Low-energy rescue dog

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and new to dogs. For the past 3 days, we've fostered a dog for a local rescue group that we are considering adopting. She is a very sweet 3 year-old lab mix (~50lbs). We have small children and she is *amazing* with them.

One concern we have is that she seems almost *too* low energy. She eats/drinks/poops fine, but for the most part she lays around all day. She loves to be petted and have her belly rubbed, but she has no interest in playing. I take her on a nightly walk, but its a struggle to get her up off the floor to take it. She enjoys it once we're moving and we walk for about a mile. Once home she eats her biggest meal of the day.

I've spoken to a few people who think her low energy might be a result of a) recently (17 weeks ago) having a litter of puppies and b) a history of being a shelter dog. 5 months ago she was rescued from a high-kill shelter shortly before giving birth to 12 healthy puppies. She has sores on her hips -that are healing - from lying pregnant on the floor at the shelter. Nobody has a clue about what her life was before. We are her third foster home.

Her diet has been poor quality kibble. She was vet checked/spayed/vaccinated. No potty issues (although we crate her at night and when we leave for a few hours just to be sure) and, again, zero aggression toward people.

Our only concern is her low energy level. We don't at all mind working on it, but I don't have a clue where to start. Given what appears to be her heritage (definitely lab, maybe Rhodesian Ridgeback given her coloring and head shape, possibly alien as she was found in Roswell, New Mexico ) she should be able to walk a few miles and maybe be a hiking buddy.

Can her energy level be increased in a healthy way? Thank you for your thoughts.

I think she needs a really good check over by the vet, and then lots of love, good diet, and patience. She's had a very traumatic time and after bringing a large litter like that into the world in poor conditions and successfully rearing them she will be at rock bottom.
She may even be depressed, I know I would be if I were her, she has no idea what will happen to her next and is probably waiting for her next move if this is her 3rd foster home.
Give her a routine and a life, and she will gradually come round, but in her own time, not yours. This time next year she'll be a different girl, but right now she needs peace and quiet and time for her mind to heal

Thank you for your response. I can tell that the potential is there for her to be a really happy dog.

Let her make the pace, don't force anything.She will come out of it, think if it was you. How would you be in those sort of circumstances, animals aren't a lot different to us, they have feelings and are very sensitive to change, and I wouldn't have liked the year she's had either, and I would want to dig a hole and pull it round myself as well.

Time is the essence and with you just being a fosterer although a good one for caring she will be disoriented again when another change comes about. Can't you keep her?

100% agree with the above, 3 days isn't very long at all and by the sound of it the poor girl has had such a tough time bless her

As the guys have said just give her plenty of time and space to be herself, good luck xx

She's probably just scared with all that she has been through. Like the others have said, give her time to come around at her own pace. A vet check with blood work might also be a good idea. Considering all she has been through, best to make sure she is healthy herself. Patience, routine, and love are key.

Hi Assissiminded and welcome!

I'm with all above. She's been through a tremendous amount of stress without any good support and she's probably exhausted. It would probably be a good idea to get her to the vet for some general bloodwork, in case she has any serious nutritional issues or any hormonal things that could be causing her low energy, but I suspect that with rest, good nutrition, and letting her get on her feet in her own time, she will pop back up. She may just be in pain from the sores, and needing some time to heal up. She's had a rough time. Now she has you-- she can get some much needed rest!

It may be that she has never really learned how to play. Once she's feeling more secure and comfortable, you can try some simple games with squeaks or balls or ropes or whatever... just so long as she can engage, or not, as she chooses, in her own time.

Do take care with her weight, if she isn't exercising much. Labs have an unfortunate double tendency: they put on weight very easily, and they will happily eat everything, and I mean everything, they can get. Weight can be a much more serious problem for dogs than it is for humans. Excess weight can put serious stress on the joints-- an issue with Labs anyway, as they are prone to hip dysplasia-- and on all the internal organs. A good guide is that if you can feel their ribs easily and they have a well defined waist, they're probably a-OK. Carrots and frozen peas make remarkably lovely low-calorie treats and most dogs seem to love them (our Akita has his own word for carrot).

Finally good on you for fostering this lovely dog! No matter what happens in the future, if you adopt her or if someone else comes forward, having some decent stability in her life will make all the difference. Thank you!