new owner of a rescue

chiltonsis · new owner of a rescue

Hello

I have recently welcomed a lovely Brittany spaniel into my home. She is a rescue from France and I know very little about her. We think she is around 6 years old and has been rescuesd from a puppy farm. She gets on really well with our other dog who is an English Pointer but is extremely nervous around people especially men. I would love to hear from anyone who has a rescue.

guy

hi chiltonsis and welcome to the forum. there are several here with 'rescues' I believe mine is technically a 'stray'. He has a lovely temperament and we wouldn't be without him.
( he was found on a Welsh mountain top with worn out paws - no 'tread' left)
Whereabouts in Kent? I have a daughter at Canterbury at the moment so we get that way at least twice a semester :-)

Did you know you can register her with the Kennel Club - on their agility register - this gives allows him to compete in agility events and also attend Brittany Shows as 'not for competition'.

A rescue from France - this must be a first ! does this mean you go there regularly ? We have just come back from a Christmas break there (plus the boysies) also had Topaz's (the one jumping into the water) mother and brother and breeder to stay. A great time Brittany spotting (and wine tasting etc etc.)

Ghilliegumdrop

Yes, and here you are going on at me because I'm going to send things from down under. Huh just you wait till I catch up.
Jan

CharlieandKatiesDad

Hi chiltonsis,

Welcome indeed! We currently have three rescues living with us and have fostered a further three to date and been involved in several other rescues. As with any rescue dog, you don't know what their history is and how they have been treated by people in the past. Brittanys are very intelligent, quick to learn and also very sensitive and as such will carry what they have learnt from their previous experiences to any new home. Fortunately this also means that in most cases they can "un-learn" it relatively quickly too by experiencing positive experiences. Without knowing more specific details it is difficult to advise you on how to proceed, but if you post further details, or message me, we will be happy to support you in any way we can, as I am sure will many people on the forum.

Peter

Annie as admin

Hello
Welcome to the Forum. You may like to join the Brittany Club now you have found our website and Forum. There is a wealth of help available for you as well as a number of annual events for you bring your Brittany to. I take it you don't know what his/her ancestors might be if from a puppy farm in France?
Annie

chiltonsis

Hi All

Many thanks for all your replies. My friend rescues a number of different breeds each year from France, we were just lucky to get Molly this is not her French name. The main problem is how nervous she is around men, my husband is very good with her and very patient and I'm sure in time she will settle with him. She has a habit of pinching clean washing.

Both my husband and I shoot and we took her on a shoot when we first got her, but it was a disaster and she was extremely upset, not sure if sahe might be a bit too old to train.

We are awaiting Molly's papers so may have some more details on her soon

Annette

Ghilliegumdrop

Hi Annette
Just do the same with her as I do with the Ghilldog and get her to take the stuff out of the washing machine and then to give it to you one piece at a time , rewarding her with a cat biscuit when she does. Make a game of it though. Might be an idea to start with stuff like dusters so she gets the hang of not ripping things up.
Jan Wink

CharlieandKatiesDad

Hi Annette
Sounds like Molly has been mistreated by her previous man/men...The shoot problem may be linked: if she was tried to be trained as a gundog and was punished when she didn't perform it will have created a bad association (a problem we have had with one of ours that we think associated being in the car to going to shoots and getting punished). This was cured over a period of time by making positive associations with the car i.e always going to nice places for walks and gradually increasing the distance; she is also no longer bothered by the sound of gunshot/fireworks etc. which she was initially.
I like Jan's idea with the laundry; but failing that you'll just have to do what we do and keep it out of the way!
As for re-gaining trust in men, I don't like the idea of bits of me being removed one at a time so would suggest that you don't try and force it, let your husband do positive things with her - feed her, reward her good behaviour etc (even if you have given the command) and, in my experience, she will quickly accept him. Whenever we have had new arrivals, I have always greeted and made a fuss of them and then just sat down or gone about everyday business and waited for them to come to me...it has never taken long...Brits are a very curious breed and don't like being ignored!

Peter