# How to handle my new baby??



## MamaJunkie (Apr 22, 2010)

Hi! Last week, my family (DH, DD 7 and DD 4) adopted Rex, a 3 year old Golden, from another family. I feel like he's a rescue because he had been way overfed but otherwise was neglected. He was in a fairly small fenced area and never let out and not taken to the vet.

He seems so far to have a lovely disposition - quite submissive which is a change from my previous Chocolate Lab Woody who died at 16 1/2 in 2009. He has no obedience training so his manners are somewhat lacking.

Issue one is how best to bond with and train an adult dog?? I work so he'll be outside during the day until I get home around 4:00. He's coming in the house in the evening and is being to settle down instead of pacing the entire time. 

What do you do with your babies during the day when no one h

Issue two is that he has tested positive for heartworms . He weighed 124 pounds so our vet wants him to lose about 20 pounds before the treatment. He was a very weak positive so she feels we've got time for the weight loss. She's saying 2-3 months to get into shape. His diet is extremely restricted, and we're walking and playing in the yard for a while each day. I'm taking him for a weight check after 2 weeks.

I am most concerned about how to handle the restrictions after his treatment. He has never been crated, and I don't know how he'll do inside for long periods potty-wise. The vet said that because his case seems to be so early, he would probably be okay closed up on our screen porch when we are gone. She doesn't think he'll require being so restricted as to be crated. How does that sound to people who have been through it??

I really appreciate you all can offer me! Thanks!!


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Welcome to the forum and thank you for giving this guy a new lease on life. If your screen porch is secure enough that he couldn't bust through a screen then that would be fine. I don't like the idea of leaving him outside when you are away. I would feel better with the crate than being outside all day. At least you would know he would be safe and secure. Dogs mostly sleep when unattended so he and your home would both be safe. 

A basic obedience class would be a great way for you to bond as well as for him to learn basic skills. Classes also help with socialization.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Bonding can take place as he gets to know you, and the household rules. Don't spoil him now then expect him to learn the rules later, start with the rules from day one so it's consistant. Walks and time together will help, and once he's doing better you can look into classes for him. Not sure what the restrictions are for heartworm dogs (it's not something that really happens here), so keep that in mind. 

I would put him in the porch, or a crate or xpen during the day when you're not home. I'm not a fan of leaving dogs outside unattended, the most I'll do is leave them in their dog run if we're going for a walk in town and gone for an hour, but it's a small town and not a ton of traffic, and I don't leave the noisy dog out. I figure I don't like to listen to non-stop barking so I'm not going to subject the neighbors to it!

Pictures, we need pictures... there should be a forum rule...

Lana


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Welcome to the forum,

Thank you for taking him in and helping to become even a better dog then he is right now. For his diet, losing the weight slowly but steady is the best. If he is a chow hound, the best thing to suppliment him and fill him with empty calories is unsalted green beans. About one cup per meal. Some people feed twice a day to help keep the metabolism steady. 

Is he potty trained? If not, then I would use this time before the treatment to get him potty trained. Since you work, do you know of someone that can come and let him outside a couple of times to take him for potty walks? Him being inside he will be cool and having someone taking him for a walk during the day will help to lose weight. Just keep the walk short since it will be summertime. I ask that because since he will be going thru heartworm treatment, I worry that he could get overheated on the porch in the summer on the porch. My Daisy went thru heartworm treatment when she was my foster and she was always panting from it. If you are unable to have someone come to the house and let him out, then I would have a fan put on the porch to make sure he is kept cool and lots of water out there.


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## MamaJunkie (Apr 22, 2010)

Wow! Thanks for all the responses so fast! I will have to get a picture of him up and of my first child Woody the chocolate lab. I suppose the cats and fish can go in their own forums somewhere! Not to mention the human children....

He certainly is a sight as the groomer thought it best to shave him except for head and tail and start over. He looks like a sheep with a Golden's head and tail! 

He doesn't seem to be a chow hound. He's eating his tiny helping of food and seems okay with it. I think he ate at his old home because there was nothing else to do.

I should mention that the yard is fenced and that area is just under half an acre. He would certainly never be loose out of the yard.

The only issue so far for beginning any training is really getting his attention as everything is new and he's really distracted. He already sits when he feels like paying attention and will go down under the same circumstances. I want to take him to the next round of obedience classes at one of two places, but I don't know how the heartworm situation affects it. Would he be welcome? I'll have to ask. His condition is certainly good enough. He's just banned from all out running. Walking and ball chasing was okayed. Both groups will start in mid to late May and will run 8 weeks so I'll have to figure out how it will work with the HW treatment.

My parents and another set of grandparents (not ours) both would probably come let him out if I keep him inside. I may start hunting a crate. Maybe this weekend, we'll get a feel for how he might do with the potty training if the weather is stormy here and we're inside a lot.

I've got to get some sleep, but I'll be back for more information. Thanks all!!!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*MamaJunkie*

MamaJunkie

Bless you for rescuing this boy he certainly needs it.

If you look online at Craigs List for your city, state, things for sale, a crate should be easy to find and if you get a neighborhood paper that would be a good place, too.


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## Nicole74 (May 30, 2009)

I just brought in a 2 year old Australian Shepherd home from the shelter. I had the two dogs on a leash the first day home, I had to call in help with my mother as no one else was able to help me. I had them meet in the street before we went into the house. I wanted a neutral ground for them to meet. When Annie came in the house, she wanted to sniff everything in the house as Bailey was trying to get a hold of Annie to play. I didn't let them off the leash until the next day. This whole thing went very well and with in a week they were laying with each other. I feel blessed to have both dogs. I started my training with Annie and she has been here two weeks today. Annie loves getting treats and listening to me. I have taught her heel, down, and wait. She already came with the recall command. She did not know the other commands. Annie is extremely smart and quick to learn, much easier then the golden.lol

Both the dogs get along so well that they will chew on the same bone or play with the same toy at the same time. Neither is jealous of one another and nor do they try and dominate each other that I can see.

When no one is home, you may want to crate the dogs. Annie is such a good girl and has perfect manners in the house, I do leave them uncrated.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Thank you for giving him a good home. I want to point out first off that he needs to be given a monthly heartworm (Heartgard) preventative pill every month starting now, so that the heartworms he already has can not reproduce and increase the number of heartworms before he goes into treatment.

I am not a fan of leaving a dog outside unsupervised while you are gone all day either. House training can start now, and when you are gone crate or restrict him to a small area of the house. When he starts heartworm treatment it will be especially important for him to have very low activity and not get over heated.

I think the best way to start building a bond is take a training class, but do that before heartworm treatment starts, or after he is clear from treatment. Try using a clicker and treats, or just treats to get him to focus on you.

Thank you again for giving him a better life! We would love to see pictures.


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## MamaJunkie (Apr 22, 2010)

I am confused as to why I hear that preventative HW treatment can kill him since he already has HW and why I also hear to give it to him now. I've been reading quite a bit but I haven't run across the answer.


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