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Old December 12th, 2008, 09:33 AM
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Red face It'a getting worse and I'm about ready to crack.

Ok, so some of you might remember Zena and her emotional craziness. Well it's reached a whole new level.
Here's the scoop.
Some of our friends know she doesn't like getting a bath, what dog does. Well she takes the cake, if you even mention the word bath she runs to her kennel and you are lucky if you see her at all that day. Anyway some of my wonderful friends thought it would be funny to tease her about it and even went so far as to run the tub water and try and get her in there. When I give her a bath which is rare I dont' do it that way. I get everything ready then just go get her and put her in. She doesn't seem too afraid that way. Now one of the guys that bugged her about it is to the point where if he even says her name she runs to her kennel automatically and last night she peed herself all the way to it. What a mess. I could choke those guys. Now we are moving next week and she is already high strung. I know the move isn't going to be easy for her as it is and this on top of all that sure isn't going to help. UGH, why did I have to end up with such a super sensitive pooch. Sweetest dog I ever saw but, man she drives me nuts sometimes. So much for the so called Pit Bull image. LOL She sure doesn't fit the stereo typical mind set. UGH! Moving her is gonna be real fun now I'm sure. Remind me to slap those guys. GRRRRR!.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 09:39 AM
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welcome back histears long time no see( ummm read). personally if someone was in my home traumatizing my dog they would be leaving quickly and not coming back. Seriously i wouldn't be letting any of the people doing this back in the house until well after the move. that is cruel.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 09:43 AM
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sheesh....and folks wonder why i have only 2 friends in the whole world!!! my two friends may not like my dog much (they both are staunch cat people) but they respect me enough to know better than do anything other than follow my rules concerning my dog!!!

good luck with that!!

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Old December 12th, 2008, 09:47 AM
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Poor Zena :sad:. (omg, friends like that wouldn't stay friends long )

Is there any way you can save bathing for the warmer months and shower her outdoors instead? I bought a long garden hose and a cheapie shower head so I can wash the dogs using warm water from the kitchen sink. I just drop the hose out the window and wash them in the yard.

If it's any consolation, we moved just over a month ago and Lucky, our anxious dog, adjusted incredibly well. If anything, he's 10x better here. Leave new toys and treats in different rooms and let her discover them on her own if you can. Also, if someone can take her for a long walk and/or to a park or something while you do the actual move so the mayhem doesn't stress her out.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:09 AM
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x2 poor Zena :sad:

Your friends are

You might find Zena less stressed in her new home, if you make your friends respect her. One of my kitties' behaviour was somewhat skittish in the old place because it was noisy and she was scared...when we moved, she just LOVED it! Animals have likes and dislikes too...perhaps Zena simply doesn't like where she is right now...make your friends respect her in the new place and see if the combination works! Good luck and remember to hug Zena a lot.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:17 AM
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My suggestion would be to get rid of those loser "friends". How would they feel if they were petrified of water and all their "friends" tried plopping them in it every chance they got? If you don't want to lose their friendship then you need to set some very firm rules when they are visiting. Either that or they aren't allowed in your home. Poor Zena. :sad:
As to why you ended up with a super sensitive pup.... someone ^ obviously thought you could handle her.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:20 AM
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good idea

No I can't kick them out for good. My hubby is a pastor and that wouldn't look good at all and besides all that the guy that can't say her name is moving in with us next month. The park idea is a good one and I have a friend that usually takes her most days so she could prob do it then. I agree it is cruel. The girl that started the whole thing hasn't been around for a bit but, she lives at the house we are moving to. This could be interesting. The hose is just as bad. she hates being hosed down it doesn't matter what form she hates water. The only thing I can think of is a lake and a stick. I use to have to do that with an Australian shepherd I had. She's like a cat. Man if only Zena was just a tad more like Pip. He isn't phased by anything. Even if he doesn't like something he gets over it in seconds. Thank God can you imagine having 2 anxious dogs. Rough.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:24 AM
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I'm sorry, but if anyone of my friends teased my cats like that, they'd be shown the door and fast! Seriously, what jerks.

Am I to understand that these people will be moving in with you? If your husband is a pastor then maybe he should talk to them or you should talk to them. I can't wrap my brain around a person who likes tormenting animals. Whats next, stealing kids ice-cream cones?
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:31 AM
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How about just wiping her down with a wet towel? I sometimes use two pails, one with lightly soapy water and another with just clean water. I wipe Lucky down with the soapy one first then 'rinse' with the clean. He thinks he's getting petted with a towel .
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:35 AM
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Perhaps your pastor husband should try to teach your friends empathy. Terrorizing an already anxious dog is beyond inappropriate. And besides, what kind of adult gets off on emotionally scarring animals? Honestly, I'm dumbfounded that you would let it go that far. For them to actually run the water and try to put her in.... I would have stopped that nonsense the minute the word 'bath' crossed their lips, but that's just me.

You'll probably have to do some work with Zena to get her anxiety levels down and that would include limiting her exposure to people who have no empathy for animals.

Poor Zena.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:45 AM
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None of this is Zena's fault...you can't blame her for showing anxious behaviour when @-holes are tormenting her. Honestly, where were you when all this was going on, and why didn't you stop it?

If anyone even tried something like that with my dogs they'd be getting a very strongly-worded earful as I showed them to the door.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 10:53 AM
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Another possibility is to rehome Zena into a home where she will be cherished for who/what she is; an animal with special needs who needs to be taught people are not mean, cruel and sadistic. Not used as something to tease. I am not trying to be mean but if the "friends" leaving is not an option maybe the rehoming could be.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 11:01 AM
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Ok, Be nice.

Look, for one thing I'm mostly blind, it's not like I could see what was going on and if I did I would have stopped it. I know it's not her fault but, that doesn't mean I don't get frustrated. I plan to get my hubby to talk to them. They're not generally mean it was a one time stupid act that had bigger repercussions than they expected. I'm not re homing my dog, that would traumatize her just as much. I remember when she came to live with us, She wouldn't do anything but, eat, sleep and crap for over a week, she was really depressed. I'm not putting her through that again. We had discussed the towel idea for her and I think that's what we are going to do from now on. She is a really short haired dog so that will be better.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 11:10 AM
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Sorry but you made it sound like it was an ongoing joke with your friends.
We know you are sight impaired. But, in our defense, you said they said the word "bath" and she freaked. That doesn't take sight. It takes hearing.
It's a tough situation to be in. Please talk to your pastor husband and get him to talk to your friend now! You said with the one guy it's at the point where he even says her name she is running and urinating at the same time. How fair is that to Zena? Please keep him away from her until he learns proper behaviour around a stressed dog.
I don't believe anyone was nasty. We just tend to tell it like it is. Our pets in a lot of cases are our lives. They come before people who don't know better than to treat them badly.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 11:11 AM
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Talking to these people then is the first major thing that needs to be done. Animals should not be played with like that. They don't understand it's not real, and anybody who would do that to an animal has something seriously wrong with them.

The towel idea would be good to at least get her comfortable with being bathed I think.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 11:27 AM
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Histears - I'm glad you wouldn't consider rehoming Zena. That suggestion pops up at the strangest times! Your husband has to advise these people of the rules - period. My dogs also hate bathing, so a friend of mine who is a dog trainer and breeder gave me a recipe for a dog shampoo that you spray on. You mix 1/4 cup liquid glycerine (you can get it in the pharmacy section of your drug store) and 1/4 cup blue hair shampoo (it's actually blue and it's for grey hair - if you can't find that I've used Mane and Tail shampoo also) and you mix that into a 4 litre milk jug of water. Put some into a squirt bottle and just spray the dog generously with it. Then towel her off really well, making sure you rub right down to the skin, which shouldn't be hard if she's got short hair (my lab does too). My dogs love the towel rub, it's like the worlds best scratch session! The shampoo/glycerine mix helps to take the greasies out of their coats and the dirt and it makes them smell wonderful. Give it a try next time instead of a bath. All my friends use this mix now too and swear by it. Even if you bath a dog regularly this is good for freshening up in between. Of course if she's really afraid of the bottle too you could put the mix into a pail and wet a small towell and rub her down really well and then dry her off with a dry towel much like Luckpenny does.

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Old December 12th, 2008, 11:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 14+kitties View Post
Sorry but you made it sound like it was an ongoing joke with your friends.
We know you are sight impaired. But, in our defense, you said they said the word "bath" and she freaked. That doesn't take sight. It takes hearing.
It's a tough situation to be in. Please talk to your pastor husband and get him to talk to your friend now! You said with the one guy it's at the point where he even says her name she is running and urinating at the same time. How fair is that to Zena? Please keep him away from her until he learns proper behaviour around a stressed dog.
I don't believe anyone was nasty. We just tend to tell it like it is. Our pets in a lot of cases are our lives. They come before people who don't know better than to treat them badly.
Well said 14+.

I don't have any suggestions except to have your hubby speak to these people and not allow them in your house unless they behave in an adult manner.

Being a pastor he is in a good position to be guiding these people to be more empathetic towards living creatures.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 01:41 PM
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My fault

I was just really frustrated. The incident took place over a week ago and we are still bearing the brunt of it. The guy is willing to work on it which is good. I haven't seen the girl yet but, my hubby is going to chat with her about how much damage her little joke did.

Yes I did hear the word bath but, couldn't see her reaction til it was too late and the water was already running. She has heard the word before and just went to her kennel no real major reaction but, I knew she didn't like bathing at all. This was the first time she reacted so badly. Although I would too if it were me being teased like that. I never knew what the girl was doing until the damage had been done.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 01:45 PM
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I just can't understand why they would find it so funny to do that to an animal.

You might want to try some positive reinforcement with Zena. Maybe offer her treats as you use a towel to bath her. Then you can work your way up to actually putting some water on her little by little. Let her see that bathing will bring good things.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 03:03 PM
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Hmmm

Yeah, she actually doesn't mind being rubbed down with a wet towel. as long as no water is poured on her or as long as she doesn't have to get in it she is fine with it. I think toweling is the way to go for sure. The little dog hates baths but, isn't traumatized by them.

I got a bit of good new today though which will help. nothing to do with bathing but, an issue I knew would traumatize her all over again. Anyway we are moving to a house that unfortunately does not have a fenced yard. I almost cried when I found that out. Well someone had a Kennel/run given to them for their boarding kennel but, they do not use that type. So they are letting us have it. Zena has never had to be on leash to go potty so that would have been another traumatic experience for her on top of the move that would have been way too much for me to handle. At least that part worked out. Poor thing the boxes all over the place probably are confusing her as well. Maybe it's just a lot for her to take in right now, who knows. Man and I thought I was edgy. LOL guess I was wrong.

I think the only thing that freaks Pip out is the vacuum which is running right now. He whines at me when it's running. or tries to get out the door. Which ever is closer.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 04:36 PM
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My dog doesn't hate baths, but I don't think she enjoys them either. I like to put on a pair of shorts, get in the tub and then coax her in with me. Then I use an old juice jug to wet her down so that the sound of the showerhead doesn't spook her.

You're obviously no where near this stage yet, but maybe if she sees mommy in the tub having a good time she'll want to join you someday.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 05:19 PM
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As I understand Zena is a pittie,right??
I can't see how a bath is always needed,she probably has very short hair,I would wipe her down and maybe in the summer,she can go into the lake or you can carefully introduce her to the hose,if she gets stinky dirty.
As for the friends,I think what they did was really,really stupid
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Old December 12th, 2008, 06:25 PM
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yup wipe down instead.

She is half Pittie half Lab but, her coat is pretty much Pit. Her coat is super short, not even much to brush. Even when I did bathe her it was only once every 3 months or so. She doesn't stink or anything like that much so the need for bathing is minimal. I figure bathing her is pointless if it bothers her that much and her fur is that short. For the amount of times I have to bathe her in a year I think it's just worthless to bother training her for the tub or hose. She'll jump in water if it's to chase a Frisbee or something. The only time a bath is really necessary is on the days when she goes to the park and there is mud all over the place. I don't want to not let her go cause it gets her some much needed exercise so dirty she comes home. I'll just have to have a few buckets ready on those days from now on. I think tonight is the first night she is not in her kennel hiding since it happened. She seems a little better but, you can tell she is still a bit edgy. Poor thing what a week.
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Old December 12th, 2008, 11:55 PM
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histears, if any of my friends did that to any of my animals I would throw them out of my house and not let them back in again! I have no patience for anyone who upsets an animal, especially on purpose!

As for the bath, my husband uses a mousee on his guide dog. It is a foam mousse shampoo and it works great! He gets it at Walmart. You put the foam on and comb it thru the coat and let it dry. No washing.

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Old December 15th, 2008, 01:42 PM
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Pray, Pray, Pray.

Well our big move is coming up Thur or Fri. Pray Zena adjusts well and that it won't be too traumatic for her. Pippin will be fine of course, not much phases his cute little mind but, I am concerned about Zena. She has calmed down a lot in the last day or so after her nasty fright. She is even staying out in the common area with us now even when the guy who scared her is around and she is starting to cuddle with him again like she use to before it happened. Haven't talked to the girl yet but, plan to soon. Don't see her much lately so it's hard to pin her down long enough to discuss it. Boy will I ever be glad when this move is all over so we can get settled for the arrival of our baby.
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Old December 15th, 2008, 08:12 PM
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well good luck on your move and i hope the jokesters are behaving them selves
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