Will an animal that was abused ever stop cowering once it is in a loving, good home?

My sister adopted an abused dog. She was very sweet and well-behaved with my sis and b-i-l, but extremely aggressive with everyone else. I couldn’t make eye contact or pet her until recently (ten years now) as she is aging and calming down

She used to attack the UPS, Fed-EX and other delivery men.

My mother adopted a dog that was rescued from and abusive environment several months ago and it did have the mannerisms of cowering and avoided physical contact at first. After showering the dog with a lot of love, care, and needed attention, it has done a serious turnaround and now it is full of life and energy and relishes the attention it gets.

I think an important consideration is going to be that you might have to donate a considerable amount of free time to nurturing and gaining trust with the dog. This is just speculation on my part also because, as you said, the extent of the abuse of the dog you are considering adopting is not known.

My aunt and uncle have two sibling dogs (a male and female) that were abandoned. The male is the alpha and is normal, but the female will cower if you try to pet it from directly overhead (and this has been for about eight or nine years now). It still likes getting attention, etc. and has a normal disposition, but reacts to hand and arm movement from directly above.

Chances are the dog will always have fear reactions. They can range anywhere from wetting to aggression. It will require a lot of special handing and care. I adopted an abused dog and after working with her for years she almost killed other dog just out of nowhere. Sadly, she had to be put down eventually.

Bummer, man. That is sad.

It depends on the dog, and you might not know the full extent of it for years as things you do act as triggers and you adjust accordingly. All in all, I think it’s not too big of an issue, a little awareness on your part and some basic information for any guests about what not to do should cover it. I say, if the dog is a good fit for you otherwise, snatch them up and love them as much as you possibly can.

My dog was abused. He had a broken jaw and was in pretty bad shape but he is the best dog ever. He doesn’t cower or anything but one time he did bite my hand when I tried to move his food bowl. You really just never know. I’m glad that I got him. I suggest just not raising your hand at him or even swatting him with a paper or anything.

I honestly feel this dog needs me and I appreiate the answers you all have given me. I will think long and hard on all of them.

Chyna
We have had several dogs over the years and at one time we had a dalmation that had been severly abused. She cowered in a corner for four days when we got her and every time we approacched her she would shake and pee out of fear.
We had her eight years and she turned out to be a good dog dispite lingering fear reactions. She took a lot of our time and energy but seeing her get healthy in a loving environment was very rewarding.

P.S. read White Fang.

I think animals, like humans can slowly learn to trust after time. And, although nothing is guaranteed, this animal may sense your love and kindness and make an effort to meet you half way, albeit slowly. Animals are amazing that way.

Hopefully. :*(

Every dog we have and had has been an abandoned and/or abused dog. All have ended up being good pets (for us) but all have ended up differently. Some require special precautions such as never allowing small children to be in the room with them and others have turned out close to fine but with some oddities of behavior.

Gracie took several weeks to trust us and then suddenly decided we were hers, let us touch her paws, and pet her however we wanted. She got somewhat protective but not scarily so.

Bourbon is never going to trust most people ever, but she has become accustomed to being with us. She will rarely accept petting unless she comes up and asks for it, which she does every few days. She has to wear a muzzle when she goes to the vet or when we trim her claws or bathe her because she snaps. But she now does the “happy dog dance” when we go to feed her or let her in or out. She still isn’t very house-trained, especially when she feels stressed.

Boudreaux had a very, very hard time accepting our right to tell him what to do (and had a number of other bad habits as well). However, we worked with him a lot and he has turned out to be a good but very energetic dog. We cannot trust him around small children, however, and having had an embedded collar he cannot abide anyone tugging on his neck. He also gets very angry at the smell of raw fish (but he likes it when it is cooked). He also hates fire crackers possibly because he had been shot before he came to us.

Scarlett was injured when she was a puppy and the injury was never treated. By the time we got her she was in great pain and could not use one of her back legs at all. Nonetheless she immediately trusted us completely. We put her through orthopedic surgery to repair the damage, so now she can use all four legs, and she thinks we are the most wonderful thing in the world. She loves all people indiscriminately except for the guys that burst in through the front door one evening. They got a bit of a surprise because she and Boudreaux (jointly 180 pounds of dog) were sleeping in the front hall and took off after them.

Sally has turned into a terrific and trusting dog with one exception. She cannot stand having to get out of the truck into a parking lot. She was found starving and abandoned in a parking lot. She was adopted by a family that suddenly could no longer keep her and they abandoned her in another parking lot. Then we got her. You can see why she might not like parking lots.

My sister’s current dog was also an abused and abandoned dog who loves my sister very much but has a number of quirks and foibles that mean she cannot be near any other dog or a cat or bloodshed will ensue. She is now 14 years old and beginning to be very frail, but we still have to be careful. OTOH my sister wouldn’t live without her for anything and will be heart-broken when the inevitable comes to pass.

We also have had several feral or abused cats, all of whom eventually became friendly with us over a period of anywhere from several months to over a year.

All of these animals took a lot of extra work and patience, some ingenuity, and a very calm and quiet demeanor. We also are very aware of their limitations and so cannot put them into circumstances that other dogs would tolerate such as a dog park or with children.

If you realize the amount of work you will be taking on then quite possibly you can get this dog to adjust to living with you. You may also have to accept that your friends may not ever be able to be around this dog both for their safety and to keep her from panicking. If you can do the work you will get a dog that will love you in its own fashion.

I rescued my dog Max. He is a black lab, when I got him he had a broken front leg, dislocated hip, three fractured ribs, and weighed 19 lbs. To say the least he was in sad shape. He did not even know how to play. Throw a ball at him and he would watch it roll past.

it took a year and a half, but he is now normal. He plays, not skidish at all, but he acts as if he were beat if you speak harshly at him. An abused dog is a lot of work, but they are worth it. You cannot buy the loyalty he gives for free.

Update: I adopted the dog in question and have had her for a few days. So far, she is very sweet, loving and doesn’t let me get too far away from her. She isn’t clingy, just likes to be in the same room with me. Loud noises don’t bother her, but quick gestures make her cower, so I try not to make sudden moves. Her name is Molly and I think she was meant to be with me.

@chyna – Sounds as if she is bonding with you and looks on you as a protector. Enjoy her!

@chyna: Gotta love a happy ending, or a beginning for that matter. :)

Thanks. I have a reason to rush home now.