The “Tail” of a Puppy Mill Survivor

By Melissa Fidge
Owner of Maizu LLC
a dog-centric company
creating stylized dog jewelry.

Deep brown eyes stared at me as a small taupe and white body was placed in my lap. The eyes - and the body - belonged to Gracie, an Italian Greyhound then known as Lady "bug."

Obviously a bit tense around strangers, Gracie sat still in my lap... then slowly she tilted her head up, looked into my eyes and gave me a solitary kiss.

I had gone to Tracy (Gracie's foster parent)'s house to meet her other foster, a young energetic Italian Greyhound. I REALLY wanted a young dog. Instead, I came home with a six year old puppy mill survivor. It was (and has been) the best decision of my life.

Gracie spent the first five years of her life in a small cage owned by a commercial breeder, very likely a puppy miller. This article is not about the horrors of puppy mills - I address that issue in my article about commercial breeders. Nor is this article about the trials of fostering/rehabilitating puppy mill survivors. The job Tracy and the countless other fosters do is amazing and deserves an article of its own. This article is here to walk those of us who choose to open our hearts and homes to these amazing survivors through the expected joys and pitfalls of life with an ex-puppy mill dog.

Of course, the temperaments of puppy mill survivors (PS) are as varied as normally raised dogs. I was lucky; with just a few bumps in the road, Gracie has turned into a friendly, well adjusted, stable dog. So much so that I call her my little "bulldozer" because she bulldozes through every obstacle she encounters! I've met PS (especially boys) that end up very well adjusted and I've met some that never fully adjust to family life. I'd like to think that with a little time, patience and know-how, most PS can live fairly regular lives.

This article expresses my opinions on caring for a PS. Not every idea works for every dog. And the thoughts on caring for the dogs we love are as varied as the people who have them.

There are three important factors in helping a PS feel comfortable and become as well adjusted as possible: understanding, boundaries and a quiet environment.

UNDERSTANDING:

The most important thing to remember when adopting a PS is understanding. Even dogs who seem pretty well adjusted will most likely have special "quirks" that need a special level of understanding not usually needed for "normal" dogs.

For Gracie, it began with offering her distance. When I adopted her, she was already pretty trusting of people but I still kept a leash on her in case I needed to catch her. A leash is a great tool for the new PS parent. It is a way for your dog to always have distance when needed but still gives you the control of where the dog can go. Many PS spook easily, so reaching out to try to stop them from going somewhere or doing something will most likely scare the living daylights out of them. Better to be able to reach down and grab the end of a leash 4 feet away from the dog. Some dogs need to wear a leash for months before it is safe to take it off.

As a new parent, it is important to be extra sensitive to your dog's "quirks." Fear may be involved... for example, Gracie was terrified of garden hoses. By the slow process of desensitization, I'm happy to say that a year and a half later she'll actually drink water from a hose! Some dogs are scared of crates, or being covered by blankets, or something innocuous like a squeaky toy. Noticing and understanding these "quirks" is the first step to helping your dog conquer them.

BOUNDARIES:

I've already briefly discussed leaving a leash on your dog. This is your first step in setting boundaries. Boundaries are important for keeping your PS safe but the most important reason for setting boundaries is creating trust. As social creatures, dogs do well with set limits. And as their nature dictates, you, as the setter of those boundaries and therefore the leader (or alpha) of the pack, will earn their respect.

Crates are controversial in the realm of puppy mill rehabilitation. Some people believe that because these dogs spent their previous, neglected (or abused) lives in cages they shouldn't ever be expected to be crate trained - that it is cruel.

As stated before, there are many different personalities within PS. It is important to first and foremost understand your dog's comfort zone. But I truly believe with some calm, patient training, many, if not most, PS can learn to love a crate.

I feel crates are useful tools in creating boundaries. Not only are they a safe place to retreat to when your dog is overcome with fears but they are also great for keeping dogs out of trouble when you can't keep a close eye on them.

Before you bring any dog - and especially a PS - into your home, your boundaries have to already be mapped out. Will she be allowed on the furniture? The bed? Are there rooms that the dog will never be allowed in? What behaviors are unacceptable? Where is it acceptable for your dog to relieve itself?

Make sure you NEVER back down on the boundaries you've set. If you stick with them, in a calm and loving way, you will be one step closer to helping your dog be all she can be.

A QUIET ENVIRONMENT:

Often overlooked, a quiet environment is instrumental in giving your PS the confidence to learn to trust. I personally don't feel that an active, rambunctious, loud household is necessarily the right match for a dog who's already gone through so much in her life. Again, every dog is different, but I feel that most PS do best in quiet homes.

What does a quiet environment offer? Without distractions spooking your dog, she will more likely approach you for attention or some sort of relationship. She will feel safer. The reason Gracie's foster parents didn't adopt her (a term we lovingly call being a foster flunky) was because they recognized that their home was too chaotic for her to ever really feel comfortable. While I am truly grateful for everything they did for my dog, I must agree. I feel Gracie has opened up more than she ever would have in a boisterous environment.

So there you have it - my opinion on the three necessary factors of living with a puppy mill survivor. Taking them to heart will help immensely in turning your "broken" pup into a well adjusted dog. And to all the kind souls who choose to take them in, THANKS!