Rescue Dogs

Well, here's Willow's.  She was tied under a tree yet doesn't like trees, flags, satellite dishes, street signs, anything over her head.  And, the wind blowing curtains or blinds makes her growl.

Millie is little miss fearful. She is afraid of certain cars, trucks, people, you name, it probably scares her. She also does not like to go out in the rain.  She will not pee in the rain until she has reached the point of utter desperation. She also refuses to come down the stairs into the basement. I've even tried bribing her with a cookie, but she won't do it. She stands at the edge, and wants the cookie, but she will not even begin to come down the steps. We didn't allow either of the dogs down here until recently, but Max had no problems coming down the stairs. She won't at all, and it seems like it's torturing her if I try to get her to do it. She used to be terrified of me doing her nails, and even once tried to bite me, but she didn't today. They were ridiculously long, and I actually dremeled them perpendicular to the floor. When we got her, she leaked urine minorly, but it got much worse, so now she is on medication for it. She also used to like other dogs, but now she only likes Max. I was looking in the Happy Tails book from the shelter we got Max from this weekend, and there is a picture of us with them when we adopted him. Millie was actually in the store, but that is impossible now. Millie also poops on the floor. She will go outside, but she won't go on grass unless desperate. She seems to prefer tennis and hockey courts, where she can be off leash,so maybe she was never taught to go while on leash. She also does not eat unless she has an audience. Needs constant reassurance while eating as well.
Max didn't really come with issues, other than typical puppy stuff like chewing on things, and trying to eat stuff. He did develop resource guarding early on, but that was our fault, and it's pretty well resolved now. Maybe it has to do with his temperment, and maybe it's because he was stray, I don't really know. He seems to have issues with handling his feet a little bit. He will offer them, and will give them on command, but if you pick them up, he bites. He also bites when I put a harness on, because I think he knows it means his feet will be picked up, even now that I got one that I don't have to. I would also say he has a big ego, he'd go straight up to another dog, even if it was showing clear signs of wanting him to go away. He is pushy with other dogs, and will get up in their face and pester them if they won't play, but I think that's his temperment.
The dog we had before them had really serious issues. Severe seperation anxiety, to the point of jumping out of a window when left alone. Could not be crated, because even when we put cable ties on the crate, she busted out. One day she ripped apart the wooden gate we had blocking the door in an attempt to get out. She also scratched the door open once or twice. Her anxiety was so severe that medication didn't even really help. She was extremely high energy/very needy. Could be walked miles a day and still be ready for more. She would take herself out for exercise by escaping if she didn't get enough. She would not return until she was good and ready to, usually about two hours. She was also extremely aggressive with other dogs, except for JRTs, and my friend's dog who we conditioned her to when he was a puppy and as he grew, but she would not tolerate him for a while if we encountered another dog on our way to go see him. She would not eat without an audience, and would go all day without eating sometimes, then come to eat at 11 at night (we free fed at the time).

Grey came from the HS. He wasn't socialized, he didn't like men, he hated bicycles, and he contantly pawed at us. Okay, he still does that. lol It took him a long time to get him to be mostly "normal," but he's finally there. Now if he'd only get over the vaccuum.

My rescue boy was isolated in a kennel with almost no human contact until he was six months old.  He came to me very undersocialized and very scared of people, of course, but I didn't make any excuses and in just a few months he became known as the "Walmart Greeter".  Many people knew him as the world's only Border collie who will leave the flyball box to go say hello to the box judge.[8|]

Unless you are the world's greatest dog trainer, the dog you raise from a pup will, I daresay, end up with as many weird quirks as the one you take in as an adult.  Most dogs live pretty normal lives, even the ones that end up in rescue.  Additionally, sometimes when a dog loses its home (ie, its "pack"), the dog will react with fear to things or situations that remind it of the previous home.  Apparently, what the dog had done is made the association between whatever that thing is and being "kicked out" of the pack.  The dog is terrified of repeating the error that cost it its place in the pack before.  Border collies and other highly biddable breeds are especially prone to this behavior.

What you can do to help such a dog is simply create a consistent schedule that will reassure the dog what your expectations are.  If the dog is afraid of ceiling fans, give the dog a job to do in the room with the ceiling fan.  Afraid of men with hats?  Have a man she likes wear a hat and work her through "pushups" (sit/down/sit/down) with plenty of treats. 

I don't advise the usual approach to dealing with such fears - ie, attempting to create a "good association by gving lots of treats for nothing.  I think they only reinforce the fearfulness in this particular case.  If you don't know the difference it's best to be safe and offer the dog a job to do at such times. 

Certainly NEVER pet or reassure your dog when it is fearful.  That's not moral support, that's giving the dog the message, "This is how I want you to act, do that more."

This is a HUGE problem among rescue Border collies.  So much so that I wrote a brochure to help new Border collie owners transition their adult adoptees into their new homes - and I went over this information at every "exit interview".

Tyler won't have anything to do with being caged - this includes wire crates or the plastic kennels; even while at the vet/groomer. He goes into total flip out mode and can get rather nasty. Had zero socialization skills. 
 
Hates the AC truck and anything resembling it like the hunters pickup trucks with the big dog boxes in back (maybe reminds him of being picked up and caged for @ a month?)
 
Doesn't like to be "cornered" - learned that one the hard way. Hates vac.machine
 
Flinches and growls if you have anything even resembling a long pole. This includes carrying the broom, shovel, dusting wand, etc
 
Was very fearful of petting and physical contact for first month or so. Now is a 'pet me' whore. Can't get enough snuggle time. Loved kids from day one. Loves garbage diving.
 
Doesn't like to be alone outside. He does his business and wants in right away. I have to stay outside if I want him to stay out for a bit (like when we vac the carpet) Won't go out in bad weather - even just a light rain.
 
Very protective of his food and his reindeer fluffie. I can take it (we worked hard on that, but I enforce the 'if I give it, I can take it') but God forbid a visitor go near his food.

Won't sleep on any dog bed or pad. He sleeps under my bed on the floor, in a specific corner or under the coffee table. Must paw at the floor or carpet before lying down, even to just relax.
 
Hates storms and loud noises like back fire. Hides in the bathroom or in the tub (we call it disaster dog mode). Tucks his tail and runs awy from any yellin. Terrified at the sight of guns - even when we went up to the police K9 handlers at the dog fair (they were handing out treats and plastic doggie "badges")
Having a hard time with the "come" command, even after a year and a half of working on it.
 
Goes crazy happy when running with other dogs at the dog park. He is usually the one to enforce the rules/settle arguments amongst all the dogs.
 
Funny, they all sound sort of similar to the rest of you, eh?

Shiloh (yellow lab) hates loud bangs..  Can be thunder, gun shots at hunting season.  He will go in the basement bedroom of one of the twins and hides under the bed for hours.  The Fourth of July can send him down stairs for the whole month.  He was rescued from a drug dealer.  The authorities found him with a black lab locked in a tiny closet.  No food, water and filthy.  He was so skinny.  He was about four months old.  I just happened to be "looking" at the shelter the day they brought him in.  I couldn't even tell he was yellow, he was so filthy.  Bought him on the spot.  Had to wait a week to pick him up and let me tell you it was the longest week of my life.  He is the best dog....we love him sooooooo much.

Seeing as a a lot of dogs are afraid of loud noises, I thought I would mention that Max actually is not. He loves loud noises. Yes, that's correct, he loves them. We got him last year on May 21st, and he was about 5 months old. When we went to the 4th of July Fireworks, we took him with. As the fireworks were going off, I worked on his commands, and fed him treats (btw, I think I agree with that giving the dog a job idea brookcove mentioned, or more so something to do.) Everytime after that he heard fireworks, he got excited about it.
He also gets excited when a train comes. He came with my mom to pick me up at the train station once when the weather was bad and my parents didn't want me to drive. At first he heard the train and was freaked out, but when he saw me coming he got excited. The next time he came with to pick me up, he got excited as soon as the train came, and when I took him with me to pick up my friend at the train station a few times, he started wiggling like a nut as soon as the train came in.

It's been really interesting to read the similarities between our dogs, as well as reading about some other puppies quirks!
 
I just wanted to specify, I never intended to be insulting in asking about other peoples pups.  If someone were to find the dog I raised from a pup, they'd think she's a nutball! But, that's what I find so interesting.  I wonder about my rescue dogs history, what her life was like before, what happened and what the stories were to have created her little idiosyncrasies ) 

I think it's an interesting idea that the dogs have fears based around behaviors they conceive to be the reason they were kicked out of their "pack".  Really sad that the poor kids may carry around that kind of guilt.  Thankfully all our guys landed in the lap of luxury.
 
Really enjoying everyone's posts, keep 'em coming!

We've had Mick since he was 6 1/2 weeks old (he turned 15 in December).  Some of his "baggage" came from the litter being taken away from their mother at 2 1/2 weeks.     He's insecure and worries about doing the wrong thing or disappointing us.  Weird, I know.  If you were to meet him today, tho, you wouldn't know how insecure he was when he was younger.  He's so worried about doing something wrong that I stopped teaching him tricks when he was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis because he would get stressed if he didn't get it right.  When he could no longer get up the stairs, I had to put a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs for a couple of nights so he knew it was OK to sleep downstairs.  Mick is also a creature of habit.  To the point that, even if my husband is home and just brought him in, as soon as I get home from work, he loks to go out again.  For the longest time, he wouldn't eat his breakfast until I kissed him on top of the head (I even left that in the instructions when our neighbor took care of him for a couple of days.)  Thankfully, th, he doesn't freak or anything when our days don't go according to schedule.  He's pretty adaptable that way.  Thankfully, it's the little things that have to go in order.  LOL

Kota
he HATES being confined in a cage/crate/kennel/whatever.  Will bark his head off and make himself hoarse.  BUT he crawls under the bed to sleep, or under the desk, or under the footrest of a recliner.  He also spins when he's really excited.

Tasha
LOVES under the bed.  She has to flatten herself out to crawl under.  I think it's because she grew up with Kota who likes to sleep under the bed.  She will do anything to be near me if she can.  Including jumping 5 foot fences to find me.

Shadow
She prefers the chair upstairs to our company.

Pepper
When we got Pepper, she didn't care about people or pets or anything.  She also would not go faster than a trot.  Now she will sit patiently in front of you while on the toilet.  Or rest her head on your lap waiting for pets.  She still doesn't like to run but she will if the "pack" is.  She will grab a toy and bark/bay at you to get you to play.

Shadow will play in the rain, walk in the rain, lay in the snow, play in the snow but he doesn't like being rinsed off with a hose,even with low pressure and he won't go in water. He won't let me have his paws to trim nails but he will chew the nails down a bit. Some dogs he will greet friendly others he won't, though I think that depends on the posture of the other dog. When eating, he will stop, go get his ball, bring it back to the bowl and continue eating. At first, I thought this was either guarding or playing. Now, I realize, he's working for his dinner. He hunted down the ball and can now enjoy the the spoils. He will sometimes put the ball in the food bowl. When he gets a few bites of food, I will take the ball out of the bowl and set it down and he's not defensive.
 
Then, there's the all-out crazy laps. Sometimes, he's just got to get up every bit of 30 mph.

Daisy is very confident, and I thought this dog felt no fear, but we learned recently that she is afraid of fireworks, horses, and men in baseball caps.
 
Oscar is afraid of a loud deep voiced men, and thunderstorms. He hides under the bed and shivers if he hears both. 

I just got Koda (3.5 year old Shih-poo) from a local rescue group and he is a sweetheart, until I leave him alone in the house. After that, he constantly barks/cries and scratches at the door.  I understand that he is in a new home, but I'm stuck about what to do for his barking and such when I am gone.
He also follows me into every room or even a difference of 3 feet!
I tried crating him today and when I came back to take him out, he had gotten his lower jaw stuck in the crate door and I had to get someone to actually cut the wires.
If anyone has any ideas on what to do, I'd love the advice!

I have 3 dogs from the humane society. Two don't have any weird behavior..except for the normal dog weirdness!
 
One was in a humane society for 5 years, ever since she was a puppy. She has SA, but she is OK if left out with another dog. Scared of thunder & lightening. Took quite a while to attach herself to me, even longer to accept my husband. She will go up to strangers only if I or another of our dogs does first.
 
On the plus side, this is hands down the most naturally well-behaved, polite dog I have. Only the first day did she pee in the house. Always listens, never begs like my other pigs!  I have no idea how she learned to live & behave in a house, I'm really amazed by her!