Rescue Behaviors: neglect vs abuse

[jenn D]

Can anyone describe rescue dog behavior for abused dogs and for neglected dogs? I've had abused rescue dogs with me before and I know a few of the signs but probably not all of them. However, my observations are telling me Mac was more of a neglected dog but I'm not sure. Keep in mind these are my impressions only after 3 weeks with him so I know his personality will change. He doesn't really shy away from people. He's generally submissive to humans but doesn't jump by loud noises, fast movement or objects we hold in our hand. We can hold a spatula near him or a fly swagger and he does not cower which is good. However, he is tentative when getting petted. He will come up and lean on you or put his head on your leg but he will never look you in the eye and always keep his head lowered. He will tentatively get on the couch when you ask him but will lean into you when he is up there. The saddest thing is just I very rarely see a look of life in his eyes. Only when I play ball with all of the dogs in the back yard but that is it. He seems to want our attention by leaning on us and following us around but there is no happy light in his eyes most of the time. Even though Jake was confined in a crate a lot before we rescued him, he had the dog "light" in his eyes. I just don't know what could have happened to poor Mac in the three or so years of his life that makes walk around so glumly. And I truly hope we can show him more than just during the time he is fetching a ball. :(

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Aww, poor Mac. Maybe
he has had multiple let downs in the past. I bet if you keep on showing him he is safe and loved, the light will return to his eyes.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree, He may just have learned not to expect much from life or from people. He just needs some time and he'll find out he was misinformed. :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I really don't think there are set behaviors for abused or neglected dogs. And in the end it, doesn't really matter, because you can't change whatever experiences he had before. You've already changed his life for the better and it will keep getting better from here on out.

Got a poem for you. I have a copy of it on my fridge, where I see it every day. 

Prayer For Adopting a Dog

Compassionate Friend,

As we prepare to adopt this abandoned dog, 

We acknowledge that there are many things

We will never know about our new companion.

May we commit ourselves to being patient and loving.

May we remember that it will take time to instill 

A sense of trust; yet, with Your help,

We know that this can be accomplished.

Thank You for the chance to save this life,

And thank You for the opportunity to share

A new life together.

[Breanna]

I am not an expert on dog behavior, but I growing up we had a dog from a breeder, one who was abused, and one who was neglected. Like I said, I'm not an expert, but I can share my experiences.

Cowboy: We got Cowboy the Golden Retriever when I was 4 from a breeder. He was a puppy at the time. He was a happy, well-behaved, loving dog who was practically perfect. He lived to be 13. We loved him dearly and think about him all the time. I still cry thinking about him.

Bella: Bella the black lab was adopted from the shelter when I was 14. She was 3 and had been abandoned, adopted, returned, adopted, returned...She ran like wild through the backyard when we brought her home but it was apparent that she had been abused. She cowered any time a man held a long object, and could be jumpy. Not long after we adopted her I walked into the kitchen and found that she had knocked a pan of food off of the stove (it had cooled) and she was eating it. When I picked it up to put it in the sink, she cowered as if I was about to hit her with it. She is a mopey girl but I do feel that she is happy. She loves human attention and is the most cuddly dog I have ever been around. She loved Cowboy when he was alive, but has never formed a close bond to another dog after him.

Pismo: Pismo the yellow lab was brought home when I was 17. She was neglected after tragic circumstances. She was born into a family that included a husband, wife, and two sons. Shortly after she was born the wife and one of the kids drowned in the lake. She and the other puppies were not cared for much after that and many didn't survive. We got her when she was three months old. She is a wild, happy, and energetic dog. 

My dog Crush: She was a re-home/from a breeder. She was the first pick of the litter and was going to be bred, but her teeth came in crooked and she was re-homed at 14 weeks. She is my first dog on my own and is extremely happy and well-behaved, but a little shy around new people. 

I'm aware that not all dogs and situations are the same, but I thought you might be interested since I have lived with a variety of dogs from different situations. 

I'm sorry that Mac has a rough past, but I'm sure that after some time in your home he will find his "light." 

[Lynda Kamrath]

It is probably similar to abused or neglected children.  Negative attention is better than no attention so abuse would probably be better than neglect.  That is why they want to get rid of puppy mill dogs early, but the old breed bitches are really the saddest of the lot.  I have had rescue dogs who have been neglected and they are pretty sad cases.  Thank you for taking your time with him.  Give him lots of experiences and see what catches his interest.  I think separating him a little so that he doesn't feel that he is just one of the pack may work better.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Jenn,

I know the look.  I actually saw the look in your photos of him.  I've seen it myself and wondered the same thing.   Here are my own little thoughts about this with dogs.

I often wonder if dogs suffer from a bit of Autism like humans.

Humans want to be close but dont like to be touched.  My son would cry when we picked him up, not when we put him down.  Touch is a big issue for them.  

Eye contact is another issue.  Autism can be severe or just mild. A broad spectrum of symptoms,  but almost everyone agrees, the eye contact and social interaction issues are there in just about every case.  

In my experience, humans come across arrogant but in fact some may have a form of Autism.  Poor eye contact, distant, monotonous voice.

Many wonderful and famous people have a form of this syndrome.

Okay, so back to dogs, he actually sounds like he has a bit.   He just may be adjusting but I have a feeling you already know something is different-right.  

Know that he wants to be with you, loves you, but may feel strange when touched. He may love your voice but wont react in that ' normal' way that your other dogs do.  He wont make the eye contact or wag that tail but it is YOU that makes him thrive.  He is in there. He is feeling your goodness for all that you are doing.    Know he is special. Know that he loves you and your home.    One day I have a feeling you are going to find a special talent with him.   He is going to surprise you.  

It really is hard to read the feedback from those with Autism.  We humans need feedback and that is what makes this so difficult.   It really is hard to respond to bland..... or nothing.  But, they have a lot of feelings. Beautiful feelings.   Just my own little unscientific thoughts about dogs and how they too, sound autistic sometimes

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

J, this is beautiful.  I'm printing it out to keep it - to try and remember it when Finn and I go back to working with the kids in a couple of weeks.  Several of them are autistic. Sometimes I think of them as "children in the mist."  They come and they go, even when they never leave your side.

[Joanne and Preston]

Joanne,  That was beautiful what you wrote.  It  brought tears to my eyes.  

Jenn, Mac loves you just not sure how to show it.

[jenn D]

Thank you everyone for you awesome comments and observations. Just got back from the vet with Mac. I think I now know the reason some of Mac's sadness. Will update when I can a little later

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Jenn, this just popped into my head…is Max partially or going blind?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Could be...  My last dog went blind and lived that way for years but he still had a lot of tail waggin spunk.  

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Clancy, our rescue, really has no problems, but he was abandoned in a backyard. He is a calm, affectionate dog.   When we got him (at age 2) he had lots of anxiety in his eyes; he was needy to get attention (actually pushed us with his nose to try to get us to pet him). He didn't answer positively to any name, but if you said, "Bad Dog,"  he was 'out of there' as fast as he could go.   To this day, if he is laying on the floor near and you try to pet him with your foot, he will quickly jump up and get 'out of the way.' After we had him about a year, I noticed that he had given a great sigh of relief and let the anxiety go.

Picture #1 - Clancy when he had been with us about 36 hours; Picture #2 Clancy after 1 year.  Look at the eyes!  Even though he is fluffy in both pics, his whole body seems confident and more relaxed in picture  #2.  We noticed differences along the way, but by a year, it was really obvious to Clancy knew that he was in his furever home.

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