Addeline D16876

Hi! I'm Addeline. I am from Missouri. I am an 8 year old, 10 pound poodle. I am from a breeder release, but get along well with other dogs and people. My foster mom calls me Addie. I'm starting to recognize my name when she talks to me. I'm even starting to wag my tail just a tiny bit. The most important thing to know about me is that I am just starting to learn that humans can be good. It's going to take me a while to really trust my person. People in my past haven't been very kind to me. What I really want is a kind, gentle human who understands I will need to go at a slow pace in becoming part of the family. You can't change my past, but patience, consistency and love you can change my future. From her foster: Addie is a breeder release rescue. Most of these dogs have spent their entire lives in a breeding environment with very little, if any, socialization and little veterinary care. Addeline is making progress toward overcoming the issues that is typical for many breeder release rescues. She also has a long way to go. Though she is becoming more comfortable as a companion pet, Addeline needs a forever home that understands her issues and is willing to work with her. Addie is a sweet little girl who needs extra time, commitment and TLC from her adopter. She also needs a home that has no expectations for the perfect pet. Addie can only be who she is. Hopefully she will overcome her trauma as a breeder dog and learn how good life can be as a companion dog. Or she might never fully trust and always be wary. Maybe Addie will land somewhere in between. No matter what, Addie really is a treasure. Her little personality is quite funny and she wants to be where you are. Important to know about Addie: Fear of humans. Addie is terrified of strangers who try to approach her for a pet. Even when I'm very clear that she is not to be approached some people do it anyway. She will startle and try to run. This is especially true with children, who are naturally enthusiastic and have quick movements. She perceives it as a threat to her safety. Addie does best in a quiet environment when people let her come to them. You may have to lie on the floor and allow Addie to approach you over a period of time until she learns to trust. This worked for us. Hand shy. Most of the breeders "scruff the dogs when they have to pick them up. They do this by grabbing the dog by the back of the neck like an animal mother does to its young. This is very painful for an adult dog so the back of their neck and head may be very sensitive to touch. It sometimes takes months before you will be able to touch the dog in this area without it flinching. We use very soft touch and soothing words to gain Addie's trust that we will not hurt her. General fear of being picked up. Addie will crouch down and flatten herself on the floor if she thinks she is about to be picked up. Leave a harness and a leash on a timid dog until it learns to trust you enough to come to you. We pick her up by supporting her chest with one hand and cupping her bottom in the other hand. Using the word "Up seems to help her know what I'm about to do. Will not look you in the eye or come to you. This is a very common behavior for dogs coming from this kind of environment and indicates fearful submission. Again, it's all about learning to trust. The first time Addie looked me in the eye and came to me was so exciting. Progress isn't linear though. She takes one step forward, two steps back. Unexpected sounds, strangers, thunder, wind, etc all trigger Addie's anxiety about being safe. Patience is the key. Is still working on potty training. None of the dogs coming from this environment are house trained. Some breeder release rescues will never be 100% potty trained. However, their instinct is not to soil their nest. One of the best ways to train them to "hold it all night is to take the dog to bed with you. They will not soil their nest (bed) and will get up and start moving around if they have to go. This has worked beautifully with Addie. During the day we take Addie out very often, trying to help her make the connection between going potty and going outside. Some days she seems to get it. Other days she doesn't. We rolled up all the rugs in the house for the time being. Crating. Our experience with Addie is that she once refused to leave her crate but now panics when confined to the kennel. After a lifetime of being crated who can blame her? We use baby gates to keep Addie in our family room/kitchen area when we leave the house. She is terrified of being confined. Not surprising since these rescues have been denied the human companionship that they so desperately crave all of their lives. Fear of water. Most of these dogs have never had a bath and their experience with water is limited to being sprayed with cold water when their cage is cleaned or as a discipline against excessive barking. Addie is terrified of rain. I have given her a baths which she tolerated but was very fearful. If you use a groomer, be sure to use one that is familiar with dogs coming from this environment. Flight risk. All of these dogs are flight risks until they learn to come to you and trust you. We keep a harness and a leash on Addie at all times when she is are not in the house. Everything is new to her, so anything can spook her into running and even jumping out of my arms. Even in a fenced yard it will be important to keep Addie harnessed and leashed until she is comfortable with the new environment. The worry about breeder release dogs getting lost is that they will stay hidden because of their fear of people. Addie needs a quiet environment and someone who is home with her. Once she bonds with you she doesn't like to be separated. She needs a calm, smaller breed resident pet that she can bond with and learn from. Addie is on medication that helps take the edge off her anxiety. She will need dental surgery for teeth extractions that will be taken care of by The Bond Between Vet clinic.