# New Rescue Got Out



## BrianO (Apr 7, 2016)

Friends asked me for advice this morning. They have just adopted a GR/great Pyrenees mix from a program that matches dogs to prisoners for training. The dog is a gentle giant, but very timid. After having it for only two days, it bolted out the door. Off leash, the dog is a frightened mess. They have not been able to get it back into the house or contained in any way. It has stayed near the house (they live in a rural area and have property) so that they see it frequently, usually each morning. It has been off leash for about a week. They have tried luring it in with food, but it will not come closer than about ten feet and will not come into the house, garage, or barn. When they got it onto a fenced area, it jumped over the fence and ran off again. They want to keep the dog safe and make this adoption work. How can they capture the dog and once they do, how can they build a bond and keep her safe?


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## BrianO (Apr 7, 2016)

I should add a couple of pieces of information: On leash, the dog is very obedient. They had no issue with the dog in the house. They have young children; the dog is good with them. They have alerted the neighbors and community. The dog is microchipped and does have a collar with ID on it. They have named her Annie.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Have they contacted the rescue? The dog may come to somebody it knows...


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## BrianO (Apr 7, 2016)

I will suggest that. My understanding is that the dog was adopted from a shelter. I don't think the inmate trainer could be made available. They don't know anything of the dog's history. I will ask more about the possibility of others who the dog might know.

It got out on June 2, so it has been out for four days. It did come to the house again this morning.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

It is a good sign that Annie is staying around., her life has been turned upside down, she is scared but not in 'flight mode'. 

Suggestions for you: 
Put some food out for her, the higher value the better - (people food, meat, leftovers, for example) in a bowl a short distance away, but where they can watch from the house. Leave it there and walk away 10 -15 ft., she will comes to eat, tell them to stand or crouch down with their body turned sideways to her, not to look at her, but watch from the corner of their eyes, don't talk to her just yet. (If there was one person in the home that she showed a preference for, I know she was not there that long, but dogs tend to feel safer with new women than men, that person should be the one to do this.) When she is done eating, they should get up slowly, and turn away from her - don't move towards her - resist the urge to chase. In a couple of days the person can try talking to her in a low, soft manner, say her name, from the crouched position, to get her more comfortable with their presence and voice, and they can try not moving quite so far away from the bowl. The goal at this point is to help her feel safe with a person present while she eats.
Once they able to be close enough to toss food to her, put a small amount of food into the bowl, switch to kibble or something she has to lick up, and using an underhanded toss, slowly, toss, high value (meat, cheese) towards her from that sideways, crouched position, talk to her in an encouraging, inviting tone, being careful to avoid eye contact with her. As long she is eating the tossed food, slowly decrease the distance it is tossed, then try holding it out in their outstretched arm, open hand so she can see it, and offer it to her. If she refuses to move closer to get the treats from their hand, they have decreased the distance too fast, continue to toss the treats to her, the goal is to build her trust enough to eat the treats from their outstretched hand. Once she is willing to eat the treats from their hand, have them switch to something she will need to lick off the palm of their hand, peanut butter, yogurt, canned dog or cat food, to encourage her to 'stay' in their space, just a little longer. They can also try switching to standing (keeping their body turned sideways to her) while encouraging her to eat from their hand. Once she is eating from their hand, they may also try to get a leash on her, if they move slowly, and are careful not to scare her off. 
Avoid moving towards her, eye contact with her, reaching towards her, trying to 'grab' her, focus on encouraging her to choose to come to them and rewarding her with those high value foods. 
It will take some time, a ton of patience, they will have to work with her at her pace, it may take only days, it may take much longer, she is scared, untrusting, she needs them to show her they are trustworthy.

Once they have her, she should be taken out only on leash, they should hand feed at least part of one meal every day, if she is able to eat from their hand. Care needs to be taken that she does not escape again, know where she when the door is opened, leash her or move her to another room and close the door, if need be. 
When I was helping my rescues to adjust to their new home, I carried treats, or had them stored in multiple places within easy access (to me)around my home. Any time they would approach or offered a behavior I liked I would offer a treat from my hand or toss it to them. This helped them to build a positive association with me. I used reward based training to teach them what I wanted them to learn, avoided quick movements, loud voices, cornering them, and allowed them to choose to come to me, and rewarded them for it gentle praise and a few treats. Over time they have learned to trust that they will only receive good things from me.

They should keep in mind that it can take weeks or even months for a newly rehomed dog to feel comfortable, 'believe' they are home, they are staying, they 'belong'. Walks should always be on leash or a long line, while working on building trust, teaching skills and recall to their new dog. 

The book by Patricia McConnell - Love Has No Age Limit -Welcoming an Adopted Dog into Your Home, may be a useful resource for them.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Wha about a live trap with food. They have used them several times with our lost dog page with great success.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

I have worked with fearful dogs before. My suggestion strange as it may sound it to sit down on the grass and zen out for long as it takes. The dog will come to you wondering why a human is acting so given this day and age. Once they do just keep in zen mode.

Dogs want to please scared or not. You don't need to lure, have treats etc.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Any updates?

This happened to my neighbors. Rescued dog took off the first 20 minutes home when they went to open the door to take her potty. Very common.

She was on the run for about 5 days, first two days she stayed in the neighborhood. would get so close and then run. We tried bringing my dogs out and animal control tried traps.

They would then see her running in the nearby corn fields ( hundreds of acres ). Finally one day she saw a young girl in her backyard and went up to her, they called animal control. Once she was back in her new home, it was like nothing happened. For the first week, they had two leashes and collars on her to make sure she did not take off. Now she is boundary trained, bonded with her new family and they even rescued another dog for her companion.


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## BrianO (Apr 7, 2016)

Annie is still hanging around. Last night she slept on the patio on her bed in a kennel. The kennel is gradually being built around the bed and will soon have a door that can be closed. They have been feeding her there also. They cooked bacon which almost got her into the house. They have been trying to lure her into the house while waiting with a string on the door and watching from the garage on a baby monitor. There is yet hope. They are appreciative of the help and suggestions here.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Annie*



BrianO said:


> Annie is still hanging around. Last night she slept on the patio on her bed in a kennel. The kennel is gradually being built around the bed and will soon have a door that can be closed. They have been feeding her there also. They cooked bacon which almost got her into the house. They have been trying to lure her into the house while waiting with a string on the door and watching from the garage on a baby monitor. There is yet hope. They are appreciative of the help and suggestions here.


Praying that Annie gets in the kennel and they can keep her there.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Brian*

Brian: I think most dogs love liver, too, and FROSTY PAWS, doggie ice cream. They sell it at the grocery store in the same area people ice cream is in.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I hope they are able to get Annie home soon, pretty girl.


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## BrianO (Apr 7, 2016)

Annie is back home. The liver in the kennel worked. She has been bathed, de-ticked, de-burred, and groomed. Loved whether or not she wants to be, she is on lockdown.


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## Panama Rob (Nov 26, 2015)

So glad she is home safe.


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## BrianO (Apr 7, 2016)

Here she is looking penitent and the kennel that got the job done (note rope).


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Really great to hear she is back home and safe. She's a pretty girl.


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## Rina (Feb 26, 2016)

Happy to hear she is inside and safe.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*So happy*

Thank God she is home safe and sound!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Annie*



BrianO said:


> Annie is back home. The liver in the kennel worked. She has been bathed, de-ticked, de-burred, and groomed. Loved whether or not she wants to be, she is on lockdown.


I would never open a door around Annie, without her being on a leash, or in her kennel.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

BrianO said:


> Annie is back home. The liver in the kennel worked. She has been bathed, de-ticked, de-burred, and groomed. Loved whether or not she wants to be, she is on lockdown.


Best news! I'm so glad they got her!


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is so pretty. I am glad she is safe.


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