I sometimes wonder

if the abuser had to do as much work as the rescuer would they be upto the challenge.....I doubt it.

I was planning out stuff last night in my head (in bed when I should be asleep ) what to do training wise today.
Then I got to thinking all the hours work I have spent undoing what someone else has done probably in half the time.
Not just with the dogs, but we have a cat that took months to bring round, the pony, even a guinneapig that was taken off someone for hitting it because it bit, just building up the trust that someone undid in a quarter of the time.

Have you ever thought of how much time you give to one or more you have rescued.........here its like away of life now, but when I stop and think...I think WOW how much time did that take its quite surprising when you really think it over.

Mind you the begining/middle and end results are a pleasure to see

Amazing isn't it, one person can do so much damage to another living creature and not have a second thought about the life time someone else will have to take to make the world a nice place for that animal, its such a credit to you that you devote yourself to it...that goes for children as well, my best friend fosters too and that goes along the same lines

xxx

I often wonder the same thing , Bella is OK ,her race kennels looked after her well and the socialisation I have done with her has gone really well with only the odd growl as she has gained confidence in the non race kennel world.

Tom , I probably wonder on a daily basis what happened to him , he was found as stray in a terrible condition but in most ways now is a real trusting dog but I am still not comfortable that we wont get unexpected behaviour now and again . I have been advised dogs live for the here and now and try not to dwell on the past but given I have also been advised dogs learn by association then thats why I dont think I will ever become complacent with Tom and how he may behave and all because someone in the past didnt do right by him.

I wonder if part of an abusers punishment should be to work with someone like the SSPCA for a certain amount of time to see exactly what the consequences are for the animals being abused and the kind of damage done.

There just seems to be a lack of consequence for animal abusers...banned from keeping animals, a fine. So what. Work with the animals, see exactly what happens, and what damage has been done as a result and how long it takes to gain that trust again...

I agree let them see the consequences of how they played a part in 'damaging' an animal and then see the before and after in terms of the hours of work and dedication required to try to get them right.

Very true youngstevie. It can take so much time, especially trust.

I am so thankful that there are people like you to give these animals their lives back, dogs who want for nothing and still wag their tail at the people who beat them before they are saved.

Zeke still winces at his back end being touched unexpectedly, all these years later.. the pain has gone but the memories haven't.

It is very amazing, I've had many many bites and have the scars, just attempting a few kind words, it comes in the end but take yesterday I spent nearly 20 mins just saying....it's ok, it's ok......finally got there, but I daresay I will have the same exercise this morning
lovely thing about children eventually as trust comes they will (in time) tell you things that have happened, animals is alot of guess work, sometimes the guess work can be wrong and that sets you back again, othertimes the breakthrough is so rewarding.....as it is with kids too
Oh! I so agree, I would love to have a few on mucking out duties, both doggy ones and pony ones....start at the bottom and work to the top, it will give them both time to think and realise how much damage is done
We have this with Jimmychoo, he has a area where if you touch he goes mental both myself and Marie have been working in team sync to desense him, we're getting there slowly but everyday its a repeat, the time scale is lessening but we know one wrong move from us and........
this had been the same with Tess, and the handling of her collar it took ages and ages, even now if its handled from the back of her neck she screams and cowers, an 'OK, OK' from me will stop her, but it makes you jump when she does it

It's mind boggling, Steph.

I've been working with Mya's fears for almost 6 years now.

She is so much better now than she used to be - she now loves to go for a walk - especially if it's dark and there are no "people" out there - and she's settled really well with us.

Although we now seem to have reached a pretty static level, Baz and I love her to bits, and will continue to encourage the good behaviours in a positive way.

We had a mini breakthrough recently. She would never let me lie down next to her - she would always sit up and watch me rather warily.

On my bed the other day, I lay quietly behind her. She raised her head and watched me for a bit and I gently started to stroke her.

After three or four times of doing this over a couple of weeks, she finally layed her head back down. She is still a little tense, but, I feel, enjoying the sensation of the gentle massage.

Trust is a wonderful thing that can take an age to earn, but when it's shown, there is no feeling on this earth quite like it......

I'm not ashamed to say it reduced me to tears, which I shed quietly in case I scared the poor nervous minnie - bless her

I have Zoe, who is very similar. We've had her 7 years at the end of the month, and she has come so very far! today, as we were un decorating the house, we were amazed that Zoe was walking around in the mess of boxes and stuff... there was a time when she wouldn't come out for 2 days if anything was different in the house! We are still getting firsts with Zoe, and she still improves every day... by the time she's 14, we may have a normal dog! She was abused for 1.5 years, we've been working with her for 7 years.... almost 5 times the amount of time she was abused... poor girl

Awww thats is so heartwarming Vicki, it choked me to read.
Im so pleased....whats mini to you is HUGE to her..bless her
Again a huge thing for her though
I notice the big difference between my 2 rescues that suffered no abuse, to the others that did before coming here. Thankfully the two that are blase' play a big part on the confidence front
I am asked often ''how long do you think this will take''.....my answer is always the same ''how long is a piece of string''