Re: [PyrNet-L] thread about rescue pyr with aggression problems (seamus)

[Joan Ziehl <joan@ziehl.com>]

Susan, 

It sounds to me as if you had a rehome rather than a rescue.  I do think
your statement was misleading regarding rescue.  I also agree with Mitzi
that sometimes the fear of rescue revolves around agressive dogs and you
made it sound as if rescue intentionally placed an agressive dog with
you.  

Perhaps in the future it would make more sense to consult with rescue
and inquire if they had fostered the dog and exactly what the temperment
of the dog was.  But hindsight is often fruitless.....

I'm sorry you had such a negative incident with rescue.  I can only
guess what it takes to maintain a household with a dog that is so
unstable.  I can only say that I think you are in the minority, and that
most rescue's (mine included) cherish the opportunity for another
chance, and I have never second-guessed my decision(s).  

As far as you feeling abandoned by the pyr community, you have been on
this list on and off for about a year.  As far as I can see, everytime
you post something you get many responses and offers of help.  I also
know that several people have emailed and phoned you to help.  So I
don't think that your statement is accurate.  I think you are rejecting
the advice you are getting because it is not what you choose to do.  I
for one would not be able to rearrange my life for an aggressive dog. 
You have made the adjustment to do so and I commend you.  But again, it
is against many seasoned pyr peoples advice.  For them to give you any
other advice would be to go against what they feel is acceptable for a
'normal' pyr temperment.  

Truly just my 2 cents and feelings.  
Best of luck with your Seamus.

Joan
> 
> it was david totsch who runs the northeast division of pyr rescue.  i don't
> think he is where blame should be placed though.  he had placed the dog
> with another family in the area who said they couldn't keep him because he
> wasn't getting along with their other pyr.  i went to this house to see the
> dog and was blown away at the way the house was being run by two pyrs and a
> norwegian elkhound.  i mean pyr hugs to any stranger who walked through the
> door, no discipline, one dog eating off the counter, the list goes on.  so,
> the way they framed the problem to david was that the dog wasn't fitting in
> when in reality, he was acting the way the other dog was showing him was
> ok.  so i actually picked up my rescue pyr from that family , not david's.
> when my dog was at david's he showed no signs of aggression but like i said
> he wasn't there very long.
> 
> however, not two weeks after i got seamus he attacked me.  as i posted to
> this list a year ago, he took some cheese off the counter and when i caught
> him i mistakenly cornered him to punish him.  he lunged at me with his
> teeth bared and tried to bite me.  i was obviously shaken and called david
> immediately.  he 'talked me down' and after it was determined that seamus
> shouldn't be put down, i started working on everything that david
> recommended.  i've taken seamus to trainers and behavioral experts at tufts
> vet school.  he displays dominance behaviors, is fearful of other dogs he
> doesn't know and has separation anxiety.  every time we think we've done a
> good job of training him to not attack other dogs, he lets loose on a dog
> walking by.  in the city it is impossible to stay away from dogs all of the
> time so we have had to change our lives to walk him at odd hours.  we can
> never let him off leash so he doesn't get the exercise he needs.
> 
> i guess what i'm saying is that i would be willing to consider giving him
> to someone who had a total grasp on behavioral and dominance problems and
> had the expertise to work with him.  we have learned a lot since we got him
> about training, but we aren't professionals.  we feel a little abandoned by
> the pyr community because i have often reached out to this list, and
> knowing that the intervention potential is minimal in this medium, i
> haven't felt like anyone has really reached out to help me with this
> situation.  the advice has ranged from 'put him down' to 'it's you not the
> dog who needs retrained'.  there has been lots of words of support but that
> doesn't cover the complex emotions we feel toward this dog.  i've also
> reached out to the director of pyr rescue and have only received advice,
> not a solution.  maybe this is asking too much of the community to step in
> and help me solve the problems with this rescue.
> 
> please don't read this as a flame, i love this list and i love all the
> positive pyr stories but i read them with a bittersweet reaction.  i'm just
> telling you all how i feel and hoping that someone can recommend a solution
> that doesn't entail euthanizing the dog but doesn't leave us as hostages
> either.
> 
> susan
> 
> To unsubscribe, send a message to esquire@pyrnet.org with
>         unsubscribe pyrnet-l
> as the BODY of the message.  The SUBJECT is ignored.