Some Advice Needed

[Miz J]

Next door have a gorgeous dog, malamute X kelpie apparently. Shes young, about a year old, has broken through our fence a few times and plays with our boxers. Shes a delight.

Here is the thing I am struggling with. She gets little to no attention and hasn't since they got her. She was bought for the "kids" and now shes not a cute furball the novelty has worn off. We paid more attention to her through the gap in the fence She has a great temperament, good with children, no food aggression, good with other dogs. No obedience training at all. Shes been getting out of their backyard, not surprising as she would be going mad with no stimulation. As she is chipped she gets returned to them once council get hold of her. For the last 2 weeks she has been tethered by a chain to the verandah post. First few nights were awful, she was really distressed. It got so bad we called the poilice at 2.30 in the morning who couldnt do anything, called the RSPCA the next morning and I was informed that it is not in breach of any act so long as the dog is released for 1 hour per day. They cant do anything, they recognise that while the dog isn't physically harmed any act or legislation does not account for the psychological well being of the animal. So OH went to talk to them and offered to help fix the fences and supply the material so she couldnt get out and I am thinking of offering to have her here for a couple of hours at a time to exercise. However is that just going to distress her more when she is tethered again. Shes fed, physically well looking but she must be going mad. In my opinion cruelty isn't just physical.

You know if she wasn't chipped ...... anyway, I really needed to vent to people who love dogs as much as I do and don't know really if there is anything I can do to help her but I just think of that poor wee soul tied up with no contact from people or other animals. No wonder she was running away from home.

If you have any constructive suggestions I am all ears.

[MelissaS]

Miz J good on you for caring.

I don't have any "expert" advice but I would most likely try to be nice to the people and have the dog over for play visits.If they allow it.

I would think that some love, attention and companionship& exercise even if occasionally would have to be a benefit.

Although, would it actually encourage her to then escape more for visits? This happened to me when I befriended a neighbours dog.It would escape to visit more. Although, the owners didn't care It was a kelpie X also. Kept with low fences and no stimulation or exercise.

Having said that I am by no means an expert but think what you are offering is very kind.

I hope some good advice is given to you. Sorry I am not much help.Thanks for caring about the dog.

Keep us updated.

Good luck

[tdierikx]

The other option is to ask the owners if they really actually still want to keep the dog - and offer to help them rehome it, or contact the local rescue groups for help to rehome it...

T.

[spottychick]

I dont know what to suggest but good on ya for caring. I've tried to help several dogs around my area for similar reasons. One of them is a gorgeous JRT who has been chained up alone at an abandoned house for years. The owners live in another house and leave him there to "protect" the empty one. Not that he would be able to do anything if someone decided to break in - apart from his size and friendliness he cant reach the house coz he's chained to a post at the back of the yard. GARRRD people are STUPID!!!

I managed to convince them to let me walk him sometimes but he pulled so hard he choked and I ended up carrying him lots of times. So a friend bought a harness for him and we used that but we couldn't walk him all the time as we have dogs of our own etc So we tried to encourage them to walk him - even gave them the harness. They did a couple of times then stopped and we couldn't get the harness back of them.

He was living in appalling conditions, tiny kennel that had no protection in windy, rainy weather etc and freezing cold Tassie winters. Barely any bedding and what he did have he'd drag outside in his frustration where it would get wet and filthy. He did have adequate food and water but he didn't seem to care too much about his food - there was always lots of it sitting in the bowl covered in flies etc.

ANyway, I can't count the number of times he got himself into strife. He nearly hung himself several times, wound the chain up so he couldn't move etc and every time my friend or me would rescue him and tell the owners off. Three days ago he escaped and disappeared - we were searching for him at 11 at night, with a torch in howling cold windy weather. I was so concerned because where we walk him there are mine shafts and there arent too many places he can go around here without getting into trouble.

He showed up the next day (gawd knows where he'd been all night) and his owners were so ashamed that they'd dragged us out to look for him - plus with another explanation from us of WHY he keeps doing this stuff - they've finally moved him down to their house!!!! AND we have seen them walking him every day since. YAY!!!!

Smart dog I reckon.

I think we achieved this through sustained nagging in a gentle friendly way - even tho secretly we were furious with them all this time. We spent a lot of time explaining that he is bored, going insane, just wants to be with them, loves them, etc etc and I think finally, with the shame of seeing me and my friend wandering the streets at all hours more concerned for him than they were, they finally took in our advice. Plus some committed effort from Mr Jack Russell himself. Hee hee. His escape was truly worthy of a story all by itself

[kimzy]

Maybe invite them to go on adog walk with you and very nicely offer a couple suggestions.

[Miz J]

Thanks everyone, I will be really nice and offer more help.

I am sooo pissed off, they can't even be bothered with this poor girl and then look what has happened to Jed who adores her dogs so much. Honestly it's just not fair is it!!

[raineth]

Maybe invite them to go on adog walk with you and very nicely offer a couple suggestions.

hmmm my advise is similar to this:

maybe knock on there door, ask if they's like to bring her over for a play-date with your dogs.

I would say all the nice things about her, so they realise that they do have a nice dog who deserves more.

I would get some treats out and innocently demonstrate some simple things to teach her with treats like sit, drop, shake etc., things that might help them see a way to do things with her in a fun way.

Maybe that will inspire them to do a bit more with her

[Pollywaffle]

We had a very similar situation and to be honest I was consumed with the plight of the poor dog...used to dream of liberating it in the night so no one would see...but I didn't because I had to realise that it was not my problem..and people have different priorities. If it's any consolation, the dog I'm referring to disappeared one day..don't know where, but I can only hope they realised they didn't care enough and sought a better life for it...But you're right, it begs the question why do people have dogs if they then want to ignore them, or treat them harshly..guess it's as you say, when they're cute and cuddly they're attractive. I feel for you Miz J..just wish we could liberate all the dogs kept this way!

[oakway]

It's simple, just ask if they still want the dog and if they don't, offer to help re home it.

I