Hi,

I hope someone can help me please. My husband and I have just rescued a dog from a shelter. She is a Saluki mix and is just under 1 & 1/2 years old. She was taken to the shelter when she was just a few months old so has pretty much lived there all her life.
She was obviously nervous when we brought her home but seems fairly comfortable with my husband and I. The problem is that I can't get her to go outside. She was used to being walked at the shelter and gets excited when she sees the lead but as soon as I open the door she runs back to her bed. I have tried leaving the back door open and walking out by myself, she is curious as she follows me as far as the door and sticks her head out but wont go any further. She seems to be scared by the noises (wind, cars etc) I have managed to get her to go out if I coax her with treats but she just grabs them and runs back inside. This obviously means that she is going to the toilet inside too. Please could anyone offer help as to how we can solve the problem. We are new dog owners and are keen to do the best job possible so want to make sure that we are training her in the correct way.
Many thanks :-)

Has she got a favorite toy you can coax her with. You will have to keep trying what you are doing and as she gets more attached to you and trusts you more she will follow you without thinking about it.
If you make it a game and treat her when she puts a foot out the door even if she runs back in she will get more confident.
Or you could just stand in the garden ignoring what she is doing, eventually she will just want to be with you.

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Grandma to Jinja Dog, Mum to Tilly the Cavalier, Tattycat, Moomy, Choo, Sonic, Niven Mc Twisp and Lawna the rabbits and 1 guinea,17 budgies, 4 Cockatiels, 8 Goldfish.

As you have just got her everything is going to be strange, the fact she has only been in the shelter for most of her life is all she knows, She is likely not used to the housse environment and every day appliances like hoovers and things too. Do you know exactly what age she was when she entered? Its likely that she had very little if any socialisation and habituation before the kennel, any she may have had will be probably long gone anyway.

One thing that might help is DAP products you can get them in collar and plug in diffuser form, for her both would probably be necessary. They are an artificial version of the pheromone mum emits to calm and soothe the pups.
I have used it with good results on mine, one in particular had fears of outside, I still use them now for times of stress like fireworks etc. You can get them from your vet and pets at home I think,but tend to be cheaper on line. Vet-Medic - the same medicines as your vet at consistently low prices. is one place order line 0800 387348. although shop around for your best price. Post is free but if you pay the extra for first class you can have them next day.

There are other things too that are natural,non sedating Like Anxiety TFLN drops which are herbal or Zylkene capsules, all of which can also be gotten from the above reference.

Have you tried putting a lead on, and trying to lure her outside with high value treats like hot dogs,cheese and chicken. with lurchers furry type toys often work, if you can get her interested in one indoors, shaking it and throwing it to hopefully get her prey/chase drive going, then if you can get her to play and be relaxed inside then you can transfer it to out side,with the use of that and treats she is being double rewarded with food and a game outside so she makes a positive asociation rather than a negative one.

It is early days though and she does have to get her bearings and get used to her new surroundings, sites and sounds and learn to trust and look to you for guidance too. Whatever happens and as frustrating as it may be times you have to remain calm and in control. Things like hoovers I would also introduce slowly, at first just letting her get used to the sight of it, then maybe moving it backwards and forwards switched off, then turning it on an off straight away so she get used to the sound, then letting it run a bit longer without moving it, then finally using when shes ok with each stage.

Hope this might be of some help.

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Think Sled dog has hit ot on the head!
Ex breeding Bitchs (the type used by pf's) often have the same problems, many of these have only known a barn, they have never even seem grass!
Gentle coaxing and reassurance could be the key, sure with time, and trust she will come round.
All the very best.

Aww - she sounds lovely!

If she used to like being walked at the rescue centre then it could be worth trying to recreate the same sort of pre-walk routine as she has there, and trying that at home until she gets used to it? Would the rescue centre give you some tips over the phone about how they used to walk her?

The weather's been pretty grim recently - hopefully she'll be more keen on going out as it warms up a bit!

Janet

Bit cold for it I know, but you could try leaving the back door open for an hour or so and just see if she ventures out. Or if she likes a ball you could go down the bottom of the garden and start bouncing (the ball, that is)!

I've never had this problem with a dog, but we used to have a horse who had been kept in a stable so much, she just refused to go in. So we would leave her in the yard with the stable door open and eventually she found her way inside once she knew she could go out again.

Your dog probably doesn't trust you yet, and is wondering where you are trying to take him.

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