cuevacarramaiza

Bit of a long shot this one as this forum covers such a wide area!

I have a six month old dog that I found on the street in Andalucia 4 months ago, I never intended (or wanted!) to get a dog but he was so tiny and in such a state I had to pick him up. He's growing into quite a big dog and a bit of a handful (although he does seem to be calming down a lot over the last couple of weeks). He really needs a home with a garden or lots of land where he can run about (I have a house with no garden and live in a town). I think he would be suited to somewhere in the country with lots of space and with someone who loves animals and has some time (he loves company) and patience to continue training him.

He's been living with 2 cats so he's used to them and is 98% house trained. I've just started him on the pet passport process, he has a microchip and rabies vaccination and the blood test is in another week or two (the passport becomes valid for entry into the UK 6 months after the blood test).

I am based in the Barcelona area but will be down in Baza/Granada area shortly so if anyone is interested please let me know!

bourgogne

oh the poor dear, good on you to have saved him and given him a chance. please dont give him up now you dont know how that will affect him ...... every dog will be what they know in their first 6-8ths. from horrid to love to ????

i rescued a dog and she had pups 2 weeks later, 8!!!!!!!!!!!! in an apartment ARGHHHHH! was hell and hard work and cleaning cleaning cleaning. I kept the mum and two pups. So hard to give away the others, but I had to. and i regret it, i wish i kept them all.

I guess your prob is the 2% not trained? you can overcome this with a crate. sounds vile i know. remember a dog never craps on its own space. get a cage (quite big) make it HIS space, and his bed. does take time, but in time trust me it will work................. dont give up after you got past the hard part.

cuevacarramaiza

hi, no the problem isn't the toilet training, he hasn't gone to the loo in the house for a couple of weeks. It's a number of things, when I take him down to Andalucia in the country he's a delight and he's also more relaxed and happy but I think living in a town scares him, he is slightly nervous, if something scares him he barks at it (this could be a motorbike going past or a child running past). If I was going to live in the country I would keep him but having him here is driving me nuts!
Also one of my cats is not very happy with the situation and I don't want him to run away.
Another reason is next year I had planned to travel around Spain, taking my 2 cats with me, probably in a camper van, this is tricky enough with 2 cats but impossible with 2 cats and a large dog!

bourgogne

i am a mugg i take all unwated ..... you littlr guy sounds like a sweatie? got 6 fish, 5 cats, 4 dogs! gonna take on a litter of unwated soon 6-8?? not sure owner said "ONE MONTH NOT TAKEN I KILL" nice eh?????? when will people in france and spain and ............... just spend a fewx quid to get their animals 'done'??????

respect to you 'cuevacarramaiza' but dont give up on him i see adverts in vets "6yrs etc etc etc" reason for re-home = HOLIDAY.????? hello ...
...... so ditch the kids too eh?

cuevacarramaiza

...or does anyone know a trainer/behaviourist in either of these areas?

ladylisa

The key with dogs is to reward the behaviours you want to encourage. So when your walking and he's behaving give him treats and tell him he's a good boy and then when you see an object that would make him react keep walking passed calmly and offer him treats. If he reacts then dont give him the treat.

Dogs are wonderful companions but are hard work. I am sure if you persevere with him you will be glad that you did and one day you will look back and think thank god I didnt give him away.

Well done for rescuing the little fella!

ladylisa

oh another thing, if when your out walking you place the collar high on the dogs neck just below the ears he wont be able to pull you. Dogs have no strength in their heads only in the neck and chest. You can try this with the thinest of leads and you will have full control. Keep the lead short so that you are in control. Thats the key with dogs they are pack animals, you must be pack leader. Dont allow him to leave your house first and he shouldn't eat until you have. Dogs are actually calmer when they know their place. One thing I do with my dog when she has the full lead to wander on if she pulls on her lead is I stop and wait. Initially she still tries to get to whatever caught her interest but I dont move, then giving up she will sniff around and then eventually getting bored she looks at me, but by this time the lead is slack, I say 'yes' and then we carry on. If you do that enough times they will learn that pulling means stop, as by carrying on your rewarding their behaviour.

Also dont forget he is still a puppy so sometimes his behaviour will be unpredictable.

cuevacarramaiza

I did all that when he was younger, would take ages to walk down the road - every time he pulled I stopped until he sat down! So i ended up stopping every few steps. He's quite dominant but I think he knows his place, I always eat first and whereas he used to race up and down the stairs ahead of me he now lets me walk first and stays just a step behind.

I have a halti for the walks now because he's getting too strong and I think they're a good training tool, problem is he keeps swinging his head sideways into my knee, I think it's going to be covered in bruises soon!

He wont eat treats when he's out, i think he's too nervous, he's just not interested! It's also a real stress for me when he goes out because he has diorreah all the time (this has been checked by the vet 4 times and he's fine), it's not his diet and this seems to be caused by nerves (when I take him down to Andalucia in the country he is fine, eats the same food and goes to the loo normal). The result of this is I have to be follow him round with newspaper ready to catch it (and this may be 2 or 3 times in a walk) plus be vigilant of any fast moving objects (children,joggers,cyclists,motorbikes,lorries!) or dogs whilst walking around a busy town with no parks nearby! It's not relaxing! I make sure the lead is short but not tensed so not to make him anxious and I praise him when he doesn't react, he just seems to be reacting to more and more things! Not having a garden means I have to take him out for a walk after every meal to go to the loo (with the newspaper!), his ears are back during the walk and sudden noises make him leap forward, he's definitely anxious.

I just would really like him to have a home away from a town I think he'd be far happier and more relaxed and it'd be nice for him to be able to have a place where he could run off the lead, he rarely gets any freedom here!

ladylisa

It sounds like you really are doing everything right. Not that I'm an expert! From your description I wonder if he associates your city with his first unfortunate weeks of life, before you came along. I really dont know what to suggest other than maybe your right and he does need to be placed with a family in the country who can give him exercise off lead.

There are some who believe dogs after a period adapt to a new home and some say they dont. I believe they do but only if you can find him a forever home. What causes anxiety is when dogs go from home to home. I feel for you what a horrible situation to be placed in. Are there any Boxer rescue organisations that could re home him? Maybe they would have a list of suitable families. Good luck I hope you find a solution. Keep us posted.

xxfrecklesxx

hi ,
if its a Mastin cross you can put it on this website, it has a bit for adoptions,

http://mastin-espanol.dk/

good luck
Jenny

Mercedes

I would take him, but I travel alot and I already have a rescue dog. She was 6 month old when I had her, a German Shepherd been badly treated, either beaten or she was thrown from a car. So when I picked her up she was a skinny bag of bones and was extremely nervous. Took me ages to get her confident in the car, she used to cower under the seats, used to attack any dogs that came into her space and generally was a nervous wreck. 18 months on, she fights me to get to the car, I cook for her, rice and meat....(I don't cook for anyone else lOL) so she looks healthy. I've found a kennels that she is happy with so when I'm away I know she is happy, she fights to go there now too.....

If your mastiff has had a nasty experience, it will take time, there were times I wanted to take mine back, when she drove me mad, but I knew it could be a death sentence for her if I did. I'm glad I've got her and with time your mastiff will gain more confidence. The peeing could be still a touch of nerves still. I now take mine out to the beach and cafes where at one time I wouldn't have been able to. Your'e gained his confidence to this point, you're go through a few more teething problems and he should then also start to settle. People told me to take mine to a behavioral therapist, but I found by giivng her loads of love and gaining her confidence in trusting me, she is a different dog to the one I took in. Yes she is still nervous with some strangers and in places but she is getting better. I wouldn't get rid of her for the world now, and would miss her considerably if something happened to her. Think seriously before parting with him, but hope you find him somewhere happy.

cuevacarramaiza

Where are these kennels you mention? I don't suppose it'll be anywhere near where I am but it's worth a try! I need to find somewhere for my cats and dog for Christmas while I'm in England, I'm not too happy with the kennels where I am now (they're ok but very small and no inside space, 1 side is open to the elements and i'm sure the concrete floor aint too warm at Christmas!)

Mercedes

Its called Moggies and Doggies about 10 minutes from Malaga Airport in Alhauerin (sp) Torre. I went to loads before I felt happy in leaving her. I drop her off when I go to the airport, loaded with her bed stuffed toys, plant pot and rope LOL (she's got to have he toys with her) and pick her up on the way back.

BritBull

hehe, Moggies and Doggies

Ermmm ok...i'll get my coat

Mercedes

What are you chuckling at?