We have a new dog - advice on care for poodle terrier mix

[niccig]

Our rescue was very quiet for the first few days, but has become more playful as time wears on!

This is what we're hoping for. He's perky when take him for a walk and will run when DS does. Still have not heard him bark. He's whimpered in crate or slow growl when another small dog kept barking him this morning. Yesterday in Petco, a big dog barked and lunged at him and he didn't blink. Wondering because he was in a home with 40 other dogs, he's not fazed at all.

I need to make another run to Petco to get a better feeding dish. Ours is on floor and his ears hang in water, so I'll get a raised dish. He only ate a little last night and it's same food as rescue, so might take a little while before he eats.

[Tondi G]

Costco sells a grain free dog food ... might be worth trying to see if he likes it cause the price is good. http://www.great-pet-supplies.com/natures-domain-brand

[BunnyBee]

It can take a couple of weeks for him to relax and let his real personality appear. The paw licking could be anxiety. It can also indicate an allergy (one of my dogs is allergic to grass pollen!). We feed Canidae after trying several brands for one picky pup. Look for a locally owned pet food store--they're usually very, very helpful and have tons of samples. You could add a little warm chicken broth to top his food to coax him into eating. Also, he could be feeling anxious to eat, especially in a new place and/or if he had to really fight for food in his old home. You might try feeding him in his crate with the door open to see if he feels more secure eating that way.

[twowhat?]

Since he's already 3, any damage from lack of socialization/exposure is already done BUT you can do a lot to help it along. Don't tiptoe around him - let the regular noises of the household continue. Get him out on walks to see other people, other dogs, cars, etc. His reaction will let you know how to proceed - if he's extremely fearful you are dealing with a larger problem that I would contact a behaviorist for but if he doesn't seem that fearful and maybe just reserved, then just get him out and used to those things!

And in general just be careful about reading his body language. If he is nervous, don't push. I betcha he won't be quiet for long Our dog was an extremely fearful and shy rescue but even then she became comfortable with us (but not other people, and kids, and bikes, and plastic bags, and shadows, and wind, and cars, and lights, and steam from coffee cups, and....) quite quickly and was barking within a couple of weeks.

[niccig]

Since he's already 3, any damage from lack of socialization/exposure is already done BUT you can do a lot to help it along. Don't tiptoe around him - let the regular noises of the household continue. Get him out on walks to see other people, other dogs, cars, etc. His reaction will let you know how to proceed - if he's extremely fearful you are dealing with a larger problem that I would contact a behaviorist for but if he doesn't seem that fearful and maybe just reserved, then just get him out and used to those things!

He's not afraid. When we first met him, he came out of his pen where there was 4 other dogs, and laid his head on DS's lap. Another family was looking at dogs and he went up to the mother and did the same. Other dogs in his pen were barking and jumping up to the fence, he wasn't. DS and I took him walking today, he was fine around other dogs until 1 little dog kept barking at him, then he growled a little and that was it. He has not had 1 accident in the house, he slept last night in his dog bed beside our bed. He jumped on our bed once, and DH put him back in his dog bed and there he stayed. He tried to beg some food from DS who was eating on the couch, I told him to get down and he laid at DS's feet. He hasn't destroyed a single thing.

The rescue said they couldn't tell us how much socialization he's had, I can't imagine much with so many other dogs with him, but so far, he's much better behaved than our last dog that was a rescue and was a stray dog. She was a scaredy cat, anxious and destructive for the first 2 years. I'm worried he's faking us out and in a couple of weeks I'll regret this decision. I do have the name of a dog trainer. I'm going to wait a couple of weeks to let him settle then have some lessons to learn basic obedience.

[niccig]

It can take a couple of weeks for him to relax and let his real personality appear. The paw licking could be anxiety. It can also indicate an allergy (one of my dogs is allergic to grass pollen!). We feed Canidae after trying several brands for one picky pup. Look for a locally owned pet food store--they're usually very, very helpful and have tons of samples. You could add a little warm chicken broth to top his food to coax him into eating. Also, he could be feeling anxious to eat, especially in a new place and/or if he had to really fight for food in his old home. You might try feeding him in his crate with the door open to see if he feels more secure eating that way.

We took him to the vet. He was neutered a couple weeks ago and he was licking that. The wound is healed, but the vet had us put him in a cone for another week to keep him away from it. We got a few food suggestions from the vet, but I think I'll try the chicken broth to entice him. I know it could take some time to figure out the food for him. She said he's in good health and to give him more time to settle in. Based on his weight, she thinks he was taken care of - though not groomed or seen a vet, but he's not emaciated or fearful like she normally sees in rescue dogs that were strays or in bad conditions. I'm wondering if he wasn't in the hoarders home for long. Can't imagine you can housetrain 40 dogs, but so far, he seems to be house trained. Knock on wood.

I'll post an update in a few weeks. He's foster to adopt so we can return him to the rescue. I'd hate to do that, so we'll try our best with him.