Youre wrong, I have no issue with Ailsa, I have issue with people assuming and thinking things about their dogs when they have no knowledge or proof of it.

That's exactly what she does if a dog is running. She doesn't bite though.Nor does she get the chance to do it...she's onlead therefore only gets the chance to be reactive. She is only like that with running dogs.

I can't think about my dog now?! Please.
I know the behaviours she displays Dawn and I know she must have been punished for the chasing of livestock and birds and other dogs. The punishment would have happened at a distance to get her to stop Dawn...how else would she have been punished? She is anxious about dogs running.

Good, I'm glad it's nothing personal. Sorry for saying that it just came across that way.

If someone rescues a dog and doesn't 'know' the history, surely the best thing they can do is make a fair and reasoned assumption, especially if it will help them improve the life of that rescue?

im kinda with dawn on this part, the rescue bullmastiff I had {keiser} had terrible injurys dished out at the hands of a human,
broken hip/ smashed beyond repair. behavioural issues,

he also came good very quickly,

I often feel people are temped to live in the past with rescues or over compensate for them in some sinarios,

I took the stance that keiser was 18 months old when I got him, he had a long life in front of him,

so put the past in its box and got on with things,

we always say dogs live in the moment not the past but sometimes with rescues we do diff to what we say

I guess some dogs will always have scars and problems,

but many go on to live a perfectly normal life as well.

I agree Shona.
Thing is though,Tango has 'issues' outside (not in the house...you would never guess she hadn't always lived here now as she hogs the sofa and tries to nick the remote... ). I have to be aware of how those issues may have come about in order to deal with them effectively..ie...is she anxious about other dogs running..if so why,or is she just an aggressive dog that hates other dogs having fun...or does she want to control them.

She is anxious. She is also a hunter. She also has a thing about small furry things, be they dogs or otherwise. She is also very sociable and loves other dogs (believe it or not). I do not live in the past with her I very much live in the moment, especially now she is improving...but I need to allow the past to influence my training with her. We are nothing without our past.

Now you are being silly. You said she HAD an e-collar used on her, now you fail to mention that, why? My problem is you DONT know that, you "think" she did, and if Im honest I think its easier for you to think that. Nothing more to say on this, I just get infuriated when people make things up to support situations when they actually have no proof of it at all whatsoever. Seen it too many times Ailsa, too many times.

Its best to work on facts not assumptions when you are talking about dogs you have no knowledge of, but thats me.

I see where you are coming from Dawn. We had a collie here who was bred elsewhere but who came to us at 10 weeks. He was always a wreck. He definitely looked as though he had been abused - but he never had. It was just his personality and the way he was. No one had ever raised a hand to him, but you wouldn't have thought that if you saw him cringing and cowering.

As far as Tango goes, I have no idea whether she had an ecollar used on her or not, but knowing how some gamekeepers operate, it wouldn't completely surprise me .

What in her actions makes you think she was punished for chasing Ailsa?

sorry hun, my post wasnt really aimed at anyone taking part in this thread or the forum really, its just my own personal experiance of people who come to me for help with rescue dogs,
I should have been more clear about that, sorry.

RE the part in bold, did she show this behaviour from day one? or did it unwind after she gained some confidence?
is she aggressive with all dogs running? or is it only dogs coming from infront? or behind? sorta thing?

Thanks, Im pleased you see where I am coming from. I understand totally about dogs you "think" may of been abused but actually havent, thats why I feel its important not to assume you know everything about a dog that you havent had long, it could lead to more problems.

I have no problem with Ailsa, Tango or anyone else, its the way in which she KNEW she had an e collar used on her etc when she doesnt.