Stuart Ablett
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My buddy and family at the last minute decided to go home to Canada for Christmas, they have a dog, Skippy, who is a rescue mutt. He is at least 15 years old, mostly blind and deaf too. He is a rather grumpy old guy who has never taken to me. In general I've always has a good interaction with dogs. My mother was allergic to dogs so we never had one at home, but aunts, uncles, grand parents etc have all had dogs that were good friends. Now poor old Skippy does not get along with anyone, we think he was abused before my buddy rescued him.
When they go away they usually have the neighbor look after Skippy, but that neighbor is also away for the holidays. Now I cannot have Skippy in my house, my wife is NOT a dog person, so we set up their back yard and sun room for Skippy to be in. He sleeps most of the day anyway. I built him a doghouse, and we put an electric pad doggie heater in it as well as a bunch of warm blankets etc. he is snug in his house, nice and warm.
The doghouse is in the far back corner of the sunroom, and the sunroom sliding door is open about a foot for him to get out into the back yard. I live about a 3 min walk away so I get over there every morning to check on him, and in the evening to check on him and feed him. I want to take him for a walk twice a day too.
Now the problem, you cannot touch this dog, getting the leash on and off him requires a blood sacrifice. I'm not really happy with that.
For my buddy he will tolerate the leash being put on and off, but I get bitten when I try, I've had to use welding gloves to protect my hands and then sneak up on him while he is eating if I want to get the leash on him to take him for a walk. This cannot go on, it is very stressful for me, and for sure for the dog too!
Some questions for you dog people out there:
Is this leash problem a thing with some dogs?
Do you have suggestions for dealing with it?
One idea I have is to leave the leash on him, but I worry it could get caught in/on something, so how about leaving a very short leash, maybe about 12" or so, and clip the regular leash to that? Do you think that would work? I know I could get the short leash and hook the regular leash on to that without much trouble, it is when you go to touch him on the neck area that he freaks out. Now like I said he will tolerate my buddy touching him but even then he gets bitten from time to time. This has been going on for about 13 years BTW. I know I know, training etc, but I've only got the poor old guy until the 29th, and I'd like to take care of him well, he loves going for a walk, once the leash is on, and I don't want to add to my collection of stitches.
Really looking for some insight here, I've never been around a dog that hates to be handled.
Cheers.
When they go away they usually have the neighbor look after Skippy, but that neighbor is also away for the holidays. Now I cannot have Skippy in my house, my wife is NOT a dog person, so we set up their back yard and sun room for Skippy to be in. He sleeps most of the day anyway. I built him a doghouse, and we put an electric pad doggie heater in it as well as a bunch of warm blankets etc. he is snug in his house, nice and warm.
The doghouse is in the far back corner of the sunroom, and the sunroom sliding door is open about a foot for him to get out into the back yard. I live about a 3 min walk away so I get over there every morning to check on him, and in the evening to check on him and feed him. I want to take him for a walk twice a day too.
Now the problem, you cannot touch this dog, getting the leash on and off him requires a blood sacrifice. I'm not really happy with that.
For my buddy he will tolerate the leash being put on and off, but I get bitten when I try, I've had to use welding gloves to protect my hands and then sneak up on him while he is eating if I want to get the leash on him to take him for a walk. This cannot go on, it is very stressful for me, and for sure for the dog too!
Some questions for you dog people out there:
Is this leash problem a thing with some dogs?
Do you have suggestions for dealing with it?
One idea I have is to leave the leash on him, but I worry it could get caught in/on something, so how about leaving a very short leash, maybe about 12" or so, and clip the regular leash to that? Do you think that would work? I know I could get the short leash and hook the regular leash on to that without much trouble, it is when you go to touch him on the neck area that he freaks out. Now like I said he will tolerate my buddy touching him but even then he gets bitten from time to time. This has been going on for about 13 years BTW. I know I know, training etc, but I've only got the poor old guy until the 29th, and I'd like to take care of him well, he loves going for a walk, once the leash is on, and I don't want to add to my collection of stitches.
Really looking for some insight here, I've never been around a dog that hates to be handled.
Cheers.
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