having a hard time adjusting.


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

Get yourself along to a local dog training session. They don't cost much and are VERY helpful at getting results as quickly and easily as possible. If nothing else they do teach your dog to be less anxious or aggressive around other dogs as they are surrounded by them during the classes.

I was lucky enough to find an ex-police dog handler who helped get my wayward terrier under control almost immediately. She's still not perfect but that's partly my own fault for not keeping up with implementing what I had been taught, but at least she in now manageable.


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## oly (Jan 27, 2011)

I can relate to what you are going through. We inherited a dog. Our daughter rescued him from RSPCA she involved me in trying to turn him round. I took him to classes got bronze award he is good until he sees another dog then he is completely deaf. 
Daughter said he was going back to RSPCA I couldn't cope with that I had grown to love him, so here he is 10 years old with passport touring Europe. He has just been in spa in Portugal whilst we went to Morroco for 3 weeks. He is a lovely loving dog fine with children, ladies and some but not all men! he just wants to be the only dog in the world!! A body harness works well for us for walks.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

The dog will be still wary of the new surroundings and people for a while which will not help an already nervous dog.

As a short term measure try 'Rescue remedy' from a Pharmacy. It calms nervous dogs and we know a number of owners who have used it on their dogs.


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Firstly no advice, just want to thank those who take time with dogs, whether rescue or not.
Loved my dogs but John is very wary, never been bitten or attacked or threatened that he knows, (think he may have been a rabbit or fox in a previous life), so no more dogs for me  
They take a lot of patience and understanding, but can be a joy if the training is ok.
Good luck to those taking on the challenge, maybe one day for me, but not sure I can convince John.

sue


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## leseduts (Jun 3, 2008)

I am with Aldra on this. Casper (GSD) is a bit dodgy with other dogs. Usually ok off his lead, but on his lead he has a paddy as they approach. I find that the dogmatic head collar is brilliant. It seems to calm him down. He is probably having a sulk because he has it on, but whatever the cause is it makes him much easier to handle. We also bought a leather one, but then changed to a material one. On an ordinary collar and lead I cannot hold him if he decides to set off.


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## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

It's early days
lots of reassurance
lots of cuddles and love
firmness and kindness
and maybe a training session or 4 for you and the pooch

Enjoy it's very satisfying


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## Westkirby01 (Jan 25, 2009)

You don't know how wonderful you are. Taking a dog out of a prison is what you have done.

Find a local dog training class. It's you that will be trained to appreciate what the dog needs.

We took a dog, aged 13, that had been with Dog's trust for 8 years. Because he had never properly socialised he flew at other dogs with a desire to destroy, not the fault of Dog's Trust, they did a fantastic job. It's been six moths now and he is so much better. He meets and greets only selected dogs. We are always aware of his reticence to mix. We have been trained to appreciate him. He is never going back.

Please persevere.

Don't use a harness. The chest is the strongest part of a dog. A normal collar is all that is needed.

Wish you well. And your dog.

Regards.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I think the advantage of the Dogmatic head collar is that if your dog pulls or lunges at another dog it's head is automatically brought round to you and you have complete control of the situation

Shadow does not initiate anything but if a dog growls or barks at him, and unfortunately loads of little dogs do he is not impressed and would prob/ swallow them whole given a chance

A halter or neck lead would as lesdutes says do nothing to restrain him in a situation where he took control, the head halter prevents him using his powerful chest and neck muscles to their full advantage

But I would say get a good quality comfortable one that fits properly, being in control of the dog means less stress for the owner therefore less stress is transmitted to the dog

aldra


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Look for your local dog training lessons.
i used to teach at one, many moons ago.
Time, patience, uderstanding and reward .

Dave p


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

a week isn't anywhere near enough, give it time and effort on your behalf as sending a dog back and forth for rehoming will never enable it to settle down.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

She sounds like a lovely dog. Patience is the key. Show her lots of love, reward good behaviour with praise and the occasional treat.

Be firm, but never punish bad behaviour. Lots of dogs are afraid of traffic and other dogs, especially when on a lead - the dog feels trapped. Talking to her in a reassuring tone of voice when she is stressed should eventually ease her fears. Good luck.


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Understanding Border Collies by Babara Sykes is a great book - would recommend it to anyone considering a collie.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

We have had quite a few rescued dogs the last two from a greyhound rescue group and both have been problem dogs. The latest one (four years now)is a Bull Lurcher and really is problem, there is no way you could take this dog to any dog classes as he would give the impression he just wants to kill any other dog on site. As he is quite big and very powerful we use a chest harness with the link at the front this tends to turn the dog back to you if he tries to lunge forward to attack another dog. I said earlier he gives the impression he wants to kill any other dog on sight but the truth is he is quite nervous of other dogs if he doesn't know them. 
His previous owner abused him very badly but (thankfully) he was rescued by the RSPCA, unfortunately as he tried to attack anyone that approached him they decided, after three months that he was too mentally damaged and would have to be put down. Greyhound Rescue got to hear of him and said they would take over and after three months they also had to admit defeat but they then sent him to a dog behaviourist in Hertfordshire . This woman tranquilised him then each day moved closer and closer to him until he trusted her then when she decide he was safe we took over.
The reason I am boring you all with this is to say that rescued dogs are not always easy but the rewards can be fantastic. This dog now is the most lovable fool you can imagine and to see him doing somersaults (literally) on the deserted beaches in Spain this winter was a joy..........mind you he is still a pain in the a** when another dog appears..


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

greygit

We have the same problem

he is not a rescue dog, once woud run freely with any dog

he has always been overprotective of his home//van

the traumatic event of his guts falling out following an abdominal op hasn't helped! He is much more highly strung

loves people when he's out and about and they love him, adores the family 

But dogs are a different matter

so all areas must be checked before he is off lead now, he may be Ok but I won't risk it, he's a big dog and if met with antagonism that woud be it maybe

but he has one thing that is different to all our many dogs

He really does talk, answers back and will sit for ages telling you what he wants, doesnt want and he is very clever at making sure you understand. in the van we cannot drive off without checking every cupboard and door whilst he double checks to make sure it's secure

he hates an unsecured door, and prefers we let the kitchen side down to prevent the bathroom door opening if we have forgotten to secure it

control freak

Aldra









we just love him

8O 8O 8O


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## oly (Jan 27, 2011)

Just the same for us with our rescue. Children Ladies and most men OK. Other dogs he is deaf to all commands!! He was abused and the person will have been male had a high vis jacket, baseball cap, boots and a stick!
they never forget do they? Do we just live with it? he is 10 now. We have had him 7 years and tried hard to socialise him. Classes the lot. He has rosettes for obedience and learned more quickly than the others in his class most of the time obeys. he did improve slightly whilst we were going to classes but has slipped back since especially with loose dogs who come up to him whilst he is on the lead.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

The absolute best you could do is to engage a Qualified Pet Behaviour Therapist to come to the house and assess your dog and to find out your requirements.
I stress the word "Qualified" as there are a lot of people out there who have never been near a book or a lecture in their entire lives. COAPE and APBC hold registers of properly qualified people and you could find one in your area.

If you do not have the means to do that (some insurances cover the cost) then a lot of the advice above will help.
You must remember that aggression in dogs is almost always based in fear. Early socialisation is the only way to prevent fear aggression. If the dog missed out on that then you have an uphill battle but you can make significant headway with lots of time and patience.

Two golden rules

1 Never tighten the lead.
2 Stay calm and upbeat even if you feel the wrath of other people. 

Number one is because dogs pick up tension from the lead and it makes them more fearful. It is much better to lure your dog away with treats and a calm voice or stand stock still (and red faced) while the other dog goes away.

Number two helps the dog to realise that you are not worried at the approach of other dogs, traffic etc.

Diet - Some dog foods are like rocket fuel. Bakers is probably the worst but there are others. Buy the best you can afford.

The book "Understanding the Rescue Dog" by Carol Price is excellent. She has rescued several Border Collies and is an acknowledged expert on them.

Take a look at Thunder Shirts they are very calming as is Adaptil (used to be called DAP). Sculcap and Valerian from Dorwest Herbs is good too. All these things will help calm your dog so that learning can take place. Fear prevents learning. The dog goes into a state of high alert and the brain is not able to facilitate learning as it is in survival mode.

Call on the rescue kennels to give you behavioural help. It is in their interest to keep the dog with you so they should offer some sort of support.

I do hope you feel able to help this dog but do not be afraid to admit defeat. It may be that you are not meant to be together.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Pat I bought a thunder jacket but Louis wont wee when he is in it.
I have to take it off like he is a kid and Im undressing him so he can wee.
Its because it wraps right round his belly.
I agree with your advice on dropping the lead I do that now and that works as I used to pull the lead tight.
The other thing I found was to let Louis off lead to be able to run with other dogs --that was great. Although he still can bark at dogs when he is back on the lead.
Life does get easier. :wink:


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

locovan said:


> Pat I bought a thunder jacket but Louis wont wee when he is in it.
> I have to take it off like he is a kid and Im undressing him so he can wee.
> Its because it wraps right round his belly.
> I agree with your advice on dropping the lead I do that now and that works as I used to pull the lead tight.
> ...


Well done Mavis! He has come a long way hasn't he?

Another trick to try is the "Bar open - Bar closed" technique. This means you produce treats and feed the dog whenever another dog approaches. When the other dog goes away the bar closes. Eventually the dog comes to associate other dogs with nice things rather than horrible things


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

patp said:


> locovan said:
> 
> 
> > Pat I bought a thunder jacket but Louis wont wee when he is in it.
> ...


Ok I will try that as long as when I say bar open he doesnt dash to the nearest pub   
He has come a long way -it has been hard work but also he has been through a lot with me and my chemo and now Rays heart attacks but we have a true friend and we love the rascal dearly. good job I didnt give up in a week. :wink: The postman doesn't :lol:


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

I wonder what the OP has decided to do? No further posts from him as yet.


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## DustyR (Jan 26, 2009)

Still digesting all those very useful hints & advice there is much there to give careful consideration and we shall try to seek professional advice.

Many thanks for all the contributions.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I don't think we will ever change Shadow

he is what he is

we contain his bad points and enjoy his good

We have successfully trained many before him, often so well controlled that even a lead was not necessary

But now we have our crazy dog, loved by us and all the family

And soon he will be telling me that he wants his dinner

But when he has finished he will tell me how much he enjoyed it

So he should fresh cooked chicken veg and brown rice

Even your bowels falling out has a silver lining

He has regained ful weight and is a picture of health

But, it has left a legacy

aldra


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

aldra said:


> I don't think we will ever change Shadow
> 
> he is what he is
> 
> ...


I agree with Aldra, we know we are not going to change our dog his parent were greyhound /staffie ;not the best of breeds for getting on with other dogs. 
On the subject of staffies I've just read an article reporting that some of these testosterone stoked morons are now giving their dogs steroids, now that's a recipe for disaster if you ask me.
8O


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